10 Day Zimbabwe and Chobe NP Tour

Great Zimbabwe’s massive stone walls give this trip a stronger sense of place than a standard safari circuit. Over 10 days, you move from an ancient royal city and granite hills to Hwange’s huge elephant herds, Victoria Falls, and Botswana’s wildlife-packed Chobe River.

I like the variety: this is not nine days of game drives, but a broad look at southern Africa. I also like the small maximum group of 12 and the carefully arranged transfers, which matter when the route covers long stretches of Zimbabwe. The main drawback is the pace. You spend many hours on the road, and the $4,395 price is a serious commitment, especially since optional activities and personal expenses cost extra.

Key points to know before booking

• Great Zimbabwe adds history and meaning to a trip often sold only as a wildlife holiday.
• Hwange is the safari centerpiece, with two full days focused on elephants, predators, birds, and other game.
• Victoria Falls includes a guided visit and sunset Zambezi cruise, with a free day for add-on activities.
• Chobe combines a river cruise, lunch, camping, and game drives across the Botswana border.
• The group is limited to 12 people, making transfers and safari outings more manageable.
• DK Tours & Safaris uses guides including Webster, Owen, and Enock, with particular praise for organization, transfers, and care throughout the trip.

A 10-day route from Harare to Chobe

This trip works as a sampler of Zimbabwe rather than a deep stay in one region. You begin in Harare, travel south to Great Zimbabwe and Matobo, head west to Hwange, continue to Victoria Falls, then cross into Botswana for Chobe before departing from Victoria Falls Airport.

That route covers a lot of ground. You get ancient stonework, dramatic granite formations, rhinos, elephants, waterfalls, river wildlife, and two national parks in one booking. The tradeoff is that the schedule leaves little room for slow mornings or extra nights in places that catch your interest.

The tour includes nine breakfasts, three dinners, and lunch. The supplied details do not clearly spell out every meal across every day, so I would confirm the exact meal plan before paying. Optional tours, tips, gratuities, and personal items are not included.

Day 1: Arriving in Harare

Your airport pickup takes you to Jacana Gardens Lodge for the first night. The arrival day is kept flexible, which is sensible after an international flight.

If your flight arrives early enough, you may add an optional Harare city tour. Possible stops include the Harare gardens, art galleries, farm produce markets, and townships. These visits are not part of the core included sightseeing, so treat them as a bonus rather than a reason to choose this trip.

Harare functions mainly as your starting point. You do not get a long city stay, but the overnight stop avoids forcing you straight into a long drive after landing. Confirm your arrival transfer details and whether the optional city outing carries an extra charge.

Day 2: Great Zimbabwe and the stone city of a lost kingdom

Great Zimbabwe is one of the most important stops on the route because it gives the country its name. The ruins occupy about 722 hectares, and construction began in the 11th century before continuing into the 15th century.

The site served as the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe and may have supported as many as 18,000 people at its height. Its dry-stone walls, royal enclosures, and broad ruins help you picture an organized society that flourished long before modern colonial borders.

Admission is included. The itinerary gives you about a full day for the stop, though driving time and the exact overnight arrangement are not specified. Ask how much time you will spend walking at the monument and what footwear is best for the ground.

I like that Great Zimbabwe appears early in the route. It sets the trip in a wider historical frame, rather than treating Zimbabwe as a place you visit only for animals and waterfalls. If your main goal is nonstop safari, though, this day may feel like a detour.

Day 3: Granite hills and rhinos in Matobo

Matobo National Park, also called the Matopos, brings a sharp change in scenery. The hills are made of granite, shaped into rounded formations that give the park a distinctive look.

The park supports a wide range of wildlife, including white rhinos, sable antelope, impala, and leopards. It is also known for its birdlife, with 175 bird species listed, and for a high concentration of black eagles.

A major historic detail here is the burial place of Cecil John Rhodes. His grave is in the Matobo Hills, a fact that adds a colonial layer to the visit. Your guide can help place that site within the wider history of Zimbabwe, though the tour description does not specify how much time is devoted to the grave.

The park is also described as an Intensive Protection Zone for black and white rhinos. That does not guarantee a sighting, but it explains why Matobo is an important stop for anyone interested in conservation.

This is a full day, and admission is listed as free. The physical fitness requirement is moderate, so expect some walking and uneven ground. You should be comfortable spending extended periods in a vehicle and getting in and out during sightseeing.

Days 4 and 5: Hwange, the main safari section

After breakfast on Day 4, you drive about three hours to Hwange National Park, arriving around lunchtime. The afternoon brings your first game drive in the Hwange Safari Lodge estate, which borders the main park without a fence between the two areas.

