13 Days Best Of Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls is only the opening scene here. This 13-day Zimbabwe journey moves from the Zambezi River and Hwange’s wildlife to Great Zimbabwe’s stone ruins, rhino country in Matobo Hills, and the bird-filled hills around Vumba and Nyanga. You get a guide, chef, transport, lodging, meals, and entry fees in one package.

I like the personal guide and chef, which can make a long overland trip feel organized and human. I also like the broad route: you see far more than Victoria Falls, including Gonarezhou, a huge elephant park that many shorter trips leave out.

The main catch is that this is a full 13-day commitment, with long stretches between major sights and two afternoons set aside for leisure or optional activities. Game drives are also listed as optional and not included, so your final cost can rise beyond the $3,550 tour price.

Key points to know before booking

• Victoria Falls begins the trip: Start with a Zambezi cruise and a guided walk beside one of the world’s great waterfalls.
• Zimbabwe’s major parks are included: The route reaches Hwange and Gonarezhou, with optional game drives and strong wildlife potential.
• The chef travels with you: Breakfast is included every day, with 10 lunches and 10 dinners provided as well.
• Ancient stonework gets its due: Great Zimbabwe gives the trip an important cultural and archaeological center.
• The group is capped at 16: That is small enough for a more personal feel, though it is not a private trip by default.
• The price covers the basics well: Lodging, transport, park fees, guide services, and most meals are included, but drinks, laundry, tips, insurance, and optional activities are extra.

Victoria Falls and the Zambezi on days 1 and 2

The trip opens at the Zambezi River Cruise Terminal, where you spend about two hours on a scenic river outing. Complimentary drinks and snacks are included, and you might spot animals coming to the water, depending on the season.

This is a gentle first activity. After travel, I like having time to sit, watch the river, and get a first feel for Zimbabwe without rushing straight into a packed sightseeing schedule. Wildlife sightings are possible, not promised, so treat the cruise as a scenic introduction rather than a dedicated safari.

The next day brings a guided visit to Victoria Falls. You hear how the Falls formed and learn about local customs and traditions connected with the area. The walk ends at a local art and crafts center, which adds a cultural stop instead of leaving you with only photographs of the water.

Allow about two hours for the Falls visit. The admission charge is included at the point of entry for the tour, which simplifies the day. The itinerary then moves toward Hwange National Park, with an optional three-hour game drive. Since game drives are excluded from the package price, confirm the cost before you commit to one.

The Falls are the emotional high point for many people, but this tour wisely does not stop there. If you want only Victoria Falls, a shorter package will make more sense. If you want to see how the country changes beyond the famous waterfall, this longer route earns its keep.

Hwange National Park on days 2 and 3

Hwange receives a dedicated afternoon and morning, giving you more than a quick roadside look. The morning game drive is optional, just as the first one is, and game drives are not part of the included-price list.

That distinction matters. The tour includes transport and park entry fees, but you should budget separately for the actual game-drive activities. Ask how those drives are arranged, how many people share the vehicle, and whether the optional price includes both Hwange outings.

Hwange is one of Zimbabwe’s best-known wildlife areas, and its place early in the route gives you a strong change of pace after the Falls. You may see animals in open park surroundings, but wildlife is unpredictable. No responsible itinerary can guarantee a particular sighting.

I appreciate the morning outing in particular. Early hours are usually the natural time for wildlife activity, and a morning game drive gives you a better reason to accept the early start. Still, the supplied schedule does not provide exact departure times, vehicle details, or a sighting guarantee, so get those specifics before booking.

The value of a free afternoon on day 4

Day 4 is set aside for leisure or optional activities. On a fast-moving tour, this breathing space is useful. You can rest, do an activity not listed in the package, or simply catch up after the first wildlife section.

The drawback is that the schedule does not name the optional choices or their prices. If you are comparing this tour with a tightly packed safari program, you may see the free afternoon as unused time. I see it as helpful if you prefer a trip with some room to recover, especially after several early starts and road transfers.

Matobo Hills and Cecil Rhodes on day 5

Day 5 combines a controversial colonial-era memorial with a wildlife activity. Cecil John Rhodes was buried at this location after his death in 1902, and the visit explains how his body was transported through wartime southern Africa to what was then Rhodesia.

