Tour regions in Zimbabwe seldom visited on this 8-day trip. Stay in a safari camp near the World Heritage Site of Matobo Hills. Track black or white rhino and hike through the breathtaking granite castle kopjes. Tour the Great Zimbabwe Monument outside of Masvingo and continue south to Gonarezhou National Park. Go on game drives and spot the Big 5 as you tour this wild and remote region of Zimbabwe. This lesser-traveled Zimbabwe tour exposes its guests to a side of the country rarely seen.
Highlights
Experience a true Zimbabwe safari in remote & wild Gonarezhou National Park
Tour the Great Zimbabwe Monument near Masvingo
Track rhino and hike through stunning granite boulders in Matobo Hills
Moderately active but not overly strenuous. This level includes activities like casual cycling, yoga, or excursions/activities that typically last 3-5 hours total each day.
Fly in to Bulawayo today where you are met by a Camp Amalinda representative and set out for the transfer to the camp set 45 km outside of town. Tucked into the hills of the granite giants and castle kopjes of Matobo Hills, Camp Amalinda offers its guests direct access to this unique World Heritage Site. Settle in tonight and look out over the zebra watering hole as you enjoy your first evening on safari in Zimbabwe.
Contact us to arrange additional hotel nights during layovers en route.
Spend these days exploring Matobo National Park. Set out with a guide on a walking safari to learn about the natural architecture of the area, or enjoy a more strenuous hike to Nanke Cave. You can also set out to track black or white rhino here, a rare possibility in most parts of Zimbabwe. Your guide will teach you the nuances of rhino tracking as you set out to practice your new skill. Or, if you prefer a more cultural experience, visit nearby Matabele town. Families may opt to invite you into their homestead and you may tour the school and local orphanage. Visit the final resting place of John Rhodes, or opt to go back into Bulawayo town to visit the small museum there. The days are yours to plan with two scheduled activities included in your stay each day.
Say goodbye to Matobo hills today and start out with your expert guide from Camp Amalinda to the town of Masvingo. This afternoon your guide takes you to the nearby Great Zimbabwe Monument, one of Zimbabwe’s most popular tourist attractions. Your guide tours with you and shares the history of the site before returning to Camp Amalina. Enjoy dinner in Masvingo tonight on your own. Settle in to your accommodation this evening, Norma Jeane's, a cozy family-run bed and breakfast overlooking Lake Mutirkwe.
Today set out for a private road transfer from Masvingo to Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge near Gonarezhou National Park. The 5-hour drive takes you into some of the most pristine and untouched wilderness in all of southern Africa. This is the second largest National Park in Zimbabwe after Hwange and is one of the most ‘wild’ sections of land due to its remoteness and limited accessibility. Arrive to Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge, a stunning property set along the Save River, a main water artery for the park.
Spend these days exploring the area and spotting wildlife in Gonarezhou National Park. Take part in two scheduled safari activities or one full-day excursion each day during your stay here. Game drives in the park offer guests the chance to spot some amazing wildlife. Visit the Tambahata Pan to spot birdlife in the area, or experience the Shangaan way of life with a visit to nearby Mahenye Village. Depending on the water level, a boat cruise on the Save River, fishing, or a walk to Chivilila Falls can also be arranged. A full-day excursion to the beautiful red Chilojo Cliffs is also a guest favorite. This is some of the most stunning natural cliff architecture of its kind in all of Southern Africa.
Day 8: Fly to Harare
1 Breakfast
Drive to the nearby Buffalo Range airstrip for a light aircraft flight to Harare International Airport in time to connect with your flight out of Zimbabwe.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure by bank transfer, credit card, or check. Final payments by credit card may be subject to surcharge and maximum $20,000 charge
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 176 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 176 reviews on
1 day ago
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
3 days ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
5 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
6 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.