Itinerary
Hwange National Park
Sit back, relax and take in the scenery on a private road transfer from Victoria Falls Airport to tented camp The Hide in Hwange National Park. Set on the border with Botswana and covering more than 14,000 square kilometres, Hwange is the largest of Zimbabwe’s national parks and is famous for its elephants, which frequently drink from the park’s artificially pumped waterholes. But there’s more to Hwange than just elephants. It’s also one of the few remaining strongholds for endangered wild dogs and a home to leopard, cheetah, endangered white rhino, buffalo, sable and lion.
Situated in a private concession within Hwange, The Hide is a spectacular tented camp built on the edge of a highly active waterhole. Activities include game drives, night drives, interpretive bush walks and observing wildlife up close from a specially built underground hide that brings you to eye level with wildlife drinking from the waterhole.
Spectacular safari lodge built alongside a waterhole in a private concession within Hwange National Park, where wildlife appears almost constantly throughout the day.
View AccommodationWe highly recommend taking advantage of the complimentary night offered to all guests of The Hide at the camp’s secret sleepout, The Dove’s Nest. Just 10 minutes from the main lodge, this romantic treehouse offers an unforgettable opportunity to sleep out among the elements, beneath the wide expanse of the African sky and a canopy of bright stars. The spacious and comfy bedroom is reached via wooden staircase and offers 180-degree views of the open vlei, where giraffes and elephants can often be spotted.
Lake Kariba & Matusadona
Formed in the 1950s when the Zambezi River was dammed at Kariba Gorge, Lake Kariba is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. From Hwange you’ll fly by light aircraft to Kariba Airport where you’ll be met by a guide from Changa Safari Camp. But before heading to camp, take time to visit Observation Point to enjoy breathtaking views of the lake and the giant dam wall that brought it into being. Tragically, 86 men lost their lives during the dam’s construction. The delightful, Italian-built Church of Santa Barbara is dedicated to their memory and is also worth a visit.
Your guide will then ferry you by boat across the lake to Changa Safari Camp. Boasting exclusive access to nearly five kilometres of shoreline, this secluded camp has been designed to blend in with the environment. Accommodation consists of eight East African-style safari tents, including two large family tents, each with a private deck, stunning lake views, an outdoor bath and shower and a hammock to swing in. Spend the next few days heading out on the lake or into neighbouring Matusadona National Park, another of Zimbabwe’s little-known secrets, home to all the Big Five including healthy populations of endangered black rhino.
Eight luxury tents set under sprawling mopane woodland along Lake Kariba’s shoreline, in an area renowned for its wild beauty and big game.
View AccommodationKariba is home to numerous freshwater fish but by far the most famous is Africa’s finest fighting fish, the tiger fish – head out by boat to try your hand at catching one. As well as catch-and-release fishing on the lake, you can also cast your rod from the lakeshore, where invasive fish species can be caught and handed over to your guide, who’ll prepare you fish canapes to enjoy as you watch the sunset, G&T in hand.
Malilangwe
Fly to Harare to connect with a light aircraft flight to the Malilangwe Private Wildlife Reserve. Often referred to as ‘Africa’s best-kept secret’, this 130,000-hectare reserve in the south-east corner of Zimbabwe is home to healthy populations of black and white rhino, as well as lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, African wild dog, buffalo, elephant, zebra and more. It also provides shelter to a combination of small antelope found nowhere else in Africa, affectionately known as the Small Six.
Yet heading off the beaten track needn’t mean sacrificing comfort. End your adventure with three nights at the seriously luxurious Singita Pamushana Lodge. Set high on a sandstone ridge with spectacular views over the Malilangwe Dam and the forests beyond, Pamushana provides eight beautifully appointed suites with private plunge pools and spacious viewing decks. Between game drives, lake cruises and guided safari walks, be sure to head to the lodge’s secret animal hide to capture incredible photos of wildlife up close.
Fly from Malilangwe on day 11 via Buffalo Range Airport to Johannesburg, where you’ll catch your return flight to the UK.
A luxurious lodge set high among dramatic boulders in the remote Malilangwe Private Wildlife Reserve, a 130,000-acre wilderness area neighbouring Gonarezhou National Park.
View AccommodationThere are nearly 100 San rock art sites in the Malilangwe area, some dating back more than 2,000 years. The San are among the oldest peoples on earth and observing the art they’ve left is like shining a light on our own distant past. Pamushana’s guides will take you to a number of fascinating San sites, explaining what they reveal about the lives of these hunter-gathers.