Things to do in Zimbabwe

On safari at Nyamatusi Camp where you might see elephants on their hind legs

We get wild dogs, lions and elephants standing on their hind legs. You don’t get to see that anywhere else in Zimbabwe. Possibly in Africa…

By Cloud Magondo

Professional Guide at Nyamatusi Camp

Mana Pools is a World Heritage Site. It’s more like a floodplain and it’s very flat so you can walk without pain! There are many acacia trees that draw the animals to the water and its quite open so you can see them from a distance.

We get wild dogs, lions and elephants standing on their hind legs… we have about four or five that I know well. You don’t get to see that anywhere else in Zimbabwe. Possibly in Africa. They stand on their hind legs to break the branches off the trees. I think it’s an adaptation started by one of the bull elephants we call Boswell, who tried to reach higher than the others. Then the other elephants followed.

As well as game drives, we do walking safaris. You drive around and when you see something interesting you can stop and walk towards it so you don’t have to drive off-road. You really feel at one with nature. Walking is what every guide loves to do because you’re at eye level and can actually get close to the animals. You also get to see the smaller things such as antlion that live underground and feed on other insects. When you open up the ground, you can see that the antlion moves backwards. It’s very interesting and sometimes you can see them digging their own nests. You don’t get to see that in a vehicle.

Walking is very safe if you do it properly. We’ve approached lions up to within maybe 100 metres. To see them hunting while on your walk is a unique thing. It’s just amazing. Nature at its best.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Unsurpassed Zimbabwe
by Daniel Heatly

Length13 Days

Price range£9,495 - £14,895pp

Alfred & Cloud Magondo

Cloud joined African Bush Camps after five years of experience working as a professional river guide. He has also recently achieved his Professional Guide licence, a highly regarded achievement within the safari industry. His passions are canoeing, star gazing, animal behaviour and birds while also recognising the importance of the smaller things like insects and flora. As a guide who canoes the Zambezi, he has plenty of respect for the resident hippo and crocodiles.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Adele, who's travelled extensively in Zimbabwe. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember – the ranger who can show you the best game viewing and fishing spots on the Zambezi, the guide who’ll introduce you to ‘moonbows’ at Victoria Falls and the locals who’ll share their dinner with you.

Adele Jones

Africa Travel Expert for Alfred&

Adele has been travelling for 21 years, with plenty of time in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. As a keen wildlife enthusiast she is fascinated by seeing wild animals in their natural environment, as well as understanding how landscape and topography drive their behavioural patterns. Her experience in Africa got off to a memorable start, with a sighting of a wild dog pack within 10-minutes of landing on her first ever safari trip!
Cloud Magondo

Professional Guide at Nyamatusi Camp

Cloud joined African Bush Camps after five years of experience working as a professional river guide. He has also recently achieved his Professional Guide licence, a highly regarded achievement within the safari industry. His passions are canoeing, star gazing, animal behaviour and birds while also recognising the importance of the smaller things like insects and flora. As a guide who canoes the Zambezi, he has plenty of respect for the resident hippo and crocodiles.
Mark Butcher

Managing Director of Imvelo Safari Lodges

Mark Butcher is an eco-tourism professional with a passion for linking local communities directly to wildlife conservation. In the 80s, he was a ranger for the Zimbabwe Department of National Parks and Wildlife and later, the Provincial Wildlife Officer in the Matabeleland North Province adjacent to Hwange National Park. Mark is now the Managing Director of Imvelo Safari Lodges, a selection of properties that directly benefit disenfranchised communities around Hwange.
Tich Tandi

Sales and marketing manager at Wild Horizons, Alfred&’s partner in Zimbabwe

During more than three decades in the hospitality industry, Tich Tandi has been everything from a waiter to a tours coordinator in a five-star hotel. Originally from Rusape in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe, he now works for Wild Horizons in Victoria Falls as part of the sales and marketing team, a role he thoroughly enjoys.
Jane Msamba

Deputy General Manager, Ilala Lodge Hotel

Born in Zimbabwe, Jane began working with Ilala Lodge Hotel as a senior cashier in 1995. She has worked her way through the ranks from Junior Tours Consultant to Tours Manager and this year took up the role of Deputy General Manager of the hotel. Happily married with three children, Jane has recently become a proud grandmother. She lives in Victoria Falls with her husband and the couple is passionate about wildlife.
Francis Nyabadza

Guide at Wild Horizons, Alfred&’s partner in Zimbabwe

Francis Nyabadza grew up hearing the roar of the Victoria Falls, and familiarity has done nothing to diminish his sense of awe every time he takes guests to experience this natural wonder for themselves – something he’s been doing for Wild Horizons since 1997. When not at the Falls, his favourite place to take visitors is the village that hosts the company’s Meet the People cultural activity.