Luxury Zimbabwe Safari
From the cacophony of Victoria Falls to the outstanding game viewing in Matobo, Matusadona and Hwange national parks – the latter is home to over 40,000 elephants – Zimbabwe is an unforgettable destination for safari and adventure.
Less crowded than either Tanzania or Kenya but just as compelling thanks to its biodiversity-rich landscapes and impactful conservation projects, Zimbabwe is one of our favourite places for an exclusive safari experience.
Enjoy open-vehicle game drives or walking safaris in Hwange National Park, where elephants can be seen in every direction and lions laze alongside hippo-filled lagoons. Journey by boat to admire buffalo, antelope and fish eagle on the shores of Lake Kariba, or track wetland-dwelling big cats at Mana Pools National Park. Adventure-rich Zimbabwe is sure to keep your camera busy.
No visit is complete without a proper tour of Victoria Falls – feel the incredible power of this mile-wide marvel as you shield yourself from the spray. Thrillseekers can try whitewater rafting or bungee jumping on the Victoria Falls Bridge, which links Zimbabwe and Zambia and yields spectacular views over the gorge.
- Abundant wildlife, including large numbers of elephant.
- Possible to see endangered African wild dogs and white rhino.
- Great for walking safaris.
- Scenic tours of Victoria Falls.
- Diverse landscapes and cultures.
- Try boating and canoeing on the Zambezi River in Mana Pools.
Hwange National Park stretches from the edge of the Kalahari Desert nearly to Victoria Falls, creating a diverse habitat rich with mammals and birds. Hwange is especially known for its large numbers of elephants – over 40,000 live here.
In the far north of Zimbabwe, Mana Pools National Park comprises the southern bank of the Zambezi River. The floodplains turn into a series of lakes following the rainy season, attracting a marvellous variety of mammals and birds.
The Matobo Hills rest in Zimbabwe’s south, defining the landscape with a range of domes, spires and granite rock formations. Black and white rhino roam the plateaus and kopjes of Matobo National Park.
The mighty Big Five roam the grasslands of Matusadona National Park. You can also see semi-aquatic antelope moving between the shores and river islands, while cheetah and African wild dog are never too far behind.
Equally enthralling from either the Zimbabwe or Zambian side – or from above via helicopter – Victoria Falls is an unmissable natural wonder. Watch as the powerful Zambezi River spills over and drops 350 feet.
"Seamless from day 1 to 12 we had the most magnificent journey. Thanks Ross and thanks to all the wonderful people you work with in Zimbabwe. We will 100% be using Ross and his colleagues again."
From mysterious baobab groves, to the arid sands of Hwange, and the awesome Zambezi River as it rages over Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe is a country that serves up all that could be hoped for in an African holiday destination. We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.From mysterious baobab groves, to the arid sands of Hwange, and the awesome Zambezi River as it rages over Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe is a country that serves up all that could be hoped for in an African holiday destination.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
When David Livingstone first spied the majesty of Victoria Falls, he is said to have exclaimed that “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.” So it is for those who take the opportunity to rise up and explore this wonder of nature by helicopter.
From the air, the full mile-long sweep of the falls, the thundering depths of the chasm, the bare basalt geology, the glorious rainbows, and the full African setting become apparent. You’ll also see the churning rapids of the Zambezi, the ambition of the Victoria Falls Bridge, and spot game from above the Zambezi National Park.
Throughout history, the local people of this area have described not just the visual appearance of their falls, but the whole experience of being in its proximity: it is called “The Smoke That Thunders”. Victoria Falls is a visceral, whole body experience that can be enhanced through taste and relaxation in the most colonial English tradition of afternoon tea.
From the shaded terrace of the Victoria Falls Hotel, looking across lush deep lawns towards the famous arching bridge with the thundering cloud of the falls beyond, you can indulge. There’ll be tiered plates of cakes and scones, along with tea served in silver pots and crisp white napkins. Linen suits aren’t required, except perhaps in your imagination.
The mighty Zambezi flows for 1,600 miles through six countries but is most famous for plunging into a basalt gorge forming the world’s greatest waterfall. It’s a place of boiling, swirling clouds and rainbows from which the river emerges once again to race down some of the most challenging rapids that rafters will ever encounter.
