Adventure In & Over Zimbabwe
Complete a circuit around Hwange National Park in beautiful Zimbabwe, home to diverse wildlife, stunning landscapes, and the best safari guides in Africa. This itinerary features every form of transportation. View the wildlife from car, train, canoe, bike, plane and your own two feet. The private conservancies around Hwange ensure not only diverse, abundant wildlife, but a private experience. You won't be sharing your animal sightings with 50 other safari jeeps on this trip. End your time in Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls, one of the continent's natural wonders.
Daily Itinerary
Day 1: Victoria Falls Arrival - Hwange National Park
- Tour: Arrival Transfer
- Accommodation: Nehimba Lodge
- Meals: D
Arrival Transfer
Arrive at Victoria Falls Airport where your Zimbabwean safari experience begins. Here you will embark on your road transfer to Nehimba Lodge via Sinamatella (3.5 - 4 hours, 2 hours of which is a game drive through the park), drinks and snacks will be provided en route.
Nehimba is remotely nestled away on a huge private concession in the Northern part of Hwange National Park and combines luxury living, ultimate elegance and African charm to provide you with an exceptional safari experience.
On arrival enjoy your welcome drinks on the lodge deck overlooking the tranquil waterhole in front of the lodge as the sun sets below the horizon.
On returning to camp, a delectable three course bush dinner will be served out under the stars near the lodge waterhole .
Day 2: Hwange National Park
- Tour: Full Day Game Drive
- Accommodation: Nehimba Lodge
- Meals: B, L, D
Full Day Game Drive
After breakfast guests will pack day packs and head out with their guide for game drives and walks, exploring this beautiful Northern part of Hwange National Park. The north is distinctly different from the southern part both in topography, habitats and species of wildlife.
Stop off at the Nehimba Seep for a mid-morning tea break. The seep is an ancient source of water once used by the San Bushmen historically as well as being a place where elephant still dig for water and minerals.
Return to the lodge for a leisurely lunch and then siesta or perhaps relax by the lodge swimming pool, which is frequented by Hwange's thirsty herds during the dry season.
Later in the afternoon, head out on a game drive within the park, ending with cool refreshments and canapés at sunset.
Back at camp our guests can enjoy a relaxing bath or shower to freshen up before a 3-course dinner in the main lodge area followed by reliving the day's safari around the campfire.
Day 3: Hwange National Park
- Tour: Game Drive and Salt Springs Visit
- Accommodation: Nehimba Lodge
- Meals: B, L, D
Game Drive and Salt Springs Visit
Early morning tea or coffee on your private deck followed by breakfast in the main lodge and then once again pack day packs for your visit to the area's salt springs, game viewing along the way.
This will be followed by a picnic lunch at Mandavu Dam. Situated in a scenic hilly spot only 15-kilometers from Sinamatella Camp, Mandavu Dam is a wonderful location for both bird watching and game viewing.
Return to the lodge in the afternoon and relax on the deck overlooking the waterhole, enjoying the sight of the wildlife that come to quench their thirst before freshening up for a 3 course meal and ending off the day with a night cap or hot chocolate around the campfire.
Day 4: Hwange National Park - Bomani
- Tour: Elephant Express Game Drive
- Accommodation: Bomani Tented Lodge
- Meals: B, L, D
Elephant Express Game Drive
Have a leisurely cup of tea or coffee on your room deck followed by breakfast in the main lodge before transferring by road to Impofu Siding to embark on the one of a kind Elephant Express rail car, game viewing all the way down the railway line to Bomani Tented Lodge. (4 hour trip – 2hr by road and 2hr by rail – drinks and snacks will be provided enroute).
This comfortable tented lodge is situated on a private concession on the edge of the remote and unspoiled south eastern corner of Hwange National Park. Bomani is famous for its unique scenery as well as its large herds of elephants and all other animals and birdlife resident in Hwange.
After settling into your tent head out for a late afternoon game drive stopping for sundowners at one of this area's famed waterholes.
Head back to camp and enjoy a 3 course supper out under the stars next to the lodge waterhole.
Day 5: Bomani
- Tour: Walking Safari & Game Drive
- Accommodation: Bomani Tented Lodge
- Meals: B, L, D
Walking Safari & Game Drive
Early morning walk at dawn in our private session in search of the wildlife just starting their day, tracking Buffalo and Elephant on foot is a thrilling experience. Return to the lodge for a leisurely brunch with some time afterwards to catch up on journals or enjoy a few hours of photography of the plains from the lodge deck. After a scrumptious afternoon tea, its back onto the game viewing vehicles for a few hours in the park.
Afternoon game drive from pan to pan, weaving between the throngs of jostling elephant that come pouring in for the fresh water. This makes for a fun and memorable afternoon before returning to camp just after dark searching for nocturnal animals on the way back to camp.
Refreshments will be served around the campfire followed by a 3 course supper in the main lodge dining area.
