ZT Journal · Issue No. 02 · MAY 2026
Alan Elliott: 40 Years as a Zimbabwe Safari Guide
Alan Elliott founded Touch the Wild, one of Zimbabwe's original safari operations, and spent 40 years building knowledge of the Zimbabwean wilderness that is now the foundation of ZimTravellers. This is his story — and why it matters for how we operate.
From the founder
Issue No. 02 · May 2026
Welcome to the May issue. The dust has settled, the bush is opening up, and Zimbabwe is moving into its strongest months. Inside this issue: a longer piece on Mana Pools as the river drops; a Q2 update on the Presidential Elephants count; a practical brief on the May–October open-season window; and a short piece from Suku on why Matobo’s rock art still holds up at thirteen thousand years.
If a Zimbabwe trip is somewhere on your horizon, the easiest first step is a short note. I will reply, personally, within twenty-four hours.
— Josh, Bulawayo
Latest from this issue
33 stories
Trip Planning
How to Choose a Zimbabwe Safari Operator: The Questions That Matter
Most operators selling Zimbabwe have never been there. Here are the specific questions that will tell you, within one conversation, whether the person you're talking to actually knows Zimbabwe — or is reading from a brochure.
Trip Planning
Zimbabwe Visa and Entry Requirements: The Complete 2026 Guide
Zimbabwe is easier to visit than most people expect. Citizens of over 60 countries can purchase a visa on arrival for $50. Here is everything you need to know about entry requirements, vaccinations, and money before you fly.
Wildlife
Walking Safaris in Zimbabwe: Why This is Africa’s Best Kept Secret
The walking safari was invented in Zimbabwe. The professional guiding tradition that makes foot-based wildlife encounters safe began in the Zambezi Valley, and the country's guides remain the finest in Africa.
Talk to Josh, directly
Planning a Zimbabwe trip? Ask me.
Personal reply within 24 hours. No commitment, no sales pressure — just a sketch.
Wildlife
Painted Wild Dogs in Zimbabwe: The Safari Experience Nobody Talks About
African painted wild dogs have a hunting success rate higher than lions and a pack structure more complex than wolves. Zimbabwe holds some of Africa's last stable populations. Here's where to find them.
Wildlife
Zimbabwe’s Big 5: Where to See Them and What Nobody Tells You
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino. Zimbabwe has all five, in some destinations at concentrations that rival Kenya and Tanzania at their peak. But the best Big 5 encounters here are not where most people look.
Destination Guides
Harare, Zimbabwe: What to Do in the Capital Before Your Safari
Most travellers fly through Harare on the way to Victoria Falls. Those who stop for 24–48 hours find a city that rewards curiosity: Africa's finest public art collection, an unmatched craft market, and restaurants that will surprise you.
Destination Guides
Bulawayo: Zimbabwe’s Second City and Safari Gateway
Bulawayo is the gateway to Matobo Hills, Khami Ruins, and Hwange. It is also one of southern Africa's most elegantly preserved colonial cities — wide boulevards, Victorian architecture, and a museum that holds the most important Ndebele history collection on earth.
Destination Guides
Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands: Africa’s Forgotten Mountains
The Vumba, Nyanga, and Chimanimani mountain ranges in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands are unlike anywhere else in southern Africa. Misty forests, waterfalls, trout streams, and botanical richness. This is the Zimbabwe that almost nobody visits.
Destination Guides
Gonarezhou National Park: Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Wilderness
Gonarezhou means 'place of elephants'. It is Zimbabwe's second-largest national park, shares a border with South Africa and Mozambique, and receives a fraction of the visitors it deserves.
“Every email here is answered personally — within twenty-four hours.” — Josh, Bulawayo