That arrangement gives you access to a broad wildlife zone, but you should confirm exactly which areas are covered by the game drive and how park fees are handled. The itinerary lists admission as free, yet national park costs can sometimes be built into the tour price or arranged by the operator.

Hwange is famous for elephants. The park is described as having more than 65,000, and in the dry season elephants can dominate water points in the afternoon. That makes the later part of the day especially promising for watching large herds gather at water.

Other animals listed for Hwange include lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, buffalo, impala, kudu, and sable. Sightings are never guaranteed, but two days give you a better chance than a single rushed drive.

The afternoon timing is useful for predators, which may become more active as the heat eases. It also gives you a first look at the park without trying to fit a dawn start and a long transfer into the same morning.

Day 5 is devoted to Hwange. You spend a second full day looking for your preferred animal or bird, with time to notice smaller details after the first excitement fades. The schedule notes that you may return to the lodge earlier if the main wildlife has been seen, but that depends on the guide and the day’s conditions.

I like the two-night focus here. Hwange is the best part of the itinerary for someone who wants a real safari feel without the crowds associated with more famous East African parks. Still, the tour description does not specify the number of game drives, vehicle type, or whether a professional ranger joins every outing. Ask those questions if safari quality is your top priority.

Day 6: Victoria Falls from the forest and the river

On Day 6, you drive about two hours on tarred roads to Victoria Falls. After checking in, you take a guided waterfall tour lasting about three hours.

The visit includes the Victoria Falls rainforest, large baobab trees in the Zambezi National Park, and an artifacts market. The main attraction needs no introduction, but the forest walk matters because the falls are not just one viewpoint. Moisture from the river creates a wet zone around the falls, and the walk gives you several ways to experience the spray and sound.

The itinerary does not specify how wet you will get or which viewpoints you visit, so carry a light waterproof layer and protect cameras and phones. That is practical advice for any waterfall walk, especially when the spray is strong.

At 4 p.m., you board a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. Drinks and snacks are included, and you return to the hotel around 7 p.m. This is a pleasant change from the vehicle-based days. You may see river wildlife, and the fading light makes the cruise a calmer way to finish a busy sightseeing day.

Day 7: A free day with expensive temptations

Your second Victoria Falls day is open. You can rest at the hotel swimming pool, shop, or pay for optional activities.

Possible choices include a helicopter flight over the falls, canoeing on the upper Zambezi, bungee jumping, a visit to the Zambia side, walking with lions, and other activities. None is included in the tour price, so the free day can become costly quickly.

This flexibility is useful because people want different things from Victoria Falls. You may prefer a quiet day after several drives, while another person in your group may want an adrenaline activity. The drawback is that the core price does not tell you what these add-ons cost, so request current prices before you arrive.

Dinner at the Boma Restaurant is scheduled for this evening. That gives the free day a fixed cultural and dining element, though the supplied details do not explain exactly what the meal includes. Confirm whether drinks and any entertainment charges are covered.

Day 8: Crossing into Botswana for a Chobe river safari

The Chobe section begins with a pickup from your Victoria Falls hotel. The drive to the Botswana border takes about one hour, with arrival at around 8:30 a.m. You then complete border formalities and receive a safety and regional briefing before heading to the Chobe River jetty.

The first Chobe activity is a three-hour boat cruise from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This is one of the strongest parts of the trip because a river gives you a different view of wildlife than a game vehicle.

You may see hippos, crocodiles, many bird species, elephants, and buffalo coming down to the water. Elephants along the river can often be watched at close range from the boat, though wildlife always sets the terms and guides must keep a safe distance.

Lunch follows the cruise and is described as a substantial buffet. Afterward, you continue with the Chobe safari program, including camping according to the itinerary. The exact campsite facilities and sleeping arrangements are not supplied, so ask whether you will sleep in tents, a permanent camp, or another setup.

Crossing an international border adds time and paperwork. Bring the documents required for your nationality, and allow patience for the formalities. The tour provides the transfer and briefing, but border processing is never completely predictable.

Day 9: Early wildlife and a slower Chobe afternoon

Day 9 begins early with tea or coffee and a quick continental breakfast. You then break camp and take a final game drive toward the exit gate.

The early timing is well chosen. Big cats and other nocturnal animals may still be active, and there is a chance of finding them near a previous night’s kill. That possibility makes the early start worthwhile, but it also means you should be ready for a short night and a basic breakfast.