Day 6: Bomani
- Tour: Village Visit & Game Drive
- Accommodation: Bomani Tented Lodge
- Meals: B, L, D
Village Visit & Game Drive
After breakfast head to Ngamo Village, a 30 minute drive from Bomani, for a very special morning that gives guests a chance to experience a real and un-choreographed interaction with villagers.
The visit culminates in a tour of the school and a singing performance by some of the children followed by a class interaction where children have an opportunity to meet guests and vice versa.
Return to Bomani for a late lunch before your afternoon game drive on the Ngamo Plains in Hwange National Park ending up at our unique Look Up blind at Stoffie’s Pan for sundowners and canapés and the truly remarkable close encounters with wildlife that are a feature of the Look Up.
Night drive back to the lodge and then enjoy a 3 course dinner in the lodge dining room.
Day 7: Bomani - Southwestern Hwange
- Tour: Pump Run
- Accommodation: Jozibanini Camp
- Meals: B, L, D
Pump Run
After an early morning hearty breakfast, enjoy an all day trip into the park on our one of a kind ‘pump runs’, with a picnic and siesta under the trees at Mfagazaan Pan.
Our pump runs combine game viewing in remote areas of the park with practical hands-on conservation. Guests can assist their guide with day-to-day maintenance at the borehole pumps which are the heartbeat of Hwange National Park and its wildlife.
The pump run will lead all the way down to our remote adventure camp Jozibanini. Arrive in time for hot showers and a wonderful meal under the stars before retiring to your tent to listen to the sounds of nature surrounding you.
Day 8: Southwestern Hwange
- Tour: Game Walk & Underground Blind
- Accommodation: Jozibanini Camp
- Meals: B, L, D
Game Walk & Underground Blind
Enjoy an early morning guided game walk through the area around camp once more experiencing Hwange’s magnificent elephant on ground level and go tracking for the different species to be found in this part of the park such as wild dog.
Near camp, relax and experience a fabulous champagne brunch out in the open at the Jozi pan, enjoying the solitude of being in a completely untouched and isolated spot within the pristine African bush.
In the early evening head into the underground blind for a few hours of spectacular ‘toe nail’ photographic opportunities of the wildlife at the waterhole. Once the sun has set take a quick drive back to camp for a tasty 3 course dinner out under the glorious night sky.
Day 9: Southwestern Hwange
- Tour: Mountain Biking & Game Drive
- Accommodation: Jozibanini Camp
- Meals: B, L, D
Mountain Biking & Game Drive
After breakfast guests will pack day packs and then head off on a 15km guided mountain bike ride through the elephant paths along the inter-dune troughs around Jozibanini.
Your guide will set up a lovely picnic lunch for you under a shady tree where you can have a siesta before the 15km ride back to camp in the afternoon.
Freshen up and then enjoy sundowners and snacks in front of the camp waterhole. Later on enjoy a 3 course dinner before heading to bed and falling asleep with the Hwange bush vibrating around you.
Day 10: Southwestern Hwange - Zambezi
- Tour: Flight Over Hwange
- Accommodation: Zambezi Sands River Camp
- Meals: B, L, D
Flight Over Hwange
After a final breakfast in this remote part of Hwange, embark on a road transfer to Manga airstrip ( 2-3 hours) for your one hour air charter over Hwange National park to Victoria Falls Airport game viewing all the way from the air as you fly over the park. At Victoria Falls airport, you will be met by a shuttle vehicle for your road transfer to Zambezi Sands on the banks of the thundering wild waters of the Zambezi River, inside Zambezi National Park (1.5 hours).
After settling into your luxury tent, enjoy afternoon tea on the main lodge deck while the mighty Zambezi rushes past. Afterwards head out on a game drive, stopping off at a scenic spot to watch the sun set with sundowners and mouthwatering canapés.
Night drive back to the lodge followed by a superb 3 course meal out under the stars before retiring to your tent.
Day 11: Zambezi
- Tour: River Canoe Tour
- Accommodation: Zambezi Sands River Camp
- Meals: B, L, D
River Canoe Tour
Enjoy early morning tea or coffee on your private deck overlooking the river and then head off for a paddle in a canoe exploring the Siansimba Islands around the lodge followed by a sumptuous bush brunch served on the river's edge.
Return to the lodge for a siesta and then a late lunch on the main lodge deck and then in the afternoon head off for for a sunset 'drift' on the water with refreshments and snacks before dinner in the main lodge area.
Day 12: Zambezi
- Tour: Victoria Falls Tour
- Accommodation: Zambezi Sands River Camp
- Meals: B, L, D
Victoria Falls Tour
Start the day with a tasty early morning breakfast and then pack a day pack for your morning trip into Victoria Falls town where you will be taken on a guided tour of Zimbabwe's foremost attraction - the Falls (excludes entry fee). “The smoke that thunders” remains one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world. This will be followed by curio shopping at the local craft village.
