Private Tour 14 days New

Epic Zimbabwe

Two weeks, every landscape that matters

Duration14 Days

Regions5

Max guests8

Activity levelEasy to moderate

Priced per personFrom $12,150per person

Best monthsMay to October (dry season best; tailor-made year-round)

Overview

Zimbabwe end to end, wild first and civilised last, which is the right way round. It opens at its wildest. Three nights at Nyamatusi in Mana Pools, walking among elephant in the winterthorn forest and canoeing the Zambezi channels, with the escarpment behind you. Three nights at Bumi Hills on Lake Kariba next, high on a ridge above the water on the edge of Matusadona, where the safari runs as much by boat as by vehicle and the sunsets are the reason people come back. Then Hwange, three nights at Somalisa on a seasonal pan where elephant drink a few metres from the deck. Two nights in the granite follow, at Matobo Hills Lodge, ours: white rhino tracked on foot, San paintings read off a cave wall, and a private morning at the UNESCO-listed Khami Ruins outside Bulawayo. The Falls close it, two nights at Thorntree on the Zambezi for a last look at the water everything else has been running towards. Private throughout, maximum eight guests. When to go: April to early November. July to October is the strongest window for game.

Why book direct with ZimTravellers?

Owner-plannedYou deal with Josh, directly

Generations deepFive generations in Zimbabwe

Private by defaultYour guide, your vehicle

A direct lineMessages answered by Josh himself

Epic ZimbabweThe route, day by day

Itinerary

Day by day.

MANA POOLS

Day 1

Day 1: Arrive Mana Pools

North into Mana Pools and Nyamatusi. The floodplain is the point here: winterthorn forest, dust and low light, with a first drive before dark.

NYAMATUSI

Day 2

Day 2: Mana Pools

A walking morning, which is when Mana is at its best. Few African parks put you on foot among elephant the way this one does.

NYAMATUSI

Day 3

Day 3: Mana Pools

Canoeing the Zambezi channels if the level suits, drifting past elephant on the bank. Afternoons are for the river, or for sitting still.

NYAMATUSI

LAKE KARIBA

Day 4

Day 4: On to Lake Kariba

Across to Lake Kariba and Bumi Hills. Out on the water for the first of the lake sunsets, which are not exaggerated.

BUMI HILLS →

Day 5

Day 5: Lake Kariba

Shoreline game viewing by boat and by vehicle. Elephant come down to drink against the drowned trees, and the tiger fishing is serious if you want it.

BUMI HILLS →

Day 6

Day 6: Lake Kariba

A slower day on Matusadona. Walking with a guide, more time on the water, or the deck and a long view over the inland sea.

BUMI HILLS →

HWANGE NATIONAL PARK

Day 7

Day 7: On to Hwange National Park

Into Hwange and Somalisa, with time for an afternoon game drive before dark. The waterhole in front of camp usually does the rest.

SOMALISA

Day 8

Day 8: Hwange National Park

A full day in the park. Out early while it is cool, back through the heat of the middle of the day, out again into the evening.

SOMALISA

Day 9

Day 9: Hwange National Park

A second full day, which is where the difference shows. Hwange holds one of the largest elephant populations in Africa and in the dry months they come to the pans in numbers that are hard to describe.

SOMALISA

MATOBO HILLS

Day 10

Day 10: On to Matobo Hills

South into the Matobo Hills and Matobo Hills Lodge. Settle in, then sundowners from the granite with the whole valley below you.

MATOBO HILLS LODGE →

Day 11

Day 11: Matobo Hills

On foot at first light, tracking white rhino with a ranger. Later, San paintings read off a cave wall by a guide who grew up in these hills.

MATOBO HILLS LODGE →

VICTORIA FALLS

Day 12

Day 12: On to Victoria Falls

Met on arrival and taken to Thorntree River Lodge. The afternoon stays loose: settle in, then a sunset cruise on the Zambezi above the lip of the Falls if the light is worth it.

