Zimbabwe · WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

The 8 Best Wildlife Encounters in Zimbabwe

8 tours  ·  from $45 a head

Elephant herds on the Chobe floodplain, rhino tracked on foot in Matobo, and the birding along the upper Zambezi. These 8 are compared on what you are likely to see, how close you get and what the park fees add.

From Kasane: Chobe National Park Full Day Wildlife Safari - The Quadripoint and Kazungula Bridge from the wider view
Chobe National Park Safaris, Full-Day, Safari, Tour Reviews, Wildlife Encounters

From Kasane: Chobe National Park Full Day Wildlife Safari

1.Chobe National Park Full Day Wildlife Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 71 reviews · 8 hours · from $122Our pick

From Kasane, combine a Chobe River wildlife cruise with a 4x4 safari in Chobe National Park. You’ll look for elephants, hippos, crocodiles, birds, and the Big Five, then stop for a buffet lunch at Cresta Mowana Safari Lodge. The small group is limited to eight, with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, and flexible timing based on wildlife movement.

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Matobo Rhino Encounter - The value of a small group of eight
Matobo National Park Tours, Tour Reviews, Wildlife Encounters

Matobo Rhino Encounter

2.Matobo Rhino Encounter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · from $120Top rated

Start at 1:00 pm with pickup for a small-group walk in Matobo National Park. Guides such as Blessing and Bongani lead you toward white rhinos, explain tracks, plants, and dung, then take you to ancient San paintings. Park rangers join the encounter. Lunch, drinks, photos, snacks, and sunset refreshments are included.

“What a fabulous experience. Getting up close to the amazing White Rhinos. Guides and rangers do a fabulous job protecting these amazing beasts.”

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Lion & Wildlife Sanctuary Excursion Victoria Falls - Walking near the three hyenas
Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Victoria Falls, Wildlife Encounters

Lion & Wildlife Sanctuary Excursion Victoria Falls

3.Lion & Wildlife Sanctuary Excursion Victoria Falls

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 31 reviews · from $120

Spend about three hours at a Victoria Falls wildlife sanctuary with a guide such as Liki. Ride into a secure lion enclosure, watch an eye-level feeding, walk near three hyenas, meet ostriches and rescued animals, and hear how conservation work supports the sanctuary.

“Awesome!!! Watay beyond my expectations. The ostriches were a great surprise. I got to feed the ostriches. So special!!!”

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Matobo Hills Day Trip with Rhino Tracking - The white safari truck and the drive into the park
1-Day Tours, Matobo National Park Tours, Tour Reviews, Wildlife Encounters

Matobo Hills Day Trip with Rhino Tracking

4.Matobo Hills Day Trip with Rhino Tracking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · 8 hours · from $140

Spend eight hours with an English-speaking guide in Matobo National Park, riding in a white open safari truck, walking near rhinos, viewing rock paintings and balancing rocks, and visiting Cecil Rhodes’ grave. Ask if Blessing is available, especially if rhino tracking is your main goal. Lunch, drinks, entry fees, and Bulawayo pickup are included.

“one of the most impressive tours i’ve had. My guide was Blessing and he was very punctual, knowledgeable, patient, responsible and paid close attention to what my fellow and i were interested in and expected about the tour. we explored a few spots according to Blessing’s own experience and we found it a worthy unexpected discovery. it was impressive to track the rhinos and it was also enjoyable to learn a lot about the history of Matabo National Park. Strongly recommended.”

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Sunset Cruise Wildlife Watching Experience at Zambezi River - Wildlife sightings from hippos to elephants
Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours in Victoria Falls, Wildlife Encounters, Zambezi River Cruises, Zambezi Sunset Cruises

Sunset Cruise Wildlife Watching Experience at Zambezi River

5.Sunset Cruise Wildlife Watching Experience at Zambezi River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · from $45Best value

Set out from Victoria Falls at 4:00 pm for a two-hour Zambezi River cruise. Sip beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks, or water while snacking on canapes and watching for hippos, crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, baboons, and birds. Hotel pickup is offered, and the cruise returns to its starting point.

“Really enjoyable tour overall. I chose this option as it is by far the best value for money as I didn’t want to waste money on dinner…then was pleasantly surprised that we got a great variety of snacks anyways. We saw hippos, crocodiles, an eagle Read more”

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Guided Tour of the Falls (ZIM side) Wildlife Safari, by Savannah - Walking toward the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls
Safari, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Victoria Falls, Victoria Falls Guided Tours, Wildlife Encounters

Guided Tour of the Falls (ZIM side) Wildlife Safari, by Savannah

6.Guided Tour of the Falls (ZIM side) Wildlife Safari, by Savannah

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $45

Savannah Adventures combines a short wildlife walk with a guided visit to Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side. Your local guide leads you through bush where wildlife sightings are common but not guaranteed, then into the spray-soaked rainforest around the falls. The tour lasts about two hours, takes up to 12 people, and requires a separate national park fee based on nationality.

“Unfortunately our guide struggled to gain entrance to the park for half an hour whilst we just stood there not knowing what was happening. When we finally did get in, he just walked along with us so we were very disappointed with this as we could have just done that ourselves.”

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Zambezi Sunset Cruise – Wildlife, Drinks & Breathtaking Views - The Zambezi at golden hour
Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours in Victoria Falls, Wildlife Encounters, Zambezi Sunset Cruises

Zambezi Sunset Cruise – Wildlife, Drinks & Breathtaking Views

7.Zambezi Sunset Cruise – Wildlife, Drinks & Breathtaking Views

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $49

Join Batoka Africa at 4:00 pm for a relaxed Zambezi cruise from A’zambezi River Lodge. Your crew serves canapés and unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks while you watch for hippos, crocodiles, birds, and perhaps elephants. The cruise lasts about three hours, returns to the lodge, and includes hotel pickup and drop-off.

“we are very lucky saw the elephants drinking water on the river side. the cruise are clean and service are excellent.”

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8 Day Chobe NP, Elephant Sands, Okavango Delta & Victoria Falls - Day 2: See Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe and Zambia
Chobe National Park Safaris, Tour Reviews, Tours in Victoria Falls, Wildlife Encounters

8 Day Chobe NP, Elephant Sands, Okavango Delta & Victoria Falls

8.8 Day Chobe NP, Elephant Sands, Okavango Delta & Victoria Falls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $3,100

Travel with local guides from Victoria Falls through Botswana’s Chobe National Park, Elephant Sands, the Okavango Delta, and Moremi. You’ll cruise the Zambezi, visit both sides of Victoria Falls, take a scenic delta flight, paddle a traditional mokoro, and join several game drives. Groups are capped at nine, with pickup and most park fees included.

“We personalised the Cuckoo Safari 10 day tour with the help of Tatenda, adding Hwange NP and removing the Saltpans. We also upgraded our Chobe hotel and Tatenda was very helpful with all our queries. Before the trip we were added to a Read more”

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Zimbabwe, by the day out

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