The stop gives you a chance to consider an important part of Zimbabwe’s past, but it may not suit everyone. The site is tied to a colonial figure whose legacy remains disputed. A good guide can add context, and the itinerary specifically presents the burial place as a historical stop rather than a simple scenic viewpoint.

The day then turns to Matobo Hills for rhino tracking. This three-hour activity is included, including admission. Rhino tracking is a valuable contrast with the broader game-drive format in Hwange. It focuses attention on one animal and on the signs used to locate it, rather than asking you to scan a large park from a vehicle.

The supplied details do not say whether tracking is done on foot or by vehicle, so ask for the exact format and fitness demands. You should also confirm how much walking is involved. The important point is that Matobo gives the tour a more focused wildlife encounter and adds a different setting to the route.

Great Zimbabwe on day 6

Great Zimbabwe is the cultural centerpiece of the trip. This former capital dates to around the 11th century and is the largest and most important stone archaeological complex in sub-Saharan Africa. It became a World Heritage Site in 1986.

The site was built from rectangular granite blocks stacked without mortar. Some walls and towers reach about 12 meters, and the scale becomes clear as you walk among the stone structures. This is not a quick photo stop. Give the two-hour visit your full attention, since the value comes from seeing how the walls fit together and understanding the role the city once played.

I like that this tour places Great Zimbabwe between its wildlife sections. It prevents the journey from becoming a string of park visits and gives you a direct link to the country’s precolonial past. The entry fee is included, so you do not need to arrange a separate ticket.

The schedule does not name a specialist archaeologist or provide a detailed museum program. Your guide’s explanation will therefore matter. If ancient sites are a major reason for booking, ask how much guided interpretation is included at the monument.

Gonarezhou National Park on days 7 and 8

Gonarezhou means a place of elephants, and the park is described as home to more than 10,000 of them. It is Zimbabwe’s second-largest national park, with floodplains, baobab-dotted scrubland, mopane woodland, and pale orange sandstone cliffs.

The park has four of Africa’s Big Five: elephant, leopard, lion, and buffalo. It also offers a strong birding angle. Along the river, you might see a Pel’s fishing owl, while nyala, kudu, impala, and elephant may pass near camp.

The two-day visit lets you experience Gonarezhou as more than a list of animals. Its scale and variety are part of the attraction. One hour may bring elephants; another may bring birds or nothing at all. That quiet uncertainty is part of a real national-park visit, though it can disappoint anyone expecting constant action.

The schedule lists one two-hour park visit with admission included and another two-hour Gonarezhou visit with admission marked free. It does not clearly spell out the exact game-drive program here. Ask whether drives are included, optional, or arranged separately, since the general exclusions say game drives are not included.

This is one of the strongest reasons to choose the full route. Gonarezhou adds a less familiar part of Zimbabwe to the trip, and the elephant focus gives it a clear identity. If wildlife is your main goal, ask for the planned number of drives and vehicle arrangements before you pay.

Another open afternoon on day 9

Day 9 again allows leisure or optional activities. Two such afternoons make the itinerary less frantic, but they also mean the advertised 13 days are not 13 days of scheduled sightseeing.

I would use this pause to rest, handle laundry, or choose an activity after discussing local options with the guide. Laundry itself is not included, and personal expenses remain your responsibility. Drinks and bottled mineral water are also excluded, so plan to buy those separately.

Vumba Botanical Gardens and Reserve on day 10

Vumba brings a softer, greener change after the large parks. The botanical reserve covers 159 hectares, with landscaped gardens, perennial streams, a small lake, footpaths, indigenous orchids, ferns, and abundant birdlife.

The day includes about two hours in the gardens and another two hours for a scenic drive in Vumba. Both entries are included. This is a good section for you if plants, birds, and walking appeal as much as large mammals.

The gardens also provide a welcome shift in rhythm. You are not always looking for elephants or rhinos. Instead, you can pay attention to smaller details, such as orchids, ferns, streams, and birds. The itinerary does not list specific bird species beyond the possible Pel’s fishing owl in Gonarezhou, so bird sightings remain seasonal and uncertain.

Nyanga and Harare Province on days 11 and 12

Day 11 visits Nyanga’s trout fisheries, pit structures, and museum. The two-hour stop combines local industry, archaeological features, and a museum visit. Admission is listed as free.