You are scheduled to reach Chobe Safari Lodge around 10 a.m. The rest of the day is for relaxing, shopping, or joining an optional afternoon boat cruise on the Chobe River. This provides a useful change of pace after the early drive.

The day also exposes one limitation of the itinerary: the Botswana portion is short. You get a boat safari, a game drive, and a night at camp, but not an extended Chobe stay. If Chobe is your main reason for booking, you may prefer to add extra nights separately.

Day 10: Departure from Victoria Falls

The final transfer takes you to Victoria Falls Airport. Departure time depends on your flight schedule, so you should avoid booking a tight connection that leaves no room for road delays.

The route begins in Harare and ends at Victoria Falls, rather than returning to the starting city. That open-jaw design saves you from retracing the entire route and makes good use of the airport near the falls.

What $4,395 includes, and what it means for value

At $4,395 per person, this is not a budget tour. The value comes from the range of places covered, the internal transfers, the Zimbabwe and Botswana border crossing, safari outings, accommodation, and included meals.

You are paying for a complicated route that would take real planning to arrange independently. Great Zimbabwe, Matobo, Hwange, Victoria Falls, and Chobe each require different transport and timing. Having one operator coordinate the sequence can remove a lot of friction.

The small group limit of 12 also helps. You are less likely to feel lost in a large coach, and a smaller safari group can make vehicle logistics easier. DK Tours & Safaris has been praised for organized transfers, accommodation, meals, and attentive care. Webster, Owen, and Enock are names associated with the guiding team, so ask who will lead your departure.

There are still important extra costs. Optional tours, personal purchases, tips, and gratuities are excluded. The two Victoria Falls days can become expensive if you choose a helicopter flight, bungee jump, Zambia visit, canoe trip, or animal encounter.

The price makes the most sense if you value convenience and want a broad southern African sample. It makes less sense if you prefer independent travel, slow stays, or a tightly focused safari with more time in one park.

Who should book this route?

I would recommend it to a first-time visitor who wants a strong introduction to Zimbabwe and nearby Botswana without arranging every transfer alone. It suits people who want both culture and wildlife, especially those who would regret skipping Great Zimbabwe or Matobo while visiting Victoria Falls.

It also suits active sightseers who can handle long road days, early starts, border formalities, and moderate walking. A maximum of 12 people is a useful middle ground: more social than a private trip, but smaller than a large coach tour.

I would hesitate to recommend it to someone who wants luxury throughout, complete control over daily timing, or a dedicated wildlife trip. The schedule is busy, several days involve long transfers, and the Botswana stay is brief. The accommodation and camping details need confirmation before you book if comfort is a major concern.

The cancellation terms are worth noting. You can receive a full refund by canceling at least six full days before the start time. Canceling two to six days ahead allows a 50 percent refund, while canceling less than two days ahead brings no refund. Poor weather may lead to a new date or a full refund.

Final advice before you commit

This is a big, ambitious route. Its best feature is the mix: ancient stone architecture, granite hills, rhinos, Hwange elephants, Victoria Falls, and Chobe river wildlife all appear in one trip.

I like the careful sequence from Harare to Victoria Falls, the two full Hwange days, and the combination of a Chobe boat cruise with a game drive. I also place real value on the included airport pickup and intercity transfers, since those are the parts of a southern Africa trip that can become tiring and confusing.

Before booking, confirm the exact lodges, camping setup, park fees, included game drives, meal schedule, border requirements, and prices for optional Victoria Falls activities. If those details match your comfort level, this is a sensible way to sample several of the region’s major sights in one organized journey.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts in Harare, Zimbabwe, with pickup at Harare International Airport and transfer to Jacana Gardens Lodge.

Where does the tour end?

The final transfer is to Victoria Falls Airport. Departure time depends on your flight schedule.

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts approximately 10 days.

What is the maximum group size?

The group is limited to a maximum of 12 people.

Is pickup available?

Yes. Pickup is offered, including airport pickup on arrival in Harare and hotel pickup for the Chobe journey from Victoria Falls.

Which meals are included?

The package includes nine breakfasts, three dinners, and lunch. The exact daily meal schedule should be confirmed before booking.

Are optional activities at Victoria Falls included?

No. Optional activities such as a helicopter flight, canoeing, bungee jumping, a Zambia-side visit, and walking with lions are not included.

What is the cancellation policy?

A full refund is available when you cancel at least six full days before the start time. Canceling two to six full days before the start time allows a 50 percent refund. Cancellations made less than two full days before the start time are not refunded.