Zimbabwe: Hwange, Mana Pools and the Falls
Some of the finest guides in Africa, elephants by the thousand at Hwange's waterholes, the walking paradise of Mana Pools and the main face of Victoria Falls.
Why Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe's professional guide qualification is the hardest to earn in Africa, with years of apprenticeship and a notoriously demanding exam, and it shows. A walking safari in Mana Pools with a Zimbabwean professional guide, approaching elephants on foot along the Zambezi floodplain, is one of the great wildlife experiences anywhere.
Hwange, the country's largest park, has one of Africa's biggest elephant populations and a network of pumped waterholes that concentrate game in the dry season. Victoria Falls town has the main viewing face of the Falls and the widest choice of activities. Matobo's granite hills hold rhino and ancient rock art. And the country is far cheaper than Botswana next door, with camps of a similar standard.
The trade-off is politics and infrastructure: the currency situation is complicated, fuel and power can be unreliable outside the tourist areas, and travellers should follow current advice. In the parks and at the Falls, none of this touches the visitor much, and the welcome is as warm as anywhere.
Where to go
Victoria Falls
The Zimbabwean side has the longest frontage and the classic rainforest walk opposite the main falls. Best from February to June when the river is high, though the spray can hide the view at peak flow in April. Helicopter flights, the bungee, rafting below the gorge and sunset cruises above it.
Hwange National Park
Two hours from Victoria Falls, with elephant herds that gather in their hundreds at the waterholes from August to October. Also lion, wild dog, sable and roan. Private concessions on the park's edge offer walking and night drives; the national park camps are good value.
Mana Pools
A UNESCO site on the Zambezi floodplain, famous for walking and canoeing among elephants, buffalo and wild dog under the albida trees. Remote, seasonal and unlike anywhere else. Camps open from roughly April to November.
Matobo & Gonarezhou
Matobo's granite domes shelter rhino, leopard and thousands of San rock paintings, an easy day from Bulawayo. Gonarezhou, in the south-east, is a wild, red-cliffed park bordering Kruger with few visitors and a growing reputation.
When to go
- June to October (dry season): game viewing at its best, with Hwange's waterholes busiest from August. Mana Pools is open and at its finest in September and October, when the heat concentrates everything on the river.
- November to March (rains): green, hot and wet. Mana Pools closes to most visitors, Hwange's game disperses, but prices drop and the birding is excellent.
- Victoria Falls has its own rhythm: fullest in March and April, clearest for viewing in May and June, lowest in October and November, when the Zambian side can run almost dry but the Zimbabwean side still flows.
Getting there and around
Fly into Victoria Falls directly from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi or Addis Ababa; this is the gateway for the Falls, Hwange and onward to Chobe in Botswana, 90 minutes by road. Harare serves Mana Pools (by charter flight) and the east. Road transfers between Victoria Falls and Hwange are straightforward; elsewhere, light aircraft are the norm.
Where to stay
- Victoria Falls: from the grand colonial Victoria Falls Hotel to backpacker lodges, with everything in between. Stay two or three nights.
- Hwange: private concession camps on the park's boundaries, all-inclusive with walking and night drives, and the more basic national park lodges and campsites inside.
- Mana Pools: small seasonal camps along the river, plus a few public campsites for self-sufficient 4x4 travellers.
Practicalities
Visas. Most visitors, including those from the United Kingdom, United States, European Union, Canada and Australia, obtain a visa on arrival. Fees vary by nationality and have changed in recent years; expect roughly US$30 to US$55 for a single entry, paid in cash US dollars, and confirm the current figure before you travel. An e-visa can be applied for online. The KAZA UniVisa (about US$50) covers Zimbabwe and Zambia together, which is useful for seeing both sides of the Falls, though check it is available when you travel.
Money. Zimbabwe's currency has changed several times; in practice the US dollar is used for almost everything a visitor pays for. Bring small, clean US dollar notes. Cards work at the larger hotels and lodges but not reliably elsewhere.
Malaria. Present in all the safari areas, including Victoria Falls, year-round. Take prophylaxis.
Health and safety. Camps and lodges are remote; medical evacuation cover is essential. Check your government's current travel advice before booking.
Electricity. 220V, British three-pin (Type G) plugs. Power cuts are common; lodges have back-up.
Book this trip
Zimbabwe combines naturally with Botswana and Zambia, and a specialist can thread the Falls, Hwange and Chobe into one itinerary. Our partner links are being finalised.
Checked October 2026. Entry rules, fees and seasons change; confirm with official sources before you book.
