The rains are falling across Zimbabwe which makes for a damp safari, but the birds love these conditions and Summer migrants flock to the area around Victoria Falls and the Upper Zambezi. Birding highlights include the rare greater painted snipe, the stunning carmine bee-eater, and relatively common local species such as the black-headed oriole and Livingstone’s turaco.
Victoria Falls is a great natural wonder of our world, and it’s at its most powerful following the April rains. Nothing can prepare you for the scale of these waterfalls, or the noise the crashing water makes hitting the bottom of the ravine. Equally lush, and less busy, is Hwange, known for its populations of gemsbok and brown hyena. You might also climb into the Matopos Hills, ideal leopard habitat.
There’s something about the soft winter light in June which makes photographers visiting Zimbabwe go weak at the knees. There’s none of the glare which you get in full sun, so it’s like having a permanent soft box. The high season is yet to begin, but nevertheless game viewing is excellent. Take advantage of the quieter parks and lower lodge pricing to treat yourself to an unforgettable wildlife experience.
In the middle of the Zimbabwean winter, big game herds gather across Hwange including thousands of elephant. There’s plenty of water in the rivers and lagoons of Mana Pools, which are best explored by boat or canoe. The high water levels also make it possible to spend a day rafting on the tumultuous Zambezi River, or flying through the spray erupting over Victoria Falls in a helicopter, plane, or microlite.
By September Zimbabwe’s groundwater has largely disappeared and temperatures are increasing. Vast numbers of animals move to the banks of the Zambezi River and permanent water holes. Game viewing is easy, as guides know exactly where the animals will be. With lower water levels also comes the possibility of rafting the rapids below Victoria Falls. It’s certainly not for the fainthearted, but there are few things on earth more exciting.
The weather breaks suddenly in November, and for two months spectacular thundershowers bring much welcome rains to Zimbabwe. Fresh grasses shoot, and with the security of shelter and food herbivores begin to calf. Watch newborns take their first steps under their mothers’ watchful eyes. Summer migrants get colourful breeding plumage, and there’s a general feeling of wellbeing and plenty in the parks.
Did you know that Zimbabwe still has a substantial wild rhino population? There’s a significant population of these mighty, rare creatures in Matusadona National Park, a real treasure of a wilderness on the shore of Lake Kariba. Nothing beats tracking the rhino on foot with your guide, learning about the flora and fauna as you walk, and then being awestruck as you stand before your very first wild rhino.
The river, rapids, and falls of Zimbabwe’s Lower Zambezi make it the adventure tourism hub of Southern Africa. Victoria Falls is, of course, a household name — and here you can do everything from white water rafting to bungee jumping — but all along the Zambezi River are all manner of stunning landscapes and active delights, not to mention some superb national parks and game reserves for thrilling wildlife encounters.
Victoria Falls - the magnificent point at which the mighty Zambezi River crashes across the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia - has to be top of any list of the ‘must see’ sites in Zimbabwe. The noise and power of the water is breathtaking, and so too is the beauty as dozens of rainbows flicker in the clouds of spray. It’s a year-round destination, its attractions changing from season to season.
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