Sample Trip

Zimbabwe Wilderness Safari: Mana Pools, Hwange & Victoria Falls

Trek on foot through the wild floodplains of Mana Pools, track elephant herds across the teak forests of Hwange, and unwind on the banks of the Zambezi at Victoria Falls, all in the eco-luxury tented camps of Machaba Safaris.

Budget level: High-End

Country

Zimbabwe

When to Go

May to Oct

Duration

10 Nights

Safari Type

Flying, Lodge and Canvas, Walking Safari

Location

Hwange, Mana Pools, Victoria Falls

Kids Min Age

Safari Rating

adventure

wilderness

wildlife

comfort

photographic

guiding

This Zimbabwe walking safari takes you through the wild floodplains of Mana Pools, the elephant-rich teak forests of Hwange National Park, and finishes on the banks of the Zambezi at Victoria Falls. Trekking on foot alongside expert guides, tracking game from luxury tented camps, and canoeing quiet channels, this 10-night itinerary is built for travellers who want their safari led as much by guides on the ground as from a vehicle.

Itinerary in Brief

Starting in Harare, this itinerary flies you directly into the wild, UNESCO-listed floodplains of Mana Pools National Park, one of the last great unfenced wilderness areas in Southern Africa, for two back-to-back camp experiences. From there, you’ll head south into the vast elephant country of Hwange National Park before finishing at Victoria Falls, with your international departure from Victoria Falls International Airport.

Because all three camps are run by Machaba Safaris, guests benefit from consistent, high standards of guiding throughout, along with the operator’s understated eco-luxury style: canvas tents, cooling plunge pools, communal boma fires, and a genuine “resting lightly on the planet” ethos, plus each couple or group typically has their own dedicated professional guide for the length of their stay in the Mana Pools camps.

This itinerary suits experienced safari travellers or first-timers who want a more immersive, guide-led experience rather than a purely vehicle-based safari. It’s particularly well suited to those with an interest in walking safaris, birdlife, and predator tracking, and who want to end their trip somewhere iconic rather than simply flying home from a bush airstrip.

Why a Zimbabwe Walking Safari?

A Zimbabwe walking safari offers something a purely vehicle-based trip can’t: the chance to read tracks, learn bush skills, and experience the scale of the wilderness at eye level. Both Mana River Camp and Ingwe Pan Camp are renowned for exactly this, with dedicated, ZPGA-certified guides accompanying each group throughout their stay.

Highlights

Explore the UNESCO-listed wilderness of Mana Pools National Park from two Machaba Safaris camps, Mana River Camp and Ingwe Pan Camp
Enjoy guided walking safaris with expert, ZPGA-certified guides tracking game on foot
Canoe along the Zambezi floodplain past hippo, elephant and crocodile
Spend 3 nights at Verney’s Camp on a private 10,000-hectare concession in Hwange National Park
Go on night drives in search of nocturnal species
Watch elephant herds arrive at the waterhole directly from your tent at Verney’s Camp
Finish with 2 relaxing nights at The Palm River Hotel on the banks of the Zambezi in Victoria Falls
Optional adrenaline activities at Victoria Falls, including white-water rafting and bungee jumping
Fly between Harare and Victoria Falls International Airport, with light aircraft transfers linking each camp

Detailed Itinerary

Days 1–3: Mana River Camp Days 4–5: Ingwe Pan Camp Days 6–8: Verney's Camp Days 9–10: The Palm River Hotel Day 11: Departure

Days 1–3: Mana River Camp

Your Zimbabwe safari begins with arrival at Harare International Airport, where you’ll be met and transferred for a short flight into Mana Pools National Park, a remote, wildlife-rich UNESCO World Heritage Site strung along the Zambezi River. On landing at the airstrip, it’s roughly a 20-minute drive through open plains, past elephants feeding on the seed pods of ana trees, to Mana River Camp.

Set beneath towering Natal mahogany trees directly on the riverbank, Mana River Camp consists of just a handful of spacious, luxury Sahara-style tents, each with its own river-facing deck and uninterrupted views across the Zambezi. Hippo and elephant regularly wander through camp, and the open central area is deliberately positioned between the floodplain and the river so wildlife can move freely.

Over your 3 nights here, you’ll be paired with a dedicated professional guide certified by the Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association, widely regarded as one of the most rigorous guiding qualifications in Africa. Expect a genuine mix of activities: early morning and late afternoon game drives, guided walking safaris on foot (with an armed guide) to track game at eye level, and canoeing along the Mana floodplain, one of the best ways to get close to hippo, crocodile and elephant without the noise of an engine.

Days 4–5: Ingwe Pan Camp

After breakfast on day 4, you’ll transfer around 30 to 40 minutes inland to Ingwe Pan Camp, Mana River Camp’s sister property and set on the edge of a large, secluded pan ringed by mopane, jackalberry, nyala berry and fig trees. Where Mana River Camp puts you on the water, Ingwe Pan is all about the inland bush, dense riverine thickets, baobab groves, and one of the best reputations in the area for leopard sightings.

The camp’s 8 eco-luxury tents sit on raised wooden decks in a semi-circle around the pan, each with a private deck, indoor and outdoor bathroom, and unbroken views over the water where elephant, kudu and hippo gather throughout the day. Wi-Fi is deliberately limited to a single communal area, keeping the focus on the bush rather than the outside world.

Ingwe Pan is particularly known for its walking safaris, and with 2 nights here you’ll have time for both a full game drive and at least one extended walk with your guide, tracking recent signs of leopard, wild dog and the shy nyala antelope that favour the surrounding Jesse bush. Being on a private concession also means you won’t be sharing sightings with other vehicles, and the night skies here, far from any other camp, are exceptional.

Days 6–8: Verney's Camp

From Ingwe Pan, a combination of road transfer and light aircraft carries you south to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest national park and one of the continent’s most significant elephant sanctuaries. On arrival, you’ll be driven to Verney’s Camp, set on a remote 10,000-hectare private concession in the park’s south-central section, surrounded by teak forest and overlooking a waterhole that draws a constant stream of game.

Verney’s Camp’s ten classic-style tents (including two family tents) sit at ground level on wooden decks, each with an en-suite bathroom and private veranda looking directly onto the waterhole, the kind of setup where you can genuinely watch elephant herds arrive from your own tent. The central mess area, comprising a lounge tent and dining tent joined by a deck and fire pit, has the same relaxed, unfenced bush camp feel as Machaba’s other properties.

Over 3 nights here, the activity list is the most varied of the trip: morning and afternoon game drives in search of all of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and the park’s healthy rhino population), guided walking safaris with armed rangers focused on the concession’s smaller residents (from birdlife to the elusive pangolin), and night drives, one of the best ways to find leopard, aardvark and porcupine after dark. For those interested in the local community, a half-day visit to the nearby village of Matabe, including a stop at the Wild Dog Research Centre, can be arranged.

Days 9–10: The Palm River Hotel

From Verney’s Camp, a small-aircraft flight takes you to Victoria Falls, giving you the chance to see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World in person before your trip wraps up. You’ll check in for your final 2 nights at The Palm River Hotel, set on the banks of the Zambezi River just outside town, a deliberate change of pace after eight days of bush camps.

With two full days here, you can visit the Falls themselves at leisure (early morning is best for both light and fewer crowds), take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi to watch elephant and hippo along the banks, or opt for one of the region’s signature adrenaline activities, white-water rafting through the Batoka Gorge or bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge, if you’re after one last adventure before heading home.

Day 11: Departure

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Victoria Falls International Airport for your onward connecting flight, bringing this Zimbabwe walking safari to a close.