Zimbabwe Safari
Home of Africa's Greatest Walking Guides

The dry season from July to October is the peak time - Hwange's elephants gather at the waterholes in enormous numbers and Mana Pools' game concentrates along the Zambezi. September and October are the most dramatic but also the hottest. The green season (November to April) brings lush scenery, superb birding, newborn animals and lower rates, though some walking camps close during the wettest months.

A value Zimbabwe safari with good camps starts from around $350-500 per person per day, all-inclusive. Mid-range and premium camps run $600-900 per person per night. Luxury Mana Pools and Hwange lodges range from $900 to $1,800+ per person per night, including guided walks, game drives, meals and often park fees. A typical 6-8 night Zimbabwe safari costs $3,500-$12,000 per person depending on tier.

Zimbabwe's professional guiding licence is regarded as the most rigorous in Africa, taking years of training and demanding examinations to earn. The result is that a walking safari in Hwange or Mana Pools is led by an exceptional guide, making it one of the safest and most rewarding ways to experience wildlife on foot anywhere on the continent.

A minimum of 5-6 nights lets you pair Hwange with Mana Pools, Zimbabwe's two signature parks. A week or more allows a richer circuit adding the Matobo Hills for rhino tracking, or a Victoria Falls finale. Because the parks reward slow, immersive exploration on foot and by canoe, we recommend at least three nights in each.

Absolutely - Victoria Falls sits on Zimbabwe's own doorstep and is the natural start or finish to almost every Zimbabwe safari. Many itineraries open at the Falls before flying to Hwange and Mana Pools. The Falls also link seamlessly to Botswana's Chobe and the Okavango Delta for a classic multi-country journey.

Zimbabwe's safari areas and tourism circuit are well-established, welcoming and safe. Zimbabweans are consistently rated among the friendliest people in Africa, and the safari camps operate to high international standards. As with any safari destination, malaria precautions are advised for the low-lying parks - we provide up-to-date guidance for your route and season.

Hwange delivers huge elephant herds, lion, buffalo, sable antelope, wild dog and over 400 bird species. Mana Pools adds famous walking encounters with elephant and buffalo, plus leopard, wild dog and prolific hippo and crocodile along the Zambezi. Matobo is one of the best places in Africa to track both black and white rhino on foot.

Zimbabwe is a wonderful honeymoon choice for couples who want authentic wilderness and world-class guiding without the crowds. Intimate riverside camps in Mana Pools, romantic Hwange lodges and the thundering spectacle of Victoria Falls combine into a deeply personal journey. Many couples pair it with a beach finale in Mozambique or Zanzibar.

Zimbabwe offers old-fashioned, uncrowded wilderness with the finest guiding in Africa. Where some destinations feel busy, Zimbabwe still delivers sightings you have entirely to yourself, exceptional walking and canoeing, and a warmth of welcome that travellers never forget. It is a connoisseur's safari - authentic, active and intimate.