11 day Zimbabwe and Zambia safari

A taste of Zimbabwe and Zambia 11 day Zimbabwe and Zambia safari

Sandwiched between two equally impressive African safari destinations, the Zambezi river forms the filling of this utterly delicious safari destination. The 11 day Zimbabwe and Zambia safari is a taste of Zim and Zam, and they share a natural wonder: the mighty Victoria Falls.

In the Zambezi’s upper stretches, the thundering mists of Victoria Falls are like nothing you’ve seen before – especially from above. Crocs and hippos line the sandy banks among carmine bee-eater colonies, and African skimmers dart around you as you cruise downstream at sunset.

Along the meandering stretches of the Lower Zambezi, far below Lake Kariba, it’s all about big game in authentic safari settings. Elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards and wild dogs are never far away. And canoeing along the river at sunrise among the hippo pods is an experience you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry.

So rather than picking one country up front, explore the 11 day Zimbabwe and Zambia safari. Just don’t expect declaring a winner to be easy.

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Highlights

Hwange’s dramatic sunsets and giant elephant herds – and the rest of the Big Five too.
Cruising the river above Victoria Falls on a sumptuous sunset “booze cruise”.
Game drives in the Lower Zambezi National Park and bird watching along the river.
Spotting lions, leopards and wild dogs in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
Canoeing on the Lower Zambezi among hippo pods and giant crocs.
Impromptu sundowners with the elephants almost everywhere you go.

Cool & Unusual

Book a scenic helicopter flip for jaw-dropping aerial views of Victoria Falls.

Break it down Itinerary overview

Nights 1 to 3 Hop to Hwange

You’ll catch a small bush plane from Victoria Falls airport for a short flight to Hwange National Park, home to the Big Five and the knock-out that is Somalisa Lodge. Here, you’ll spend three nights in one of just seven elegant sail tents, surrounded by an endless stream of wildlife. You’ll have your fill of predators and pachyderms, get up close and personal with big game at the waterhole hide, and explore the grasslands on foot. And you’ll wonder if you really have to leave.

Nights 4 to 6 Fall for Vic Falls

Hop on another plane and head north for three nights at Victoria Falls River Lodge. You can opt to take a scenic helicopter flip over the Falls, tour its rainforests with a local guide, and generally fall in love with this natural wonder. When you’re not tearing off on a game-drive or sipping a sundowner on a famous Zambezi “booze cruise”, your private plunge pool beckons.

Nights 7 & 8 Feel at home in the Lower Zambezi

Sayonara, Zim. It’s time to clear customs and catch a charter flight to the Lower Zambezi National Park. Here, two unhurried nights await you at Chiawa. (It sounds short but don’t worry, we’ll explain.) On the banks of the river’s quieter stretches, you won’t have to travel far to find wildlife. You’ll watch elephants, buffalo, hippos and giant crocs, right from your bubble bath. Or head off further afield in search of lions, leopards and wild dogs. And there’s canoeing and catch-and-release fishing on offer too.

Nights 9 & 10 Just two more nights, pleeeease?

Two nights in the Lower Zambezi is never enough. That’s why we give you another two, taking authenticity up another notch at Old Mondoro, just a 90-minute boat journey away. Here, the experience continues beneath a canopy of elephant-luring winterthorn trees. There will be boat rides, walking safaris, red-light night drives and bush dinners under the stars. And when you climb back onto your bush plane on your final day, Vic Falls bound, your heart (and your memory card) will be full.

Your stay Camps & lodges

3 Nights

Somalisa Camp

Laden with copper bathtubs, beaten silverware and golden grasslands stretching as far as the eye can see, there’s an air of alchemy to this Hwange hideaway. Reclusively set in a private concession in the heart of Hwange National Park, you’ll...

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3 Nights

Victoria Falls River Lodge

Just a few kilometres upstream from the thundering Falls you’ll find Victoria Falls River Lodge. Here, from your private plunge pool on the banks of the Zambezi, a gentle river breeze – and a touch of smugness – washes over...

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2 Nights

Chiawa

On the sandy banks of the lower Zambezi, you’ll find Chiawa, the tented holy grail of modern-day explorers. Camouflaged by a riverine canopy of ebony and fig trees, just nine sprawling “tents” and about nine thousand hippos - await you....

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2 Nights

Old Mondoro

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the elephant lover who has everything, this quintessential tented camp on the banks of the Zambezi is it. Surrounded by a forest of winterthorn trees, whose apple-ringed seed pods are to elephants...

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