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Experience a beautiful Zimbabwe safari on this in-depth and adventurous trip to Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park and Zambezi National Park. Feel the spray from the magnificent Victoria Falls before travelling to Hwange National Park, where your safari will begin. Hop aboard the Elephant Express, which will take you to the southern corner of Hwange, where you’ll stay for three nights looking for elephants bathing in the deep pools and meeting the locals that support Imvelo Lodge’s conservation efforts. Heading even deeper into the national park, you’ll stay in a rustic lodge and learn about the anti-poaching efforts of this community, designed to help both human and animals inhabitants. Look for cheetah, elephants and wild dogs in the northern part of the park before finishing at Zambezi National Park. Canoe through the water and relax on your deck overlooking the river – this is the perfect end to your remote Zimbabwe safari.
This itinerary can be tailored to suit your requirements; please contact one of our consultants to start planning your dream trip.
Depart the UK from your chosen airport.
On arrival in Victoria Falls, you’ll be met at the airport and driven to Gorges Lodge, which is located 200 metres above the roaring Zambezi River. Spend the afternoon sipping a cocktail by the pool and drinking in the views – you might even spot the lodge’s pair of black eagles soaring below. This evening, you’ll enjoy a performance from local dancers and a delicious meal before falling asleep to the sound of the river rushing below you.
After an early breakfast, you’ll spend the morning enjoying the incredible views of Victoria Falls, known locally as ‘the smoke that thunders’. It’s a truly magical sight and a spectacular way to start your trip! After this you’ll be transferred to Dete Station, to board the Elephant Express for a slow ride down the railway line, game viewing all the way to the camp. This restored rail car will take you through the wilderness to Bomani Tented Lodge – lookout for cheetahs, lions and elephants on your journey! On arrival, you’ll check into the camp for three nights. Tonight, tuck into a lovely three-course dinner under the stars, looking out for elephants visiting the lodge watering hole.
On your first day at Bomani, you’ll go out on an early morning and late afternoon game drive through the local acacia forests. Bomani is located on a private concession, on the edge of a remote and unspoilt corner of Hwange National Park. Famed for its herd of elephants (upwards of 45,000 in the whole park), the Ngamo Plain also attracts a variety of other animals, like wildebeest, buffalo and even predators like jackals. Spend your game drives looking out for wildlife and the middle of the day relaxing by the pool before ending it with sundowners by the waterhole.
On your second day, you’ll head over to Ngamo Village, for a special morning with the local villagers. Your visit will culminate in a tour of the school and a singing performance by some of the children – the school is supported by the camps and this morning is sure to be one of the most enjoyable parts of your trip. The visit will be un-choreographed and relaxed, as well as a wonderful opportunity for both you and the locals to learn about each other’s lives. In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy another game drive, finishing at the unique underground hide at Stoffie’s Pan, where sundowners and canapés will be served as you peep out to spot elephants and lions.
Each night enjoy dinner around the campfire, under a blanket of stars.
After an early morning breakfast, you’ll pack up for a full day game drive, or “pump run”, deep into the southern part of Hwange, en route to your next lodge – Jozibanini. Imvelo Lodge’s unique “Pump Runs” combine game viewing in remote areas of Hwange with practical conservation, helping to maintain waterholes and pumps which the wildlife relies on during the dry season. You’ll learn all about challenges of looking after such a system as well as stopping at Makona Ranger station to meet some of the park rangers who patrol in this remote corner of Hwange.
You’ll arrive at this rustic and wild camp just in time to enjoy a sundowner. Small and intimate, there are just five tents at Jozibanini, each with an ensuite bathroom with running water, a bucket shower and star beds for sleeping under the twinkling sky. Your meals are served al fresco, around the campfire, where you can share stories of the days' adventure.
