13-Day Zambezi Adventure (Mobile Camp + Chef)

• A transfer from the airport can be arranged for an extra cost.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Drive to Mana Pools National Park

Rendezvous at Sunbird Guest House in Harare at 6:00am for your 6:30am departure to Mana Pools National Park in your fully kitted 4x4 vehicle + Trailer. Stop at Lions Den, for brunch (own account) before entering Zimbabwe National Parks Estate. From here, you will drive two hours on dusty dirt roads through the bush to your camp, arriving early in the afternoon. Set up camp alongside the Zambezi River with elephants, buffalos, eland, hyenas, hippos, and monkeys wandering through your unfenced campsite. You can take an afternoon game drive in the 4x4 before returning to the camp at sunset. Dine under the stars, and you will see the moonlight reflecting on the Zambezi just meters away. Did we mention we live here because Zim is the best country in the world? On your first night at Mana, you will understand why!

N.B.
Bring Sleeping bag
Pack a single, compact, soft bag especially for groups of 7-8 guests where packing space is limited. No Hard-sided suitcases Matrass & Pillows supplied.

Main Destination:

Mana Pools National Park

Best Time To Visit June to October (Best wildlife viewing)

High Season July to September

Best Weather April to September (Rains rarely fall)

Wildlife in Mana Pools NP

ElephantAbundant

LionCommon

BuffaloCommon

ZebraCommon

HippoCommon

HyenaCommon

Show more

LeopardOccasional

Wild DogOccasional

CheetahRare

GiraffeNone

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

WildebeestNone

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Mana Pools NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included)
• Drinks not included

Explore Mana Pools

Wake up to a chorus of birdsong after a night filled with the sounds of hippos, hyenas, and lions. Enjoy a quick cup of coffee before heading out for a guided walk with an armed, experienced ranger. (USD10/hr)

You will walk amongst the fauna and flora of the Mana Pools floodplain, as this is the best way to experience the African bush. As you walk, you will get fully immersed in the environment around you, a different experience from driving in a vehicle. This is what you came for, enjoy it!

Return to camp for brunch and sit next to the river for the rest of the day, watching the world go by. Then, an afternoon game drive in the vehicle followed by an early dinner and an early bedtime will ensure you are well-rested for more fun tomorrow.

Main Destination:

Mana Pools National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Mana Pools NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinks not included

Explore Mana Pools

You will now be starting to get into the rhythm of bush living alongside the Zambezi River. Bush life rewards early risers who get out there early, and early risers get to see amazing things. You can drive the vehicle to collect your Zimparks Ranger and then drive you out into the bush with a qualified ranger for a morning and afternoon game walk whilst your camp assistant prepares brunch for your return. Afternoon siesta before your afternoon game-drive or walk. Sundowners then dinner will back at camp.

Main Destination:

Mana Pools National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Mana Pools NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinks not included

Drive to Chitake Springs Camp

Drive to Chitake Campsite. Break camp after breakfast and drive 70km through the bush up to beautiful Chitake Springs, where the river bed couldn't be better laid out for photographing the massive herds of buffalo coming down to drink and the bushes turn into lions in front of your eyes. N.B. We insist all guests abide by the Zimparks Mana/Chitake code of conduct provided.

Main Destination:

Chitake Springs (Mana Pools NP)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Chitake Springs (Mana Pools NP)

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinks not included

Experience Chitake Springs

N.B. no walking at Chitake (due to afore-mentioned tendency of bushes to unexpectedly turn into lions), rather sit quietly in your chair under the fig tree at the spring and wait for animals to come to the water below, or go view the Baobab forest), look for broken pottery shards on the ground, please do not remove these out of respect, they are Shona burial pots. Buffalo herds can arrive to drink at any time at the spring, their arrival heralded by a cloud of dust on the horizon. N.B. Lions are most active at night, do not stray from camp light at night.. Most action will happen early morning or at dusk so get up early and wait at the water till sundown. As the sun sets, if you sit quietly at the fig tree, thousands of sand grouse will whizz in centimeters above your head as they come in to drink from the spring. Within 15 mins they are done and will all be gone and the night will be filled with the sounds of lions roaring.

Main Destination:

Chitake Springs (Mana Pools NP)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Chitake Springs (Mana Pools NP)

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinks not included

Drive to Kariba

Break camp and drive through the bush to Kariba Town where you will stay at the lovely Warthogs Camp overlooking the Lake where elephants drink from the pool and Zebras walk through the bar regularly.