THORNTREE RIVER LODGE

Day 13

Day 13: Victoria Falls

The rainforest walk along the rim, timed for the light and the spray, with a guide who can read the geology as well as the view. The afternoon is yours.

THORNTREE RIVER LODGE

Mana Pools — Ruckomechi, on the Zambezi. — **Mana Pools**Ruckomechi, on the Zambezi.

Mana Pools — On foot among the elephant. — **Mana Pools**On foot among the elephant.

Lake Kariba — Sunset through the drowned forest. — **Lake Kariba**Sunset through the drowned forest.

Lake Kariba — The standing dead trees at dusk. — **Lake Kariba**The standing dead trees at dusk.

Hwange National Park — Elephant herd down at the waterhole. — **Hwange National Park**Elephant herd down at the waterhole.

Hwange National Park — Elephants in the golden woodland. — **Hwange National Park**Elephants in the golden woodland.

Matobo Hills — White rhino beneath the kopjes. — **Matobo Hills**White rhino beneath the kopjes.

Matobo Hills — San paintings, read off the cave wall. — **Matobo Hills**San paintings, read off the cave wall.

Victoria Falls — The main curtain at full flow. — **Victoria Falls**The main curtain at full flow.

Victoria Falls — The rim walk, level with the falls. — **Victoria Falls**The rim walk, level with the falls.

Where you will stay

Hand-picked, night by night.

Mana Pools · ZimbabweNyamatusiDetails in your proposal

Lake Kariba · ZimbabweBumi HillsView the lodge →

Hwange · ZimbabweSomalisaDetails in your proposal

Matobo Hills · ZimbabweMatobo Hills LodgeView the lodge →

Livingstone · ZambiaThorntree River LodgeDetails in your proposal

Things to know

Cancellation policy

25% charge (deposit) — 90+ days out.

50% charge — 61–90 days.

75% charge — 31–60 days.

A 25% deposit confirms your itinerary.

Booking basics

Requested and confirmed within one working day.

Prices per person, based on two travelling together.

Private (max 8 guests).

Operated by ZimTravellers (own itinerary; partner lodges as listed).

Participation & safety

Physical level: Easy to moderate.

Private and tailor-made journey cancellation

A 25% deposit is required to confirm your itinerary and is non-refundable.
If we receive your written cancellation more than 90 days before departure, the cancellation charge is 25% of the total booking price.
For cancellations received 61-90 days before departure, the charge is 50%.
For cancellations received 31-60 days before departure, the charge is 75%.
For cancellations received 30 days or fewer before departure, or in the event of a no-show, the charge is 100%.
Certain camps, lodges, private vehicles, permits and special arrangements may impose earlier or higher non-refundable charges. Any such condition will be itemised and disclosed before you pay your deposit and will apply only to the affected component.
Changes requested after services have been confirmed are subject to availability, supplier charges and repricing. A reduction in the number of travellers may increase the per-person price for those who continue to travel.

How booking works

Send your dates and party size — we confirm availability within one working day, usually sooner.
Nothing is charged until your booking is confirmed.

Deadlines are measured in calendar days, Central Africa Time, from the scheduled start of the first affected service. Cancellation must be submitted in writing. Full booking terms: zimtravellers.com/terms-of-service · Policy version 2026-07-11.v1

What’s included

Included

Accommodation as listed or similar
Meals and activities as per lodge package
Private/arranged transfers where specified
ZimTravellers itinerary support
Matobo/Khami guided component where included.
Direct WhatsApp line to Josh — before, during and after the tour

Not included

International flights unless stated
Visas
Travel insurance
Premium drinks unless included by lodge
Optional activities
Gratuities
Items of a personal nature.

Practical

Best timeMay to October (dry season best; tailor-made year-round)

PaceEasy to moderate

StartsMana Pools

Group sizePrivate (max 8 guests)

Epic Zimbabwe