Your days at Jozibanini will be adventurous and interesting. After breakfast around the campfire, you’ll head off on a guided mountain bike ride through the elephant paths along the inter-dune troughs around the camp. The environment here is semi-arid, similar to the Kalahari Desert, and the impacted terrain from elephant paths gives this region the unique opportunity to game view by mountain bike.
A ranger station named Jozibanini was abandoned 14 years ago and tragically elephant poaching raised its ugly head there in 2013. After these incidents, Imvelo Safari Lodges decided to establish an outpost at Jozibanini which staff and a privileged few visitors could use as a base for both management of water resources and a safari experience unlike any other. Presence in the area would also deter poachers, and who better to employ to protect the new project than ex-poachers who have turned over a new leaf. By introducing tourism, the Jozi project has helped protect and conserve hundreds of kilometres of remote park, and regular traffic on the route has translated into reliable support for both parks pump attendants and about 25% of Hwange’s thirsty wildlife in the dry season. Your guide will set up a lovely picnic lunch for you under a shady tree where you can have a siesta before the ride back to camp in the afternoon.
You’ll constantly be looking for animals – this southern corner of the park is especially known for wildebeest, cheetahs and wild dogs. Spend your evening watching for wildlife around the waterhole.
After breakfast, you’ll take a short charter flight north to Nehimba Lodge. From the plane, you can appreciate the incredible grandeur of Hwange – granite kopjes, mopane woodlands and the sandveld of the Kalahari. Arriving in Nihimba Lodge, you’ll settle in for three nights. This lodge is situated on a private concession, which means you can enjoy night drives and bush dinners after dark. It’s a great place to spot migrating herds of elephants between July and October as well as having a large waterhole that draws wildlife from miles around during the dry season.
Late this afternoon, you’ll set off for Nehimba Seeps nearby – an open plain where elephants dig for water and minerals as it is one of the few natural water points in Hwange. It’s an excellent spot to view game – you’ll enjoy sundowners and tasty snacks before heading back to the lodge for dinner.
The north of Hwange is distinctly different from anything you’ll have seen so far. The south is a mix of open grasslands and woodlands, with herbivores grazing while leopards and painted dogs stalk their prey. The north, however, has hills and kopjes as well as large mopane forests in which this lodge is nestled. While technically wildlife can move freely anywhere in the park, the concentrations are higher at Nehimba of leopard, sable antelopes and buffalo so keep an eye out as you head out on game drives here.
After breakfast, you’ll be driven to Zambezi Sands Lodge on the banks of the wild waters of the Zambezi River. Settle into your luxury tent and enjoy high tea, before setting out on a sunset ‘drift’ on the water, enjoying delicious snacks and drinks as you go. Tuck into dinner under the stars before returning to your tent, falling asleep to the sound of the river rushing past.
Today, you’ll head out into the national park for a game drive. Zambezi Sands offers a wealth of wildlife viewing opportunities – whether you chose to drive or walk, the experienced guides take great pleasure in introducing you to the camp’s pristine and tranquil surroundings. Stop off in a lovely spot for a picnic lunch and a siesta in the shade before heading back to the lodge for the afternoon. Spend your final afternoon relaxing in your private splash pool overlooking the Zambezi. Elephants can be found loitering on the mainland or in the river, while hippo, waterbuck and bushbuck wander the reed banks and islands. As you fall asleep, you’ll hear lions calling out and elephants rustling in the undergrowth, a wonderful end to your trip through Zimbabwe.
Enjoy the morning view over the river in the dawn mist, before taking a paddle canoe exploring the Siansimba Islands around the lodge. Tuck into one last sumptuous breakfast on the water's edge, before being driven back to the airport for your flight home.
Hwange experiences a mild to warm climate. The warmest months are September to March, while May to August are the coolest. The dry season runs from April to October and brings fair weather. The wet season comes from November to March, with regular showers followed by clear skies.
This itinerary is purely a suggestion and can be tailor-made to your requirements, so please contact us with your dates and requests, and we’ll put together a bespoke quotation for you.