Zimbabwe's main safari and wildlife areas

Victoria Falls

A World Heritage Site, a Natural Wonder of the World and Africa's "adventure capital". Victoria Falls is renowned for its one day whitewater rafting - considered to be the wildest one day white water trip in the world. For the "adrenaline junkies", consider river boarding, bungee jumping (the 2nd highest commercial jump in the world), skydiving, micro lighting, hot air ballooning, canoeing, hiking, horse riding and more. Victoria Falls is a very popular honeymoon stopover. This is a serious tourist spot...

The falls themselves flow at peak in April each year to create the largest curtain of falling water on earth. Rafting improves as the Zambezi River level drops progressively from July to mid-December.

Vic Falls is an ideal hub for safaris into the main safari spots in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Easily tackled on "short stay" basis using Johannesburg, Cape Town or Harare for access.

Hwange National Park

Zimbabwe's largest wildlife reserve, a "big five" safari spot. Contains Zimbabwe's greatest diversity and wildlife variety. Has a particularly strong elephant population. Also good for buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard - wild dog are a specialty. Home to just over 100 mammal species and 400 bird species.

Hwange has some excellent honeymoon hideaways. Easily accessed from either Kariba or Victoria Falls.

Mana Pools National Park

World Heritage Site on the lower Zambezi. Mana Pools is renowned for its walking and canoe safaris.

Mana Pools has very strong elephant, buffalo and hippo populations - birding is exceptionally good with over 300 species having been recorded.

Easily accessed from Kariba, usually combined with Matusadona. Walking safaris run May to mid-November, canoe safaris are good year round.

Matusadona National Park

A little known reserve on the shores of Lake Kariba, an excellent "big five" safari destination. Contains one of the last remaining wild sanctuaries of the black rhino and is considered to have the largest concentration of lions in Africa.

Until a few years ago Matusadona had one of the most dense buffalo populations in Africa - habitat changes since 1998 and the explosion in the lion population are changing this. Includes some birder's specialties - 240 odd species recorded.

Matusadona is one of the best walking safari spots in Zimbabwe. Easily accessed from Kariba and easily combined with Mana Pools and Victoria Falls. Good at any time of the year.

Best time of year - Zimbabwe

Best access - Zimbabwe

	for wildlife May to October, October and November particularly good but it's very hot!
	for birding September to March especially Zambezi Valley
	mildest climate May to September
	best discounts: January to June, high season specials July to October [...weather notes]