13 Days Best Of Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls is only the opening act on this 13-day Zimbabwe tour. You follow the Zambezi, search for wildlife in Hwange and Gonarezhou, walk among the stone walls of Great Zimbabwe, then finish in the cooler eastern highlands. I like the broad route and the fact that a chef travels with the group, so meals are handled while you focus on the country outside the vehicle.

I also like the small maximum group of 16 and the personal service built into the trip. Kelly has been especially helpful with arrangements, while Newtone and Gertrude have handled bookings, transfers, and lodging with care. The main drawback is cost: at $3,550 per person, this is a serious holiday budget, and game drives, drinks, water, laundry, and several personal costs are still extra.

Key things to know before booking

• Victoria Falls starts the trip: See the falls from the Zimbabwe side, learn about local customs, and visit an arts and crafts center.
• The route covers much more than waterfalls: Hwange, Matobo Hills, Great Zimbabwe, Gonarezhou, Vumba, Nyanga, and Harare all appear along the way.
• A chef travels with you: Breakfast is included for all 13 days, with ten lunches and ten dinners also covered.
• Wildlife comes with extra costs: Game drives are not included, even though they are central to the Hwange and Gonarezhou portions.
• The trip mixes nature and history: Rhino tracking, ancient stone ruins, Cecil Rhodes’s burial place, gardens, fisheries, and museums all make the itinerary varied.
• Plan well ahead: The tour is booked an average of 94 days in advance, so last-minute availability may be limited.

What this 13-day Zimbabwe route does well

Many Zimbabwe trips focus on Victoria Falls and perhaps one safari park. This one gives you a much wider view of the country. You begin beside the Zambezi River, move through western Zimbabwe’s wildlife country, turn south to Great Zimbabwe and Gonarezhou, then finish around the eastern highlands and Harare.

That variety is the chief reason to consider it. One day may bring open plains and elephants. Another brings granite walls built without mortar. Later, you are walking among orchids and ferns in Vumba or looking at old trout fisheries and stone structures around Nyanga.

The trip is designed as a guided road journey rather than a single resort stay. Your guide handles the route and included admissions, while a professional chef prepares meals along the way. All nights of accommodation are supplied, so you do not have to arrange hotels from town to town.

The service side sounds strong. Kelly has helped with payment arrangements and questions, including bank transfer options for people who do not want to pay a card surcharge. Newtone and Gertrude have also been involved in booking, transfers, and accommodation. You should still confirm who your principal guide will be for your departure, since those names describe the wider operating team rather than a guaranteed single guide.

Day 1: A gentle start on the Zambezi

The first outing is a roughly two-hour cruise from the Zambezi River Cruise Terminal. It is an easy way to begin after arriving in Victoria Falls. You can sit back with complimentary drinks and snacks while watching the river and its banks.

Depending on the season, animals may come down to drink. This is not a replacement for a proper safari, and sightings are never promised, but the cruise gives you a calm first look at the river system that shapes the region.

The cruise is included, which helps the first day feel straightforward. Your start time is listed as 8:00 am for the experience, though you should confirm the exact meeting details when booking.

Day 2: Victoria Falls, then the road to Hwange

The guided Victoria Falls visit lasts about two hours. You will hear how the falls formed and learn about local customs and traditions connected with the area. The walk ends with time at a local arts and crafts center, adding a cultural stop rather than treating the falls as a quick photo point.

The falls are the obvious headline, but the guided explanation matters. The spray, cliffs, and rushing water are easy to admire without context. A guide helps you understand the natural force at work and the place of the falls in local life.

Later, the route continues toward Hwange National Park. The schedule lists an optional game drive of about three hours, but game drives are not included in the tour price. That distinction is important. Budget extra for the safari outings you want, and ask how many drives are available on your departure.

Days 3 and 4: Hwange wildlife and a useful pause

Day 3 brings a morning game drive in Hwange. Hwange is one of the strongest wildlife sections of the route, but the drive itself remains an extra expense. The listed activity lasts about three hours, which gives you a solid morning in the park without filling the whole day.

Day 4 is an afternoon at leisure, with optional activities available. This pause is welcome after several early starts and road transfers. You can use it to rest, arrange an optional outing, or simply catch up on the changing scenery.

