Explore Zimbabwe Lodge Safari

The 15-day Explore Zimbabwe Safari visits Zimbabwe's top game parks, historic sites and wilderness areas offering a unique and comprehensive journey through this beautiful African country. Highlights include:

• Guided tour of the mighty Victoria Falls, one of the world's Seven Natural Wonders.
• Game viewing in Hwange National Park, rich in wildlife, including vast herds of elephant, buffalo and zebra and high concentrations of giraffe, as well as the Painted Dog Centre.
• Visiting the unique landscape of Matopos famous for its San (bushman) paintings, wildlife and as the burial place of Cecil John Rhodes.
• Visit the historic Great Zimbabwe Ruins of the Shona’s Bantu civilization.
• Wildlife viewing in the lush Nyanga National Park, rich in wildlife.
• Tour Harare, Zimbabwe’s beautiful capital city.
• Game viewing in the wild Mana Pools National Park, boasting the biggest concentration of hippos and crocodiles.
• Stop at beautiful lake Kariba and Matusadona National Park’s Rhino Camp.
• Explore the pristine and remote Chizarira National Park, a rugged wilderness area.

The Explore Zimbabwe Safari offers excellent value for money as an affordable lodge safari, with top game viewing opportunities.

DAY 1:  Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe

On arrival at Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe you will be met and transferred to your overnight accommodation. On the first afternoon of the Explore Zimbabwe Safari we explore the mighty Victoria Falls on a guided tour.

Accommodation: Guesthouse (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)

DAY 2 & 3:  Victoria Falls to Hwange National Park – Zimbabwe   

After breakfast we depart Victoria Falls and make our way to Hwange National Park. The afternoon is spent on a game drive with a visit to the Painted Dogs Centre.

Hwange National Park is one of Africa's finest havens for wildlife and is home to vast herds of elephant, buffalo, zebra and has a very large concentration of giraffe. It is also home to many predators and endangered species plus numerous and varied birdlife. The whole of the next day is spent exploring this magnificent area.

Distance: 120 km (day 2)
Lunch: picnic spots en route
Accommodation: Lodge (Chalets with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (x2)

DAY 4:  Hwange National Park to Matopos – Zimbabwe      

We leave the beauty of the Hwange National Park behind us and head to our overnight camp in the Matopos area. The Matopos Hills comprise an extraordinary collection of huge bare granite hills with gravity-defying boulders scattered all over the countryside to create a quite unique and mysterious landscape.

The national park is famous for its outstanding views, San (bushman) painted caves, wildlife (especially the Black Eagle) and as the chosen burial place of Cecil Rhodes who named his favourite spot. We visit the grave of Cecil John Rhodes on our way.

Distance: 312 km 
Lunch: picnic spot en route
Accommodation: Safari Camp (Chalets with en-suite bathrooms, bar, restaurant & swimming pool)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 5:  Matopos to Great Zimbabwe Ruins – Zimbabwe                   

After breakfast on day five of this affordable lodge safari we drive to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins via Gweru. We visit the ruins, before checking in at our accommodation for the evening.

The ruins, which are also known as the capital of the Queen of Sheba, according to an age-old legend are a unique testimony to the Bantu civilization of the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries. The city, which covers an area of nearly 80 ha, is renowned as an important trading centre from the Middle Ages onwards.

Distance: 410 km
Lunch: picnic spot en route
Accommodation: Resort or similar (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 6 & 7:  Great Zimbabwe Ruins to Nyanga National Park – Zimbabwe 

We head off to our next stop on the Explore Zimbabwe Safari, Nyanga National Park, after breakfast on day six. We have this afternoon and the following day to go on game drives in the park.

Nyanga National Park is situated in one of the most scenic areas of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. Rolling green hills and perennial rivers transverse the 47 000 hectare game park. Wildlife to look out for are wildebeest, kudu, zebra, waterbuck, impala, sable, eland as well as smaller mammals that can be seen in the park.

Distance: 430 km (day 6)
Lunches: picnic spots en route
Accommodation: Inn (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (x2)

DAY 8:  Nyanga National Park to Harare – Zimbabwe                

Today we travel to Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. Harare, our only city stop on the Explore Zimbabwe Safari, is a beautiful, light-filled, open city; high on the country's central plateau. Once we arrive in Harare, we embark on a short orientation city tour before continuing to our overnight accommodation.

Distance: 240 km
Lunch: picnic spot en route
Accommodation: Game Park or similar (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool & tea garden)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 9 & 10:  Harare to Mana Pools – Zimbabwe    

Leaving the city life of Harare behind us, we continue our journey to one of Zimbabwe’s greatest national parks – Mana Pools, where we have this afternoon and the whole of the next day available to search for African wildlife in the park.

En-route we stop at Chinoyi Caves for lunch. Mana Pools has the country's biggest concentration of hippo and crocodiles and large dry season mammal populations of elephant and buffalo. This really is as wild a place as you will find in Zimbabwe.

Distance: 413 km (day 9)
Lunch: Chinoyi Caves (day 9) 
Accommodation: Mana Pools Tented Camp (Basic Tented Camp with communal bathrooms)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (x2)

DAY 11 & 12:  Mana Pools to Lake Kariba – Zimbabwe

A short drive on day 11 brings us to scenic Lake Kariba. After lunch we take a speedboat trip across the lake to Rhino Camp, which lies on Elephant Point on the lake in the Matusadona National Park, where we spend the next two nights. Kariba is unique and a place of outstanding beauty, a great inland sea, nested in mountains, guarded by enormous reserves of game and made beautiful and savage by sun and storm, as well as by earth and water.

Distance: 176 km (day 11)
Lunches: picnic spots en route
Accommodation: Safari Camp or similar (Chalets with en-suite bathrooms)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (x2)

DAY 13:  Lake Kariba to Chizarira National Park – Zimbabwe

After breakfast the speedboat takes us back to the Kariba mainland and our journey continues to Chizarira National Park. Once we have checked in at our lodge near Chizarira, we take a drive through the park to see what this unique piece of Zimbabwe has to offer. 

This large remote area of 192 000 hectares of wild, untouched flora and fauna is endowed with magnificent gorges, plateaus and flood plains, which make this pristine park a spectacular destination for any visitor. Because of its wild and remote nature, the tranquility and rugged beauty of Chizarira National Pak is indeed unequalled.

Distance: 355 km 
Lunch: picnic spot en route
Accommodation: Lodge at Chizarira (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms)

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 14:  Chizarira National Park to Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe          

After breakfast we drive back to where our affordable lodge safari started – Victoria Falls. There will still be time for optional adventure activities like boat cruises, bungee jumping and elephant back safaris (optional and for own expense).

Distance: 359 km  
Lunch: picnic spot en route
Accommodation: Guesthouse or similar (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, bar & restaurant)
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

DAY 15: Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe       

The diverse and wildlife-filled Explore Zimbabwe Safari comes to a close today. Depending on your departure time, you will be taken to Victoria Falls Airport for your onward flight. We hope to welcome you on one of our adventure-packed African safaris again soon.

Zimbabwe CampIng Safari Option:

Please note that African Budget Safaris offers a similar 15-day Zimbabwe Camping Safari Option at a cheaper tour price. See full pricing for details.