Wilds of Zimbabwe Safari

On arrival at Victoria Falls Airport, you’ll be warmly greeted by your safari guide before departing on your four-hour road transfer to Camelthorn Lodge on the edge of Hwange National Park. This massive park was once part of a wildlife migration route connecting to the central wetlands of Botswana. From April to October, the dry season, there are impressive concentrations of game here. Elephants are the star of the show with massive thirsty herds that congregate at Hwange’s water holes. This extensive protected wildlife area supports large numbers of buffalo, lion, wild dog, cheetah, and plains game. The rare sable and roan antelope are often sighted and leopard sightings are also possible. You’ll be led by Zimbabwean professional naturalist guides – acknowledged as the best on the African continent.

This afternoon you’ll visit the Look Up blind at Stoffie’s Pan. This below-ground shipping container allows you a toenail-level view of wildlife visiting the waterhole. You’ll have extremely close-up views of elephants and other game while enjoying sundowner cocktails and snacks. Night drive back to the lodge and enjoy dinner by the fire under the camp’s namesake Camelthorn tree.

Wake up to the morning birdcalls of the bush before heading out for your full-day game drive to encounter all of the wildlife that Hwange has on display: elephants, lions, and cheetah among many others. You never know what you might encounter: a cheetah kill, baby animals learning to hunt with their parents, a pack of wild dogs, lions napping, unique birds – every day is different. Your guide will teach you along the way about what it takes for wildlife to thrive in this environment. Elephants are always a special highlight, with the park boasting over 45,000 individuals – one of the densest populations on the continent. At the end of the day, enjoy the sunset while recounting the day’s highlights over dinner under the stars.

Choose today from either a full day game driving, a full day pump run, or a visit to the local village and the Elephant Express train.

Pump Run
After breakfast, it’s a full-day trip through Hwange for a ‘pump run’ with a picnic under the shade trees at Mfagazaan Pan. These pump runs combine game viewing in remote areas of the park with a window into what it takes to conserve the wildlife of Hwange. Guests join their guide with the supply and maintenance of the hybrid water pumps and the pump attendants that are critical to sustaining wildlife in a park that has no major rivers. For over 80 years wildlife has relied on pumped water here, first by windmills, later by diesel engines, and today by efficient and environmentally friendly solar-diesel hybrids – some of which have been supported by guests like you! Your day ends with sundowners at a waterhole before returning to camp to fall asleep to the sounds of the African bush.

Village Visit and Walking Safari
A visit to Ngamo village is always a treat. When it’s in session, do not miss a tour of the school, and a class visit where children have an opportunity to meet guests and vice versa. This school is supported by the camps we stay in, another way that tourism benefits development and conservation. A visit to the nearby village allows you to learn about daily life. Return to Camelthorn for lunch and a short siesta before heading out on an afternoon walking safari with your expert naturalist guide. Stalk buffalo and elephant before returning to the look-up blind for up-close photos of Hwange’s wildlife. Enjoy sundowners before heading back to camp after sunset for dinner.

Rise early today and head for a game drive at dawn before heading back to the lodge for brunch. In the late morning, board the custom-built Elephant Express railcar for a unique game viewing activity all the way from Kennedy Siding to Dete. Lunch and cocktails are served en route (2.5 hours) as you keep an eye out for elephants and lions sleeping on the tracks! This rail line is part of the track laid by Cecil Rhodes at the turn of the 20th century that runs from Pretoria, South Africa, to Victoria Falls as part of his trans-Africa rail dream. At Dete, you‘ll board a safari vehicle for a game drive to Nehimba Lodge. Situated on the edge of mopane woodlands, Nehimba is well-situated to explore this wildlife dense area. Game viewing experiences here include game drives, walking safaris, and night game drives. Whether you choose to approach an elephant on foot with your guide or spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool overlooking the waterhole, you’ll be amazed by the wildness of this place. Dinner is served under the stars and you might be surprised by who shows up to drink from the water hole or even the pool!

From Nehimba, there are ample opportunities for walking safari. This will give you an entirely different perspective, and allow you to get close to nature to experience the thrill of approaching wildlife on foot. Your guide will teach you how to track and read wildlife behavior. Northern Hwange is distinctly different from the south in topography, habitats, and species of wildlife. Nehimba is known for it’s water seeps that draw wildlife – a perfect place for a mid-morning coffee break.

Return to the lodge for a leisurely lunch and siesta or relax by the swimming pool before heading out on your afternoon game drive. After sundowner cocktails and a toast to the setting sun, return to camp on a night drive. Filtered spotlights are used to look for the glowing eyes of hyena, porcupine, civet, genets, and perhaps even a leopard on the prowl! Back at camp, enjoy a relaxing bath or shower before dinner. Fall asleep to the sounds of the African bush around you.

Enjoy a last game drive through the park en route to Victoria Falls and then a boat transfer to camp. Your luxury tented camp sits on the banks of the Zambezi just upstream from Victoria Falls. The camp is spaciously laid out with views across the river into Zambia. Settle into your luxury tent and then relax on an evening sunset cruise on the Zambezi as you watch for wildlife coming down to drink under a blazing African sunset. You’ll fall asleep to the sound of the gurgling river rushing past your private room.

Today you’ll tour one of the Natural Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Victoria Falls. You’ll be inspired and amazed by the sheer size, power, and beauty of the thundering curtain of water and towering plume of spray that can be seen from dozens of miles away. A guided tour of the Victoria Falls and rain forest is a highlight. You’ll have an opportunity for some curio and gift shopping before returning to camp for afternoon tea.

Choose among a variety of activities to experience the Falls, the river, or the National Park. Take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, go on a game drive in Zambezi National Park, fish for the sharp-toothed Tigerfish, or just relax on the banks of the mighty Zambezi. The adventurous will take to the skies for a helicopter tour (at additional cost) for a bird’s eye view out over the falls.

After watching the sunrise over the river and a bush breakfast, bid farewell to Zimbabwe as you head to the airport in time to catch your departing international flight.