Head back to camp in time for a delicious lunch on the main lodge deck and later in the day enjoy another game drive inside the park stopping along the river banks for evening drinks and nibbles, and to watch the unsurpassed beauty of a Zimbabwean sunset.
Freshen up on returning to camp and enjoy a 3 course dinner on the deck overlooking the gurgling river.
Day 13: Zambezi - Victoria Falls Departure
- Tour: Airport Transfer
- Meals: B
Airport Transfer
Enjoy your last morning sipping tea or coffee on your private deck as the sun rises over the river and the mist settles and then breakfast on the main lodge deck, taking in the sights and sounds of your Zimbabwean safari one last time before your road transfer to Victoria Falls Airport to catch your departing flight.
Accommodation
Nehimba Lodge
Located in a large private concession in the game rich northern region of the Hwange National Park is Nehimba Lodge. 9 spacious, chalet-style wood and thatch units are built on teak decks and – along with the central areas - overlook the magnificent lodge pan which is frequented by large numbers of elephant. Two of the rooms are family units, with a king-sized bed and 2 three-quarters beds for kids sharing with parents. All rooms are comfortably appointed, with soft cozy furnishings, en-suite bathrooms with slipper-baths and outdoor showers. The open fronted thatch guest areas comprise a bar, lounge and dining room. This comfortable camp boasts the best pool in Hwange as the elephants that frequent it will testify! Activities at Nehimba include morning and afternoon game drives, night drives in the concession and walking safaris led by armed professional guides. Guests can also go for a full day game drive with a picnic lunch.
Bomani Tented Lodge
This charming camp is located in a private concession bordering Hwange National Park, overlooking the Bomani Pan. It’s a beautiful area dotted with wetlands and savannah, supporting an abundance of wildlife. There are 4 spacious tented Spurwing suites (including a honeymoon suite) located on ground level and overlooking the lodge waterhole. The 5 Saddlebill tents are on raised wooden decks with views over grasslands. The Sable Family Suite is a 2 bedroom unit with en suite bathrooms. Unpretentious and welcoming, the central areas include a dining area, lounge, bar and viewing deck where guests can socialize between game experiences, whilst admiring the vistas. A splash pool is set in a raised wooden deck overlooking the waterhole. Congregate at the fire pit for per-dinner drinks, and then enjoy delicious candlelit dinners under the stars (private dinners can be arranged). Night game drives and walking safaris are conducted in the concession, and day game drives enter the Hwange through a private gate 5 minutes from camp.
Jozibanini Camp
Jozibanini Camp is situated in the remote south west of Hwange National Park in a wilderness unused for nearly 20 years; only the wildlife and the Parks rangers who look after it frequent this area, once roamed by San people. This is a small, truly exclusive camp in a truly wild place, a four hour drive from the nearest camp, providing a unique, untamed wilderness experience. Small and intimate, there are just 5 tents on raised decks with ensuite bathrooms with running water basins, bucket showers and flush toilets. The beds can be rolled out to the front deck and star beds for sleeping under the stars. In keeping with the rustic nature, all dining is al fresco round the campfire. The ecosystem here is semi-desert akin to the Kalahari in neighbouring Botswana. Ancient windblown fossil sand dunes are separated by shallow valleys where elephant paths have compacted the terrain, providing Imvelo with the opportunity for a unique experiment of game viewing by mountain bike. Other activities include driving and walking safaris, up-close game viewing from the Jozi "Look-up" blind and village visits (1.5hr drive). Imvelo is breaking new ground in Hwange in terms of the remoteness of the location and the uniqueness of the environment.
Zambezi Sands River Camp
Strung along the banks of the magnificent Zambezi River, within the Zambezi National Park, the Zambezi Sands River Camp commands exquisite vistas from raised decks. 10 Bedouin-style luxury tents are spacious, well-appointed, light and airy. Each opens up to private decks with splash pools – the ideal place to unwind whilst watching the slow passage of the mighty river as it flows by. Two of the tents have an inter-leading walkway, ideal for families. Canvas central areas and large decks provide comfortable spaces to socialize and dine in unpretentious style. Exciting game drives and walking safaris are conducted through the reserve. A laid-back riverside ambiance and activities such as canoeing, fishing, island picnics and sun-downer cruises by boat enhance the overall experience. Victoria Falls town and the magnificent Victoria Falls are only an hour drive away (45 minutes of which is a game drive in the park) and a guided tour of the Falls is included in the rate (Vic Falls entry fee is not included).
Pricing and Details
Starting from $ 5,022 per person
*Pricing is based on two persons traveling together, based on availability, subject to change.
Price Includes
- Full support before, during & after your trip
- Meals as mentioned
- Accommodation as mentioned
- Tours/activities as mentioned
- Transport as mentioned
Price Excludes
- International & domestic flights
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Entrance visas when applicable
- Other services not mentioned
- Tips and gratuities to guides, drivers
- Taxes and fees
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