Few places on Earth stir the soul quite like Victoria Falls. Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or The Smoke That Thunders, it’s a spectacle that defies imagination-the Zambezi River plunging into a vast chasm in a roaring mist visible for miles. Victoria Falls is far more than a photo stop-it’s the perfect introduction to a Zimbabwe safari.
For over 60 years, Lion World Travel has been crafting unforgettable safari adventures in Africa. Come for the thunder of Victoria Falls.
The Allure of Victoria Falls
The surrounding rainforest shimmers in the spray, filled with the cries of hornbills and vervet monkeys. For thrill-seekers, helicopter flights reveal the Falls from every angle. The town itself has evolved into a boutique safari hub, blending charm with sophistication.
Complete the day with a tranquil sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. The area that the cruise is on is one of outstanding natural, scenic beauty with a wide variety of game and bird life. Today the best way to appreciate the true splendor of the Victoria Falls is to view them from the air.
Consider enhancing your African experience with a stay in Cape Town to allow sufficient time to experience all the city has to offer and to experience the diversity that is Africa. Cape Town is the most popular tourist destination in South Africa due to its good climate, culture and scenic beauty. The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists including Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, a drive a long Chapman's Peak, a visit to Boulder's Beach to see the adorable penguins, wine estate tours and wine tasting in the Cape Winelands and much more!
Read also: Safari Lodge in South Africa
Luxury Accommodations Near Victoria Falls
Several lodges offer luxury and comfort in close proximity to the Falls:
- Victoria Falls River Lodge: Set on the banks of the Zambezi, offers chic tented suites with plunge pools and river views, perfect for unwinding after a day of adventure.
- Matetsi Victoria Falls: Combines contemporary design with warm Zimbabwean hospitality and intimate wildlife sightings right on the property.
- Stanley & Livingstone Boutique Hotel: Provides old-world elegance just minutes from the Falls, with gardens, fine dining, and a refined, peaceful atmosphere.
Epic Roadtrip in Southern Africa: Cape Town to Victoria Falls | Cinematic version | 4K
Hwange National Park: A Wildlife Paradise
A few hours south, Hwange National Park unfolds-a vast wilderness spanning nearly 5.6 million acres. Home to over 40,000 elephants, lions, cheetahs, and painted dogs, Hwange offers classic Zimbabwe safari game drives across endless plains, shimmering pans, and dense teak forests.
Animals congregate in great numbers in the Hwange region. Among the park’s 105 mammal species are endangered gemsbok and brown hyena as well as one of Africa's largest surviving groups of African wild dog. Hwange National Park is also home to grazing herds of zebra and giraffe.
Luxury safari camps like Somalisa or Wilderness Little Makalolo combine style with authentic wildlife experiences. Guests can enjoy sundowners overlooking waterholes where elephants roam, private decks with views of roaming herds, and evenings around a campfire listening to the sounds of the African night.
Mana Pools National Park: An Intimate Wilderness
Travel north along the Zambezi, and the wilderness deepens into Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa’s most enchanting wild spaces. Mana Pools is celebrated for walking safaris and canoe adventures, offering travelers a chance to connect closely with elephants stretching high into albida trees, hippos grazing in the river, and lions stalking the golden floodplains.
Read also: Safari Lodge in Zambia
This park’s intimacy is unparalleled: it’s rare to encounter other travelers, allowing a sense of true immersion in Zimbabwe’s wild heart. The Mana Pools section of the Zambezi Valley is true wilderness, with one of the highest dry-season concentrations of animals in Africa. On these wide floodplains you’ll find enormous elephants and big, burly buffalo, great rafts of Nile crocodile, a few black rhino, and plenty of predators including lion, leopard, cheetah and jackal.
Among the 380 bird species in the park are the Nyasa lovebird, Livingstone’s flycatcher, banded snake eagle, yellow-billed kites and huge numbers of carmine bee eaters that burrow nests into the sandy riverbanks.
Lodges such as Chikwenya, Nyamatusi and Ruckomechi provide understated luxury with open-sided suites, private decks, and riverside views that make each morning magical.
Expert Guides and Authentic Experiences
Zimbabwe’s expert safari guides are among Africa’s most respected, trained to bring every animal track, call, and movement to life. Walking with them is an education in the language of the bush-a deeply personal encounter with nature.
Zimbabwe boasts some of the best guides in Africa, many who are seasoned leaders of walking safaris that offer remarkably intimate encounters with the natural environs. Day and night game drives and canoe safaris on the Zambezi are also thrilling ways to see Zimbabwe’s tremendous diversity of wildlife, including the legendary Big Five: elephant, Cape buffalo, lion, leopard and rhinoceros.
Read also: African Safari Outfits
Awakening early for my first day on safari, we stopped at a waterhole in Hwange National Park-there in the cool morning air, as I poured myself a hot coffee, a herd of 150 elephants approached from behind the trees, silhouetted in the rising sun!
Zimbabwe's Unique Offerings
Zimbabwe is home to nine national parks, each with unique landscapes-from ancient rock art in Matobo Hills to the rugged cliffs of Gonarezhou and the tranquil waters of Lake Kariba. What sets Zimbabwe apart is its combination of iconic natural wonders like Victoria Falls, vast wilderness areas, and world-class luxury lodges, all paired with highly trained guides who are among the best in Africa.
Zimbabwe leaves its mark not only through landscapes but through depth of experience, expert guiding, and quiet moments in the bush.
Challenges and Conservation
Slightly larger than Montana at 150,000 square miles, Zimbabwe is bordered by Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. The east is mostly high plateau and mountains containing rich mineral resources, especially coal, metallic ores and diamonds. The Zambezi River forms a natural boundary with Zambia on the west.
More than 20% of Zimbabwe is set aside as national parks and game reserves. Yet the country struggles with many environmental problems that negatively impact wildlife: deforestation, soil erosion and air and water pollution, including toxic mine waste.
Its black rhinoceros herd-once the largest in the world-has been severely reduced by poaching, though numbers are rising again thanks to conservation groups such as WWF that are engaged in protecting miombo woodland habitat and supporting intensive anti-poaching measures.
While widespread poverty has led to rampant poaching and illegal resource use, incremental progress is being made toward recovering the important place of wildlife tourism in Zimbabwe's economy.
Planning Your Trip
Our Beyond the Rainbow itinerary brings together Zimbabwe’s highlights in one seamless journey. Guests begin at Victoria Falls, experiencing its grandeur and adventure, before venturing to Hwange National Park for game drives and elephant encounters. Along the way, stays in boutique lodges highlight Zimbabwe’s blend of luxury and authenticity, while expert guides bring each safari moment vividly to life.
For the past dozen years folks have spoken of Zimbabwe in cautious terms, but there is so, so much to love about this diverse country. Game camps are rich with wildlife, diverse activities include canoeing and walking safaris, and the vast open spaces make safari experiences in Zimbabwe remarkably personal.
Popular articles:
tags: #Africa