The open time also means the program is not packed from breakfast to bedtime every day. That is a practical benefit on a 13-day trip. The tradeoff is that the exact optional activities and prices are not specified, so ask for details before you commit to them.

Day 5: Matobo Hills and a difficult piece of history

The fifth day combines Cecil Rhodes’s burial place with rhino tracking in Matobo Hills. Rhodes died in Muizenberg, Cape Town, in 1902, and his body was transported through wartime South Africa to Rhodesia. The visit provides a look at colonial-era history, but it is also a chance to think critically about the legacy of the man and the name once attached to the country.

The later rhino tracking activity lasts about three hours and is included. It gives the day a strong wildlife focus without relying only on vehicle-based viewing. The experience takes place in the striking Matobo area, where the rock formations provide a different setting from Hwange’s open game country.

This is one of the itinerary’s better combinations: history in the morning, wildlife in the afternoon. It also shows that the tour is not built around one narrow theme.

Day 6: Great Zimbabwe’s granite walls

Great Zimbabwe National Monument is one of the most important stops on the whole journey. The ancient city was once Zimbabwe’s capital and is generally dated to the 11th century. Its walls and towers were made from rectangular granite blocks stacked without mortar, with some sections reaching about 12 meters high.

You have about two hours to explore the stone structures. The site was designated a World Heritage Site in 1986, and its importance goes far beyond its impressive masonry. This is the place to connect the modern country with a major African center of power and trade from the medieval period.

The visit is included, which is good value since an admission fee is already covered. Allow yourself time to look closely at the construction and layout rather than rushing through for photographs. This stop is especially valuable if you want archaeological and cultural depth alongside safari days.

Days 7 and 8: Gonarezhou, elephants, and wild country

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 scrub, mopane woodland, and pale orange sandstone cliffs.

The park contains four of Africa’s Big Five: elephant, leopard, lion, and buffalo. You may also see nyala, kudu, impala, and other animals. Birdwatching is strong along the river, with the possibility of spotting a Pel’s fishing owl.

Day 7 includes a two-hour park visit, and Day 8 offers another two-hour Gonarezhou visit. The first is listed with admission included, while the second has no admission charge shown. Game drives remain excluded from the overall package, so clarify exactly what the included park visits involve and which safari activities require payment.

One appealing feature is the relaxed wildlife around camp. Groups of antelope and elephants may pass nearby, creating a quieter kind of wildlife experience than a tightly scheduled drive. You should not read this as a guarantee of particular sightings. It simply reflects the park’s character and the chance to see animals in a less hurried setting.

Day 9 again offers an afternoon at leisure. By this point, the break should feel useful. Gonarezhou is a large park, and a free afternoon gives you space to rest before the route turns east.

Day 10: Vumba’s gardens and mountain scenery

The Vumba Botanical Gardens and Reserve bring a softer change of pace. The 159-hectare grounds include landscaped gardens, perennial streams, a small lake, footpaths, indigenous orchids, ferns, and abundant birdlife.

You have about two hours in the gardens, followed by a two-hour scenic drive in Vumba. This is a good counterpoint to the wildlife parks. Instead of waiting for animals, you can walk at an easy pace and pay attention to plants, water, birds, and the cooler eastern setting.

The botanical visit and scenic drive are both included. If you prefer natural history, gardens, and quiet walks to a string of safari drives, this section may become one of your favorites.

Day 11: Nyanga’s trout fisheries and old stone structures

Nyanga brings another change in subject. The listed stop includes trout fisheries, pit structures, and a museum, with about two hours to explore.

The schedule gives only a short description, so do not expect a full-day archaeological program here. Still, the combination should appeal to anyone interested in the eastern highlands’ rural traditions, old construction, and local history. It also keeps the final days varied rather than sending you straight from one national park to another.

Days 12 and 13: Time in Harare and the finish

Day 12 is an afternoon at leisure in Harare Province. The itinerary does not specify a particular museum, market, or guided city visit, so this is a flexible close to the trip rather than a detailed Harare sightseeing day.

Day 13 marks the end of the itinerary. Since no final activity is listed, confirm the exact departure and transfer arrangements before booking flights or other onward travel.

