Five-Star Zimbabwe Safari For Active Families

Dream about an African safari and certain animals really stand out. Lions, buffalos, elephants, rhinos and magnificent giants grace the wildlife documentaries. A big challenge with children is managing expectations. The documentaries create an impression that all the animals are found in the same place. Children may be picturing a zoo-type experience, with everything seen in one easy space. Matusadona National Park is one of the best in Southern Africa for responding to what are usually erroneous preconceptions. This is a park where you can see all the big and famous animals in a relatively compact area. After the long journey to Africa, you don’t need long bumpy game drives to get close.

Every day on this safari is privately guided and will be tailored to your family’s interests. The guides’ recommendations are likely to be a morning game drive that focuses on the Big Five. They’ll seek out the famous animals, giving you an immediate impression of their size and grandeur. Few national parks provide this opportunity to see so much in just two hours. Return to the lodge for a few quiet hours then try another angle, with a serene boat safari. You’ll see similar animals – notably large buffalo and elephant herds – from below, an imposing impression of their power. Elegant animals like zebras and giraffes join the experience, along with a wide cast of antelopes. But this is just an idea, as you could also spend the afternoon on a walking safari or another game drive.

Admire the black rhinos from a distance. Even from 100 meters, they’re incredibly impressive, with relatively prehistoric frames compared to others on the savannah. These are shy creatures, and you’ll need patience to get closer. Guides may take you towards them on foot if they think its safe, an activity that has everyone holding their breath. White rhinos are found on the same savannah, another rarity that makes Matusadona such an exquisite destination. They’re twice the size, epic horns pointing skyward as they maraud boisterously past the vehicle. You can quickly see that these are animals that shouldn’t be interrupted. Step, step, step, they wander past in silence, your whole family unable to utter a sound as such a beautiful creature comes by at such close proximity.

Tracking rhinos is part of the Matusadona experience, and the guides can tailor one of the three days to these animals. One option can be interactive lessons on how to locate rhinos by understanding their spoor. This can build to a hide and seek type game drive, where the children direct the driver in the hope of uncovering the rhinos’ location. Another option could be following one rhino over the course of a morning, gaining an understanding of its behavior and habits – the lack of visitors to Zimbabwe makes intimate activities very possible, as the rhinos’ actions aren’t interrupted by other safari vehicles. Over these three days, you’ll have many potential safari options, and tracking rhinos is just one of them.

A charter flight takes you across Zimbabwe, above open plains and dusty red roads to one of Africa’s largest national parks. Bigger than many US states, Hwange is where the scale of an African safari takes on new meaning. It’s an outdoor playground; one where just about anything is possible. A new team of guides greets you at the airstrip for a short transfer to the luxury lodge, a boutique property that enjoys its own private, unfenced concession within the park. Hwange has a full array of activities to enjoy, game drives complemented by walking safari and nighttime drives. But the real customization comes from its size.

For example, a game drive could last eight or nine hours, taking your family to remote parts of the park, like the Kalahari-style savannah to the south that’s great for finding cheetahs. You’ll regularly stop for snacks and enjoy a picnic in the shade. It’s a journey of adventure and discovery, one that showcases the raw authenticity of Zimbabwe. Alternatively, two-hour game drives can have you exploring around dawn and dusk, prime times for spotting big cats on the prowl. With the time in between, you can relax on the verandah as the guides entertain the children, perhaps with educational animal tracking or bush survival lessons.

Each day can be customized to a level that isn’t possible in most national parks. Consider a sunrise drive through the mopane woodland, passing hundreds of elephants in the search for leopards. Stop for brunch at a viewpoint, and then walk for an hour along the rim of the valley, following the prints left by zebras and wildebeests. The vehicle picks you up at the end of the trail, and you return to the lodge via a different landscape, crossing a resplendent savannah that’s very popular with lion prides. You can tell the guides how you’d like to explore, what you’d like to see, where you’d like to go, and what particular scenes are top of your wish list. Hwange has the size to offer it all, a mash of contrasting landscapes merging into one protected area.

Elephants are unforgettable here, from babies swinging their trunks to adolescent males testing newfound power. Lions have astonishing manes that glow a strange brown-red in the afternoon sun. Giraffes and buffalos will need no introduction after Matusadona. But Hwange isn’t just remembered for the famous animals. Over 100 different mammal species live here, benefiting from the diversity of habitat. Every hour brings a new animal, a new sight that keeps the safari experience fresh. Watch in silence as compelling sable antelopes wander past. Feel the excitement rise as a dozen spotted hyenas cross the plains, yelping and howling to each other. Find massive herds of wildebeest and enjoy their energetic antics.

While the Matusadona experience came with an air of tranquility, spending three days in Hwange delivers an atmosphere of excitement. Listen to two male lions throughout the night, their haunting roars perforating the silence. Then go look for them the next morning, discovering which one emerged victorious. Find a leopard and cub in the trees, and then return each day to see how the young predator is developing. While there’s a wonderful scale to uncover, over these three days, you’ll come face to face with some astonishing details. It’s through this immersion that the whole family starts to understand the true meaning of the African wild, and the rhythmic cycle of life that occupies every animal. Few world experiences are as inspiring.

Completing your safari is Zimbabwe’s most famous destination. While Victoria Falls divide the country from Zambia, around two-thirds of the actual cascades are seen on the Zimbabwean side. A thrilling walkway provides the views. Start with a side-on snapshot of the canyon, with a 360-degree rainbow traveling around the mist. Continue through the trees to exquisite vistas over the entire falls, along with the canyon to Zambia. Then walk a little further to the unprotected cliffs that rise across from Victoria Falls. These are an unforgettable insight into power, the spray rising above your head then tumbling down like monsoon rain. You’ll get wet; that’s part of the experience.

You fly to the town of Victoria Falls on a scheduled light aircraft departure from Hwange. Enjoy a final morning game drive and transfer to an airstrip that’s often surrounded by wild animals, then touch down to your final team of guides. It’s a short transfer to a sprawling luxury lodge on the banks of the Zambezi River. There’s lots of space for the children to run around, with lawns that run down towards the waterfront, which is discreetly fenced off to keep hippos off the property. The lodge feels more like a boutique resort and is larger than the other places you’ve stayed at. There’s a pool for languid afternoons and a variety of children’s activities. In many ways, it feels like the iconic waterfront escape; just with the beach vibes replaced by monkeys and hippos.

Only from the air can you fully appreciate the size of Victoria Falls. After a relaxed morning, you soar above the cascades in a helicopter, rising above the chasm and taking in the views of both Zambia and Zimbabwe. You’ll grasp just how remote this waterfall is, surrounded by flowing savannah and thick woodland. You may also see migratory elephant herds from the helicopter, their iconic frames crossing open plains of vibrant color. Touch down and the afternoon is at your leisure; a number of optional activities can be added to your program dependent on your interests.

These final two days are deliberately left free. After the adventure of safari, the lodge provides a dreamy tranquility before leaving Africa. Guides can organize a wide range of local activities for the children, from drumming workshops to table tennis, mask making to movie afternoons and football with kids from a nearby village. In addition, there’s a whole range of activities that could be added to your program, either as a whole family or just for some of you. Kayak along the Zambezi River, paddling past hippos and other animals that grace the banks. Cross the bridge into Zambia and explore the town of Livingstone. Take a sunset cruise along the river, or take a morning cruise to the lip of the falls. There are also options for zip-lining, bungee swinging and nature walks.

Depart Zimbabwe from Victoria Falls International Airport, a convenient departure point that means you don’t need to transit back via Harare. You’ll have access to all of the lodge’s facilities before you’re transferred to the airport.