This is an experience not only of white knuckles and a raging pulse, of the buffeting of water and endurance, but also of human connection and teamwork as you play your part in negotiating the churning water under the expert instructions of your guide. The power of the water will put you firmly in your place, but you will learn that you can rise to the challenge and become invigorated by the sheer thrill of navigating the raging torrent.
Where there is water, there is life. As any safari expert will tell you, a water hole is a magnet in the landscape: the whole spectrum of life cannot help but be drawn to it, for water is the shared common need. But what happens if there is no reliable water? This is the situation that conservationists at Hwange National Park find themselves in during the parched dry season.
The solution for more than 75 years has been to pump water into 15 waterholes, but this requires rangers to maintain each pump by living in situ. You’ll be playing a vital role when you take part in a “pump run”, delivering much needed food, diesel fuel and company to these isolated individuals. They’ll tell you about their life and show you the wildlife visiting their secluded spot.
Rivers are the arteries of life, and there is no better way to appreciate this than to glide down the tranquil waters of the Zambezi in a place such as Mana Pools National Park.
You can quietly paddle your wide Canadian canoe yourself, or relax and let your guide do the work so that you can fully appreciate the water birds flitting around, the lilies, and the animals drawn to the banks to lap up the life-giving water. From a picnic spot on an island, you can watch the water pass by on its constant journey of replenishment. As the locals will tell you, this is the realm of the river god Nyaminyami: it certainly has the feeling of the divine.
Lake Kariba is a place of monumental proportions: at more than 280km (170 miles) in length and as wide as 40km (25 miles) in places, it is one of the world’s largest man-made lakes. The beautiful sweep of the Kariba Dam holds back 185 cubic kilometres of water that not only generates much-needed electricity but has created a store of the most vital ingredient of life for ecosystems.
From the luxurious setting of a house boat, you will gaze into the clear waters to discover forty species of fish, including the famous tiger fish, and train your binoculars on the abundant wildlife on the shores. It’s an unforgettable moment to see a regal and bold fish eagle – the national bird of Zimbabwe – silhouetted against a blazing sunset.
It’s a fish famed for its aggressive and territorial nature, for its unique striped scale pattern and ferocious teeth, and for its tendency – like the piranha of South America – to join forces with others to hunt in a pack. The only fish to have been observed catching birds mid-flight, no wonder it is sometimes called the “striped water dog”.
This fish has as much intelligence as it has power and aggression, so it is a worthy adversary for even the most experienced of rod-wielding adventurers. Here at Journeysmiths, we will arrange guides with the kind of understanding of the habits of this awesome creature that only comes from years of working in this environment.
A balanced life is not just one of tranquillity and calmness, but also of engagement and connection with a world beyond ourselves. These are the ingredients provided to you when you visit Singita Pamushana Lodge in Zimbabwe’s private Malilangwe reserve.
This is a place of huge baobab trees and mopane forests through which lion, leopard and black rhino roam, but it’s not just a landscape for animals, for it's a harmoniously-peopled place thanks to the work of the Malilangwe Trust. A community tour will provide you with insight into local Shangaan culture and you will see first-hand the thriving development programmes that spin out from Pamushana Lodge.
As if placed carefully by the gods, precariously rounded rocks sit atop massive granite domes, pink-hued in the slanting light of the African dawn: this is the landscape of Matobo.
Millions of years of weathering and erosion have sculpted the fantastical shapes of sensuous spires and blocks that could equally be the art of Henry Moore rather than the product of the relentless forces of nature since the Jurassic. The cracks and crevices of this walker’s paradise produce a labyrinth to explore in the footsteps of ancient explorers. For it is here that the bushmen have painted their rock paintings and added a human dimension to the awesome beauty of geological magnificence.
On the southern banks of the Zambezi River, Mana Pools is a biodiversity hotspot that will provide you with the complete package of African wildlife experiences, but it’s the population of the endangered African Wild Dog that we consider to be more than just special.
Unique amongst the canine family for having only four toes per foot, these dogs are agile, rapid and clever hunters but also display individual quirks, sociability and distinct sense of fun. Your expert guide will often recognise particular dogs by their individual markings, and they will introduce you to important behavioural and physical adaptations which contribute to their remarkable 80% success rate when hunting.
Imagine views overlooking the broadly drifting Zambezi River and stretching beyond to the 2,000 ft peaks of the Rift Valley escarpment. Ruckomechi is an intimate camp with just such spectacular views and situated on a large, private concession within Mana Pools. Ancient forests and wetlands stretch behind the camp, and in front is the massive escarpment of Africa’s Great Rift Valley.
A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the Victoria Falls Hotel is the most famous -and certainly grandest - heritage hotel in Zimbabwe.
One of the finest contemporary properties in Zimbabwe, the lodge is superbly situated both for exciting wildlife safaris in the reserve and on the river, and for epic sightseeing at Victoria Falls.
Visitors to Somalisa Camp are treated to breath-taking views of Hwange's magnificent savannah plains.
This modern lodge welcomes you to enjoy a true home-away-from-home safari experience.
Chikwenya is one of the longest established and most remote safari lodges in Zimbabwe. The lodge is set on the edge of the spectacularly beautiful World Heritage Site of Mana Pools. The surrounding setting is one of open grassland, shallow Zambezi tributaries and some of the most beautiful woodlands in central Africa which makes an ideal habitat for a rich variety of wildlife.
Camp Amalinda is located in a magnificent setting, built into the side of giant rock formations near the Matopos Hills.
Bumi Hills Safari Lodge provides opulent accommodation along with memorable views.
Somalisa Acacia is the sister property of Somalisa Camp and is situated just a ‘stone’s throw’ from the main camp.
Little Makalolo is a beautiful and remote base for viewing the herds of elephants, buffalo, the full range of plains game and predators.
Sitting delightfully on the banks of a remote section of the Mighty Zambezi, Nyamatusi Mahogany Camp is a luxurious homage to the river.
Changa Safari Camp stands head and shoulders above other lodges in the Matusadona National Park and is a prime spot for birding and fishing.
Mpala Jena is the perfect base from which to explore the Zambezi National Park whilst being within easy reach of the majestic Victoria Falls.
Kanga Camp is located at the foot of the Zambezi Escarpment in the heart of the Mana Pools National Park on the only private concession within the park.
Musango Camp is located in a superb position for game viewing, on the southern shore of Lake Kariba close to Matusadona National Park.
Elephant reaching for seed pods in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe
The Elephant Express in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Hauntingly beautiful Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe
Rhino conservation in Hwange, Zimbabwe
Morning game drive coffee break at Matetsi, Zimbabwe
Bateleur Eagle, Zimbabwe
Flight over Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Rare Sable antelope, Zimbabwe
Cheetah in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been crafting the finest tailor-made holidays to the world’s wild places. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been crafting the finest tailor-made holidays to the world’s wild places. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you every time.
An experienced team of well-travelled individuals, passionate about crafting journeys that are as exceptional as they are personal, while maximising our positive impact on the places in which we work.
While the evolution of travel and technology has seen much change at Journeysmiths over the years, our fundamental beliefs about the perfect holiday have not.
Journeysmiths mission is to inspire and expand peoples horizons through exceptional travel experiences, while preserving the natural world for future generations.
We highlight the top ten Tanzania family safari adventures.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the first person to call South Africa “the rainbow nation”. It’s a reflection on the fascinating diversity of this country, not only in the identities of its people but in the landscapes, wildlife, cultures, and activities it offers. South Africa is a country which, because of its variety, can be all things to all people, truly a rainbow of varied opportunities and experiences.
in South Africa
Without a shadow of a doubt, South Africa is one of the very best places to watch wildlife in the world. The Kruger National Park — a protected area the size of Wales — is certainly the most famous and popular safari destination, but with Journeysmiths you’ll escape the crowds to explore vast, wildlife-filled private reserves, in the company of the best guides.
Cape Town is one of the world’s great cities with a unique setting beneath Table Mountain.
To experience a little bit of everything that South Africa has to offer, you can hardly do better than to drive along the coastal road of the Garden Route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. It’s an extraordinary journey, and there’s wildlife on both land and shore, endless beaches, historic battlefields, and the vineyards are never far away. One day you might be whale spotting at Hermanus — renowned as one of the best whale watching locations in the world — and the next you could be learning about the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, handling antique weapons and scrambling over the British and Zulu positions.
Formerly the Zulu Kingdom, the province of KwaZulu Natal runs along South Africa’s dramatic Indian Ocean coastline. The Drakensberg Mountains create a natural border between Lesotho and the Eastern Cape, and offer some excellent hiking routes.
Three of Africa’s great rivers set the scene for your Zambia safari. The Zambezi, the Luangwa and the Kafue rivers are all of different character and have national parks named for them.
Not sure where to start? We have answered frequently asked questions we’ve received over the past decades about our bespoke safaris. Here we discuss everything from pre-planning information to responsible travel. We hope you will find this useful, but if you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Slowing down and staying longer is the new way of travelling and there are huge benefits to this approach. People, wildlife and the environment directly benefit from you staying a little longer; but in equal measures, so do you.
For families of all ages there is so much to see and do in South Africa, making it an excellent and diverse travel destination. We’ve chosen 20 of the best experiences to immerse you in the culture, wildlife and beautiful places of this remarkable country.
7 Secret Places to Spot Leopards in Southern and East Africa
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite leopard viewing destinations for the best chances of guaranteed sightings.
We highlight some of the places filmed in Planet Earth Three’s Deserts and Grasslands episode; view elephants in Zakouma National Park and Arabian camels roaming the Ennedi plateau in Chad, ostriches and chacma baboons in Namibia.
Namibia has a diverse cultural heritage and is home to one of the most distinct African tribes — the Himba — a group of semi-nomads who live in the Kunene region.
What To Do In Kenya With Children? We’ve chosen our best experiences for a luxury family safari to Kenya.
Booking your family safari to Botswana opens a door to a world of exciting adventure. From the minute your Cessna touches the bush strip, your family will be in the wilds with expert guides. We curated the top 10 family experiences in Botswana to whet your appetite.
When one of TV’s best-known wildlife enthusiast, Steve Backshall, tasked us with crafting an unforgettable father-son safari in celebration of his son’s 5th birthday, we knew exactly how to create a trip that would excite and inspire both in equal measures.
Botswana is one of the best places for a family holiday of a lifetime! There are millions of animals across plains, deserts and deltas.
South Africa is an excellent choice for family travel with children of all ages. Its wildlife is abundant, with a great diversity of species, including the Big Five: rhino, leopard, lion, elephant and buffalo. There are vast malaria-free reserves and it’s easy to get from safari regions to Cape Town and the beach.
A safari holiday gives your family a wonderful chance to meet local communities and experience their culture.
The only travel company to have access to a huge moment in conservation history, our Kenya Conservation safari group got to watch a rhino release!
An Exploration of Unforgettable Experiences at My Favourite Camps in Kenya
The Kalahari is a fascinating place for a family safari. The children can sit by a meerkat den watching these curious little creatures foraging and playing as one stands guard on its hind legs looking out for eagles. They can watch enthralled as a San Bushman reveals hidden secrets that have enabled them to survive here for thousands of years.
Are you celebrating a big birthday, a retirement or special anniversary? Maybe you have a plan to take your whole family, children and grandchildren on a trip that will delight and inspire them. Any reason will do!
Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary
Working in partnership with globally recognised conservation organisation; Care for Wild, the world’s largest rhino orphanage, we have curated a truly unique and exclusive experience giving a privileged few behind-the-scenes access to this otherwise incredibly private sanctuary.
The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater are truly spectacular settings filled with great herds and big cats. We take you far from the crowds and minibuses with your own private guide, staying in exclusive accommodation. Families with older teenagers will love the wildly remote Selous, Ruaha and Mahale, where you can walk, canoe and even track chimpanzees. Round it off on exotic Zanzibar.
Imagine gliding silently along an Okavango waterway in a mokoro canoe as zebra and impala graze the grasslands. Or cantering on horseback with your guide alongside giraffe. In the Kalahari, take an early morning walk with a San Bushman as he explains the ancestral secrets of survival.