Relax in camp or go view the Kariba Dam wall, then eat at the camp restaurant next to the pool.

Main Destination:

Marongora (Town)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• Meals at own expense
• Drinks not included

Embark Sail with Elephants, Kariba

Embark your own private Safari Sailing Catamaran (on Warthogs foreshore or at halls beach).

Your skipper will lead you on board our purpose-built 30" Tikki Catamaran yachts as you sail the open water and cruise the Matusadona shoreline looking for elephants, hippo, crocs and buffalo.

We cater 3 meals per day plus snacks, water and non-alcoholic drinks (bring your own alcoholic drinks). Sail across the Eastern Basin, explore remote islands off the Matusadona shoreline and moor up on pristine beaches. Dine under the stars on islands, fall sleep on board to the sounds of the African night. There are 4 below-deck berths but you will most likely prefer to sleep on the decks.

This is a full-participation adventure for active people who have no problem living in board shorts and sarongs for a few days (Kariba is balmy year-round).

Main Destination:

Lake Kariba

Accommodation:

Sail with Elephants Kariba

• Mid-range safari houseboat located near Kariba (Lake Kariba)

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Sail with Elephants, Lake Kariba

Sailing is the best way to experience Kariba as our boats travel swiftly and silently. The stability and shallow draft of our 30" Tikki Catamarans mean they are agile and ideal for game-viewing the shallows. You can alternate between shallow water and deep water sailing and when far from shore, you can swim to cool off.

Each evening you will tie up in another deserted cove and watch the best sunsets on earth. Or dine on a sandy remote island all to yourself. Our expert skipper knows the lake intimately and will teach you to sail this simple yacht.

Main Destination:

Lake Kariba

Accommodation:

Sail with Elephants Kariba

• Mid-range safari houseboat located near Kariba (Lake Kariba)

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Midwater transfer to Kariba Ferry like a Rock-star

Your skipper will bring the yacht along-side the Kariba Ferry (weather-permitting) and you jump across the void to be reunited with your driver and the big rig on the Ferry. Other Ferry Guests will think you are celebrities and be jealous! Spend the rest of the day and night on the Kariba Ferry, chugging the 300km length of the lake. Ferry portion is fully catered.

Main Destination:

Lake Kariba

Accommodation:

Kariba Ferry

• Budget accommodation located in Kariba (Lake Kariba)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinks not included

Disembark Ferry, Drive to Sikumi Forest

Disembark the Ferry and head off through the winding, potholed country road over the Gwaai river to your campsite overlooking a waterhole in The Sikumi Forest. If the Kariba Ferry berthing time is early enough, and time allows, you can stop in at the wild dog conservation center on the way.

Main Destination:

Hwange National Park

Best Time To Visit July to October (Middle and end of the Dry season)

High Season June to October (Hwange’s main area can become busy)

Best Weather April to September (It hardly ever rains)

Wildlife in Hwange NP

ElephantAbundant

GiraffeCommon

LionCommon

BuffaloCommon

ZebraCommon

WildebeestCommon

Show more

HippoCommon

HyenaCommon

CheetahOccasional

Wild DogOccasional

White RhinoVery Rare

Black RhinoVery Rare

LeopardRare

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Bordering Hwange NP without fences

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinks not included

4x4 Drive Through the Heart of Hwange National Park

You'll rise up early for a full day's drive from Sikumi through the heart of Hwange National Park, to the northwest side of the park. This will be a game-viewing and scenic drive that will take most of the day. You will stop at waterholes along the route for lunch and photo opportunities.

Establish your campsite and you can relax around the pool with the option of using the great restaurant and pub.

Main Destination:

Hwange National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Hwange NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinks not included

Explore Western Hwange National Park

A full day to explore the Western Part of Hwange National Park in the vehicle. With your campsite established, you are free to explore the local area in teh vehicle or spend some time lounging around the pool with nearby Restaurant and Pub on site. There is also the option to join a guided game-drive (own Expense) from camp reception deep inside Hwange NP.

Main Destination:

Hwange National Park

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Inside Hwange NP

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinks not included

4x4 transfer to Vic Falls

After a hearty breakfast, our driver will drive you through the beautiful Matetsi Safari Area to Victoria Falls, home to one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World and is Africa's adventure sport capital. Your driver can drop you off at any accommodation within city limits and you will be able to get around town easily as Vic Falls has great infrastructure.

Main Destination:

Victoria Falls

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• A transfer back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost.