Zimbabwe Cultural and Adventure Tour

Arrival in Harare and overland drive to Eastern Highlands Immediately after Completing Customs formalities at Harare Airport, you will meet our tour leader, who will greet and escort you on an overland trip to the Botswana Eastern Highlands. Passengers who arrive ahead of time and join our small group can be picked up at the pre-tour hotel or meet us at Harare Airport. The overland drive will take approximately 5 hours (excluding stops) to reach Mutare, located in the Eastern Highlands, where we will stay for the next three days to explore the region. Our lunch will be on the road, and dinner and accommodation will be provided at an ecolodge in Mutare. L.D.

Mild Hiking Introduction Start the day with a sumptuous breakfast, then prepare for a mild hike in the nearby mountains for the remainder of the morning, walking through the picturesque valley of Eastern Botswana. We will pass by a small Zimbabwean ruin and a local Bushman Rock Painting Site before reaching a panoramic viewpoint with Mt. Nyangani as a backdrop, which we will explore the following day. We will head back to our Lodge in time for a late lunch and have a free afternoon to enjoy the self-guided trails through the surrounding woodland from the Lodge or relax by the pool. Dinner and accommodation will be at our Lodge. B.L.D.

Hiking Mount Nyangani After breakfast, we will depart in our overland 4x4 vehicle to the highest peak in Zimbabwe, aiming to reach our destination: the summit of Mt. Nyangani (6,784 ft). This is a moderate hike up to the peak, although some steep sections are present. Our hiking time could be up to 3 hours. We will get to our lodge for lunch, overlooking the panoramic view of these ranges. Dinner and accommodation will be in our eco-lodge. B.L.D.

Trek to Chimanimani Mountains - Hiking to Bridal Peak Falls Our traveling day will start with a drive south to the Chimanimani Mountains, a volcanic outcrop with scenery to explore, including volcanic peaks, deep valleys, and gorges. The Chimanimani National Park has preserved the pristine wilderness of the mountains, with most of the park accessible only on footpaths. We will be traveling for three hours to reach our destination by lunchtime. Our transfer is expected to take around 3 hours, and we aim to arrive at the lodge around lunchtime. Our afternoon will be devoted to trekking the indigenous forest to the stunning Bridal Veil Falls, which tumble 180 feet over a cliff into a tranquil glade. We hike to the top of the falls before returning to the lodge for dinner and accommodation.

Full Day Hiking the Chimanimani Mountains After breakfast, we will take a short drive to Chimanimani National Park, where we will spend the full day hiking and trekking the breathtaking landscapes of this part of Zimbabwe. Our hike will be in steep terrain, which involves some scrambling; canyoning takes us up the quartzite ridges of the Chimanimani Mountains. We will be hiking up to reach a large plateau overlooking the highest peaks, where panoramic views stretch as far as your sight can reach. From Mt Binga, you can enjoy the view of the Mozambican border and beyond. We will follow a path that crosses valleys and ridges, leading us back to our starting point later in the afternoon. We will ride back to our lodge for dinner and accommodation. B.L.D.

Zimbabwe Historic Tour Today, we will travel overland from the eastern highlands to the hinterland of Zimbabwe, exploring the marvels of Great Zimbabwe ruins. These unique monuments date back to the 11th century and are documented to be the greatest ancient man-made landmarks in Southern Africa. It has become the Emblem of Zimbabwe, as the country's modern name, "Zimbabwe," is merely a translation of "Stone Houses" in the Zimbabwean vernacular. We will take a break for lunch. Afterward, we will explore the site on an informative walk around the ruins, learning about their history and the people who built them and lived here. We will retreat to our lodge for dinner and a good night's sleep in the evening. B.L.D.

Matobo National Park - Granite Mountains hiking

After breakfast, we continue our quest via the cities of Masvingo and Bulawayo to the Matobo National Park. We will check into our lodge just outside the park. The park (also known as Matopos National Park) is famous for its giant boulders precariously balanced on top of each other, known as kopjes, the burial place of the first land claimer of former Rhodesia, Cecil Rhodes. Upon arrival, we walk through granite ridges and domes to visit troglodytes who document the art and history of Bushmen cave paintings. We enjoy a sundowner in the bush before returning to our lodge for the night. Our trip today consists of a three-hour walk. Our dinner and accommodation will be at Hermit Peak Lodge or a similar establishment. B.L.D.

