The Zimbabwe Explorer

Arrive in Harare and settle in before the safari begins. The evening is reserved for a welcome meeting: introductions, a route overview, and final preparations before eighteen days around Zimbabwe.

The safari starts with visits to Imbashiri and the Lion and Cheetah Park, both in the Harare environs, before returning to the lodge in the mid-afternoon. Dinner in the city tonight is at your own expense.

Leave the Sunshine City behind, heading west to the town of Chinhoyi. Lunch is at the campsite before an afternoon exploring the Chinhoyi Caves and their surroundings.

An early start for the drive to the Chirundu border area, descending into the Lower Zambezi valley. Vehicles are swapped for 4x4 safari transport into Mana Pools National Park, untamed territory that shows the true wilderness of this country. Two nights follow here, exploring the Zambezi River.

A day immersed in the waters of the mighty Zambezi, with a half-day canoeing excursion past hippos, crocodiles and other river wildlife. Lunch is on a sandbank before a speedboat ride back to camp to relax in the afternoon.

An optional big-five safari walk or an afternoon safari drive gives another chance to explore the park and the wildlife that calls it home.

An early start climbing back out of the valley to Makuti at the top of the escarpment, then west toward Lake Kariba, completed in 1959, the largest man-made lake in the world by volume. Lunch is at a vantage point above the lake before a short drive to the harbour to board a houseboat for the night.

Return to shore and reunite with the vehicle before crossing the border to the Zambian side of Lake Kariba. A local guide walks the group across the dam wall, explaining its construction, walking from Zimbabwe to Zambia. Overnight is on the Zambian side.

Drive through southern Zambia via Mazabuka and Choma to Livingstone, then cross into Zimbabwe at Victoria Falls, the adventure capital of Africa, where the Zambezi runs 1,800 metres wide over the falls. An activities briefing, traditional dance show, and dinner follow. Two nights here.

A flexible day built around whatever activities the group has chosen: meal times depend on the schedule, arranged directly with the guide. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense.

Back on the road to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest, permanent home to large herds of buffalo and elephant and one of the prime game-viewing areas in southern Africa. Two nights here include nature walks and day and night safari drives.

A day of game viewing with the guides, plus a visit to a local Painted Dog Conservation project in the area.

Depart for Bulawayo, the City of Kings and Zimbabwe's second city. Lunch is at your own expense, and after a town walkabout it's a short drive to camp among the granite boulders of Matopos National Park.

A full day in Matopos: a walk with the park's rhinos, a game drive with a local guide explaining the area's fauna and flora, a visit to the Cecil John Rhodes Monument, and a sunset among the boulders to the tunes of traditional dancers.

Drive to Masvingo, first stop of the Pioneer Column and home to the Karanga-Rozvi people, then on to Great Zimbabwe, a World Heritage Site. A guide leads the group through the dry stone walls and history: kings, people, and the fall in the mid-1450s, before camping for the night.

Head for the Eastern Highlands and the Nyanga mountain range, visiting the highest point in Zimbabwe along the way. Two nights follow in Nyanga.

A day filled with visits around the highlands: several waterfalls, hikes, and the Skywalk at Mutarazi Falls. A traditional braai closes out the day.

An easy drive back down through the hills and valleys to Harare, with lunch at your own expense on the way. Arrival is expected in the late afternoon.

Tour ends today after breakfast.