The itinerary does not provide detailed background on the pit structures or museum exhibits, so your guide’s interpretation will shape this stop. I would ask for a little context in advance if you want the archaeological side to receive more than a brief look.

Day 12 offers another afternoon at leisure in Harare Province. Like the earlier open afternoons, it gives you space rather than another fixed attraction. Day 13 marks the end of the itinerary, with no additional stop described.

What the $3,550 price really covers

At $3,550 per person, the tour works out to roughly $273 per day. That is not a low-cost trip, but the package includes many expenses that quickly add up on a long journey:

• Accommodation for all nights
• Transport fees
• Park entry fees
• A professional guide and chef
• All 13 breakfasts
• 10 lunches
• 10 dinners

Having a chef prepare meals throughout the trip is a real convenience. It reduces the need to search for restaurants during long transfers and gives the group a shared routine. Ten lunches and dinners are included rather than all 12, so ask which days are excluded and how meals are handled during free time.

The price does not include drinks or mineral water, laundry, tips, personal purchases, travel insurance, accommodation upgrades, activities not listed, or game drives. A sleeping bag and pillow are also excluded, which is worth clarifying with the operator because the accommodation style and bedding arrangements are not described in the supplied details.

Falcon Safaris has received especially strong praise for its organization and communication. Kelly has been helpful with arrangements, and Newtone and Gertrude handled booking, transfers, and activities in another account. Falcon was also described as quick to respond and professional during a custom trip. These names do not guarantee who will lead your specific departure, so ask for your assigned guide and chef before arrival.

Group size, pace, and practical details

The maximum group size is 16. That is small enough to make conversations with the guide possible, but it is not the same as a private safari. If you want your own vehicle or a custom pace, ask whether that can be arranged and what it costs.

Pickup is offered, the start time is 8:00 a.m., and mobile tickets are available. The tour is near public transportation, and the supplied information says most people can participate. It does not provide detailed mobility guidance, vehicle specifications, or walking requirements for Matobo Hills and the archaeological sites, so ask direct questions if those details affect your decision.

The route is best for someone who wants a broad Zimbabwe experience rather than a single wildlife lodge stay. You should enjoy changing scenery, road travel, shared meals, and a mixture of nature, archaeology, gardens, and cultural sites.

You should also expect optional costs. The cleanest way to compare this trip with other packages is to add estimated game-drive fees, drinks, tips, insurance, laundry, and any free-afternoon activities to the advertised price.

Cancellation is flexible only up to a point. You receive a full refund if you cancel at least six full days before the start time. Cancellation two to six full days ahead receives a 50 percent refund, while cancellation less than two full days ahead receives no refund.

Should you book this Zimbabwe tour?

Book it if you want one organized route through several sides of Zimbabwe and value having a chef, guide, lodging, transport, meals, and park fees arranged together. The combination of Victoria Falls, Hwange, Matobo Hills, Great Zimbabwe, Gonarezhou, Vumba, and Nyanga gives you a much fuller picture than a Falls-only holiday.

Think twice if you want a tightly scheduled safari, guaranteed game drives, luxury lodging, or a short and simple break. The open afternoons and optional wildlife drives mean you must ask questions and budget carefully.

For the right person, the $3,550 price is defensible because it covers 13 breakfasts, most lunches and dinners, accommodation, transport, guiding, and entry fees. Before paying, confirm the game-drive costs, bedding, meal gaps, accommodation level, and the names of your guide and chef. If those details suit you, this is a thoughtful way to see Zimbabwe beyond its most famous waterfall.

FAQ

How long is the Best of Zimbabwe tour?

The tour lasts approximately 13 days. Day 13 marks the end of the itinerary.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 8:00 a.m. Pickup is offered.

What is included in the $3,550 price?

The price includes accommodation, transport fees, park entry fees, a professional guide and chef, 13 breakfasts, 10 lunches, and 10 dinners.

Are game drives included?

No. Game drives are listed as optional and are excluded from the included-price list. Ask the provider for current prices and arrangements.

What is not included?

Drinks and mineral water, a sleeping bag and pillow, personal expenses, laundry, tips and gratuities, accommodation upgrades, travel insurance, activities not mentioned, and game drives are not included.

How large is the group?

The activity has a maximum of 16 participants.