Here’s something you might not expect. The people looking after you on safari might create some of your happiest safari memories. You’ll remember laughter and those after dinner stories and jokes around the campfire. During a three-night stay in a luxury camp, you’ll get to make friends with your guide, the chef, the vegetable gardener and the other people who love their work.
Botswana is a great choice for an exclusive family safari. Roaming the spectacular deserts, deltas and savannahs are literally millions of animals. The fertility and abundant water of the Okavango and Linyanti Deltas supports an incredible 200 different mammal species. The Government’s high value, low volume tourism policy helps conservation and enables you to enjoy a top quality private safari.
Between safaris there is plenty for children to do in camp while the adults relax. Safari lodges may be small and in remote locations, but they have excellent facilities and your hosts’ purpose is to give you the best possible time. In this section we also suggest a couple of places that combine easily to complement your Botswana safari.
With opportunities to see the Big Five of both land and sea, along with incredible scenery, enormous national parks, world-class vineyards, a fascinating history and vibrant, friendly people, South Africa frequently tops the lists of the world’s best holiday destinations. Even so, less than 1% of the world's travellers make it here, so it’s a place where you’ll find yourself with a few select, like-minded and discerning adventurers who have discovered this gem of a country. It’s a place you could return to for the whole of your life and never tire of it.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
We will ensure you can enjoy the best of Africa in the exclusivity of Kenya’s private conservancies where walking, riding and other expertly guided activities enable the richest safari experience.
Here’s our list of ten wonderful experiences to consider including in your Namibia safari:
Botswana is Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Each enormous private reserve has just one or two luxury lodges guaranteeing a series of private experiences as you travel from one exquisite location to the next. Expert guides will take your family on safari among big cats and vast elephant herds in beautiful deltas and deserts.
Young children delight to see wild animals in their natural environment. With Journeysmiths your safari will be expertly designed to match your family’s needs and interests. We use the best guides and arrange superb accommodation in the wilds of Africa.
We’ve collated a list of our ten favourite Tanzanian experiences to show you what’s possible in this incredible country.
Here’s our list of ten wonderful experiences that you might consider having whilst you are in Uganda:
The best way to give your family the facilities it seeks may be to book out an entire camp or lodge. Perhaps you are planning a multi-generation safari. Or you may want to fulfil a dream of walking, mokoroing and camping out in the Okavango. You may simply crave an extra degree of privacy. Most lodges we use take fewer than 16 guests, some take only eight, so booking a whole lodge is a viable option.
Kenya has the ingredients for an amazing family safari. Your children will love seeing vast numbers of animals in iconic African settings. Stay in amazing and exclusive accommodation on private reserves. Enjoy adventures on foot, horseback and by open vehicle with Africa’s finest guides. Your children can see pioneering conservation work in action and meet remote tribal communities. Maybe end with a few days by the coast.
If you’re looking for a country that’s got everything, choose South Africa. Renowned for the spectacular views of the Garden Route, vibrant Cape Town, malaria free safaris, fascinating history and outstanding wildlife, the whole family will fall under the alluring spell of this diverse country.
Are you feeling inspired to travel after watching Planet Earth Three?
Coasts offer the opportunity to see a wide variety of wildlife both at sea and on shore and are excellent destinations for wildlife enthusiasts. Follow in the footsteps of the Planet Earth crew and journey along the picturesque Garden Route coast to see Cape fur seals gathered in their thousands in South Africa. Head to the eerie Skeleton Coast of Namibia to find the desert-adapted lions that laze on its sand dunes. Or hop on a boat in Chile and watch the enormous barnacled body of southern right whales emerge from the water as they breach a matter of metres from your eyes.
Without freshwater, life on land wouldn't exist.
Freshwater is the most precious resource on our planet, but it's finite. Vital to life, only 2.5% of all Earth’s water is fresh and less than 1% of that is accessible. Planet Earth Three’s episode on freshwater documents its importance for selection of species.
Mountain gorilla can be found in Rwanda and Uganda, both superb destinations but each offering something slightly different. Read on to find out which is best for you.
The school holiday cycle is full of opportunity; there is a safari for every season, whether it’s during the Christmas, Easter or Summer holiday period.