Walking Safari at Matobo National Park

Our Safari Day will start early in the morning with a drive through Matobo National Park, one of the best places in the world to spot both Black and White rhinos, as well as other emblematic African wildlife, such as leopards. We set off on a game drive, searching to spot diverse wildlife roaming in the area. On our safari walk, we will covet to spot the local White rhino herds and other animals set amidst the granite backdrop of the park. We will return to our Land Cruisers and drive to visit the historical site where Cecil Rhodes is buried. The colonizer largely picked this ancient Ndebele site for his grave due to its unsurpassed panoramic views. We later return to our lodge, where we have time to explore the local area individually or retreat to the lodge and sit back, relaxing in the surroundings. Today’s walking and driving time is not limited, as it depends on what game we may encounter in our overland Safari at Matobo National Park. B.L.D.

Local Villages Walking Tour

After breakfast, we will embark on a quest to explore the cultural surroundings near the park, walking and visiting local villages with our local guide. As we wander through these rural surroundings, we will encounter an insight into the local daily life in Zimbabwe. This afternoon, we walk to a hide on the lodge property to watch animals come down to drink at a local natural pond. Today’s walking tour is approximately 5 hours at a leisurely pace, allowing you to enjoy mingling with the locals. We will return to our lodge for dinner and accommodation, such as Hermits Peak Lodge or a similar establishment.

Travel Overland to Hwange National Park

After breakfast, we will drive to our next destination for most of the morning. We will reach Hwange National Park around lunchtime. The largest national park in Zimbabwe, Hwange, spans an area of approximately 10,100 square miles. It is Famous for its large elephant herds. In the afternoon, we will arrive at our lodge, located in the game management area that borders the park. Once there, we have a couple of water-based options: walk down to a watering pond to look out for animals gathering to quench their afternoon thirst; the second choice is to take it easy and hang out around the pool in our lodge. We will be staying at Miombo Lodge or a similar establishment. B.L.D.

Wildlife Safari at Hwange National Park

We will devote our full day to a wildlife viewing Safari at one of Africa’s most naturally beautiful National Parks, especially with the big five beasts. Get your cameras rolling as we overland the terrain in our 4x4 game-viewing vehicles, exploring a diverse range of natural sights and wildlife. Large herds of elephants are easily spotted. We will be on the lookout for various other animals, such as lions, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, leopards, cheetahs, and even Wild dogs, amongst others. Hopefully, we will encounter all of these and more, but if we miss one of these species of your choice, then there is nothing we can do. We will return to our lodge for dinner and accommodation. B.L.D.

Overland trip to Victoria Falls

Today's overland trip is a relatively short drive (approximately 3 hours, plus stops) to our final destination, the town of Victoria Falls, situated just a short walk from the mighty Falls themselves. After Dr. David Livingstone, the first European to see the falls, looked upon the natural wonder, he wrote: "Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." The falls drop about 360 feet and span a width of over a mile. Victoria Falls is known as the 'largest' falls in the world, as when in full flow, they have the largest single sheet of water tumbling over. At its peak, usually in April, the spray typically rises 1400 feet into the Air, giving it its local Tonga name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning 'the smoke that thunders. We will devote our afternoon to a guided walking tour of the falls' southern exposure from the Zimbabwean side, offering a spectacular view of the tumbling Zambezi River as it rushes over basalt cliffs. Water, Air, and walking excursions and activities will be provided to those who wish to explore more of this world's natural wonders. We will also be able to book any optional activities for tomorrow. Our dinner and accommodation will be at the hotel.

Victoria Falls Guided Tour and excursions

After breakfast, you are free to make of your day what you wish. Excursions will be offered to you. Or enjoy a free day at Victoria Falls. You can choose to book your excursion of choice out of many activities on offer in the area, such as white-water rafting, taking a flight over the falls, going on a sunset cruise, or crossing into neighbouring Zambia to see the falls from that side (please note that you will need a Zambian visa for this and will need to get a new Zimbabwean visa as well). B.D.

Transfer to Victoria Falls Airport - Home

After breakfast, we will transfer you to the Airport to connect with your flight back home, suitcase full of great memories from your Zimbabwe walking tour and Safari. We hope that we meet your expectations. Come back and revisit us on one of our Zimbabwe overland tours and safaris.