Private Guided Zimbabwe & Zambia

You will jet into Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. Your dedicated and knowledgeable guide Alistair Kilpin will meet you in Bulwayo for the drive to Big Cave Camp in Matabo National Park – think of it as your first game drive!

Although considered one of Zimbabwe’s lesser-known national parks, Matabo is replete with history. The Ndebele people named it Matobo, which means ‘bald heads’, after the massive boulders and granite outcrops that punctuate the landscape. The rocks are the perfect surface for ancient artworks from the nomadic Khoi and there is evidence of Stone Age settlements. Look out for flocks of black vultures and plenty of other game, especially a healthy leopard population that prowls this World Heritage Site.

Your home for three nights will be Big Cave Camp, which has stone-and-thatch chalets built into the massive boulders. This is a great park for walking and Alistair will lead you on foot to see the more than 3 000 rock paintings, Cecil John Rhodes’s tomb and the landscape around Big Cave Camp. In addition, you will have exciting game drives and a once-in-a-lifetime rhino-tracking excursion – your guide will help you find these prehistoric beasts as they graze gently on Zimbabwe’s sweet grasses.

Soon it is time to wave farewell to the friendly staff at Big Cave Camp and head off by road to Zimbabwe’s flagship reserve: Hwange National Park. Expect more than 400 species of bird, plains game and, if you are very lucky, a pack of lively and intelligent wild dogs.

The Hide is one Hwange’s most comfortable tented camps, with only 20 guests at any one time. Your deluxe tent is fitted with one of the best elements of being on safari in Africa: an outdoor shower that lets you listen to birdsong, watch the sunrise or gaze at the full moon while you are enjoying a refreshing rinse.

Alistair will be on hand to guide you through Hwange’s massive territory in search of large herds of elephant and buffalo, and the resulting predators like lion, African wild cat, leopard and cheetah. But you do not need to venture too far from The Hide for good game viewing: the camp overlooks a popular waterhole where you can watch animals large and small coming to slake their thirst.

On Day 6 you say goodbye to Zimbabwe and make your way to the border to cross over into Zimbabwe. Alistair and a driver will assist you with all the necessary paperwork and soon you will driving in air-conditioned comfort to The Elephant Camp, which lies on the far outskirts of Victoria Falls Town.

The Elephant Camp is a luxurious lodge where every room has a full en suite bathroom with a tub, an outdoor shower and a private plunge pool overlooking the Wild Horizons Sanctuary below. There is plenty to see and do here: you can meet the resident herd of orphaned or injured elephants that are cared for in the sanctuary; go on birding expeditions or nature walks; visit the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust; enjoy lunch at The Lookout Café, a casual restaurant with the best views of the waterfall; and sip sundowners at Batoka Gorge.

There are also plenty of other activities at Victoria Falls, which is known as Africa’s adventure capital. The daring can opt for white-water rafting, bungee jumping or bridge swinging while a tour of the Falls is a must for everyone.

It is time to cross the Zambezi River into Zambia – once again, Alistair will help with all the official documentation. Livingstone lies on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls and has the same laidback atmosphere as Victoria Falls Town on the Zimbabwean side. You will take off from Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone and touch down in the capital of Lusaka to catch your connection to Lower Zambezi National Park.

Soon you will be checking into Chiawa Camp on the banks of the Zambezi River. Shaded by mahogany and acacia trees, the tents are spacious and comfortable, with king-sized beds and claw-foot bathtubs.

The proximity of the Zambezi lends itself to all sorts of water activities – there is something very special about canoeing past an old bull elephant washing the grit off the soft river plants before munching contentedly on them. Spend your mornings on boat excursions, game drives or nature walks before ending off the day with cocktails on the river.

It is time to explore another section of the Zambezi – Old Mondoro Camp awaits you after a game drive from Chiawa. Taking only eight guests at a time, Old Mondoro is a truly intimate and African experience where every tent has a river view and telescopes are set up to watch birds and drinking animals.

Once again, the Zambezi is at the centre of your days, which you can opt to spend on a kayak, boat or game-drive vehicle. Alistair will point out hippos, crocodiles, water monitors and African fish eagles. Old Mondoro is perfect for walking safaris and it is delightful to set out in the cool of the dawn to watch the landscape come alive under the warming rays of the sun.

On Day 13, it is time to shake hands with Alistair as you part ways at Kenneth Kuanda International Airport in Lusaka for your homeward bound flight back to Johannesburg in South Africa.