Zimbabwe, Wildlife & Water

Combine fantastic value with Zimbabwe’s spectacular sights on this nine-night fly-in safari. Track the classic Big Five in the country’s largest national park, see endangered wild dogs in wild-walking Mana Pools and tick off a bucket-list topping visit to the world-famous Victoria Falls.

9nights Safari

Suggested route & duration

9 nights from Victoria Falls
• Victoria Falls: 3 nights
• Mana Pools: 2 nights 
• Lake Kariba: 2 nights
• Hwange National Park: 2 nights

About this independent tour

Why you’ll love this fly-in safari

  • Sleep in authentic canvas tents at John’s Camp in Mana Pools National Park

  • Travel in style and comfort as you fly between destinations

  • Spend time exploring UNESCO-listed Victoria Falls, one of the ‘Seven Natural Wonders of the World’

  • Join morning and afternoon game drives to see the classic Big Five in Hwange National Park

Suggested itinerary details

DAY 1: VICTORIA FALLS Arrive in Victoria Falls where you’ll spend three nights. See the spectacular waterfalls – a national icon of Zimbabwe – and take a relaxing sunset cruise along the Zambezi River. Stay 3 nights at Ilala Lodge.

DAY 4: MANA POOLS Fly by light aircraft to the wild-walking wonderland of Mana Pools National Park. Head out and explore the park on foot, looking out for endangered wild dogs and the park’s celebrity bipedal elephant, Boswell. Stay 2 nights at John’s Camp.

DAY 6: LAKE KARIBA Fly to Lake Kariba, known for its sky-exploding sunsets and superb game-rich shores. Have sunset G&T’s in the hull of an old boat, go tiger-fishing on the lake, and track buffalo on foot in Matusadona National Park. Stay 2 nights at Changa Safari Camp.

DAY 8: HWANGE NATIONAL PARK Continue by plane towards the extraordinary wildlife of Hwange National Park – home to one of the world’s largest wild elephant populations. Track big cats on game drives and see wildlife up close from the camp’s underground hide. Stay 2 nights at The Hide.

Recommended highlights

Wild-walk in Mana Pools

See this extraordinary wild-walking national park from the ground and track lions, leopards and wild dog on foot. 

Sanyati Gorge

Take a boat across Lake Kariba to reach the bird-watching haven of Sanyati Gorge.

Underground hides

Head underground to The Hide’s ‘wild window’ to see a startlingly up-close view of the camp’s natural waterhole.

Zambezi at sunset

Relax with a sunset cruise along the Zambezi’s riverbanks – an impressive haven of rare and unusual birdlife.

Tailor your tour

Make it your own

We’ve crafted this itinerary based on our own experiences and our customers’ feedback. It’s fully flexible, so talk to us and we can create your perfect trip.

Where to stay

We’ve chosen hotels that work better with a smaller budget. In Mana Pools, John’s Camp takes you back to basics with its meru-style tents and bucket showers, while Changa Safari Camp is a rustic safari retreat, secluded on the game-rich shores of Lake Kariba.

Unique experiences

This itinerary is flexible, so let us know if you’d like to add on any special experiences to your trip. Head to the skies for a birds-eye helicopter view of Victoria Falls, or book onto a sunset cruise to see the wildlife-rich banks of the Zambezi River.

How long

Victoria Falls is a national landmark, so we think 3 nights is the minimum amount of time you’d want to spend in such an iconic location. If you can stay a few extra days, why not add another night in Hwange National Park – the twice daily game drives here never get boring.

Another stop

There’s so much to see and do in Zimbabwe, so if you want to include any other stops, just let us know. If you have time to spare, why not add a visit to Cape Town – South Africa’s iconic coastal city is just a 3-hour flight from Victoria Falls.

Good to know

When to go

  • Zimbabwe is a great destination to visit year-round

  • June to September is Victoria Falls’ peak season

  • Some safari camps shut during the wet season and access to Mana Pools is restricted between December and March – please note this itinerary is available between April and October only

Covid-19 (Coronavirus)
Travel Advice

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