What the $3,550 price includes

At $3,550 per person, the package is not inexpensive. The value depends on how much you would otherwise spend arranging a 13-day route across Zimbabwe with multiple accommodations, park entries, road transport, meals, and a guide.

Included are:

• Accommodation for all nights
• Transport fees
• A professional guide and chef
• All listed park entry fees
• Breakfast for 13 days
• Ten lunches
• Ten dinners

That is a meaningful amount of coverage. You are paying for a coordinated route, not just separate admission tickets. Having a chef is particularly useful on a long overland trip, since meals are prepared during the journey instead of leaving you to find food in every destination.

Read the meal count carefully. Breakfast is included for all 13 days, but lunch and dinner are listed for ten days each, not every day of the trip. Drinks and mineral water are also excluded.

You must pay extra for game drives, activities not mentioned, accommodation upgrades, laundry, tips, personal items, travel insurance, and drinks. A sleeping bag and pillow are also not supplied. That last point deserves clarification before departure, especially if any part of the accommodation arrangement requires personal bedding.

Group size, comfort, and practical planning

The maximum group size is 16. That is small enough for a more personal feel, though it is not the same as a private trip for two or four people. You will share the vehicle, meal arrangements, and guide’s attention with the rest of the group.

The tour is offered in multiple languages. Confirm your preferred language before paying, since the supplied information does not specify which language will be available on every departure.

Most people can participate, and the meeting area is near public transportation. Pickup is offered, and you receive confirmation when booking. The listed start time is 8:00 am, so plan for early mornings, especially around wildlife activities.

The route covers a lot of ground. That is its strength, but also its main physical demand. You are not staying in one region. Long road days, changing accommodation, and repeated early starts are part of the bargain. Pack light, keep important personal items easy to reach, and bring whatever bedding the operator confirms you need.

Cancellation terms are fairly strict close to departure. Cancel at least six full days before the start for a full refund. Cancellation two to six full days ahead brings a 50 percent refund, while cancellation less than two full days ahead receives no refund. Changes are not accepted inside those same shorter windows.

Who should book the Best of Zimbabwe tour?

I would choose this trip if you want a broad introduction to Zimbabwe and prefer having transport, accommodation, meals, and admissions organized together. It suits you if you enjoy wildlife, archaeology, botanic gardens, scenic drives, and cultural context in equal measure.

It is also a good fit if you value practical support. The operating team has handled transfers, lodging, detailed schedules, and payment questions, and the chef removes much of the daily food planning.

I would hesitate if your main goal is an intensive safari. Game drives are extra, and the listed park visits are short. You may be better served by a safari-focused itinerary with more time in one or two parks.

I would also hesitate if you dislike long road journeys or want a luxury-only holiday. Accommodation upgrades cost extra, and the supplied information does not describe the standard lodging in detail. Ask for the property names and room arrangements before booking.

Final decision

Book this tour if you want to see Zimbabwe as a whole rather than only Victoria Falls. The combination of the falls, Hwange, Matobo Hills, Great Zimbabwe, Gonarezhou, Vumba, and Nyanga gives you a much fuller picture of the country.

Before paying, confirm the standard accommodations, the exact game-drive costs, the number of road-transfer hours, the available language, and what bedding you need to bring. With those details settled, the $3,550 price can make sense for a carefully managed 13-day route, especially if you value the included chef, transport, admissions, and full accommodation.

FAQ

How long is the Best of Zimbabwe tour?

The tour lasts approximately 13 days and ends on Day 13 after the listed stops in Zimbabwe.

Where does the tour begin?

The experience begins in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, with a cruise from the Zambezi River Cruise Terminal.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 8:00 am.

Is pickup available?

Yes. Pickup is offered, and the experience is also near public transportation.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 16 people.

Are meals included?

Yes. Breakfast is included for all 13 days. Ten lunches and ten dinners are included. Drinks and mineral water are not included.

Are game drives included in the price?

No. Game drives are listed as optional and are specifically excluded from the tour price.

Is accommodation included?

Yes. Accommodation for all nights is supplied. Accommodation upgrades cost extra.

What is the cancellation policy?

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. Cancellation less than two full days ahead is nonrefundable.