Zimbabwe Safari and Houseboat Holiday Guide

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Zimbabwe has a combination of things that make it a unique safari holiday destination, in this guide I will show you how you can enjoy a big 5 safari, relax on a houseboat on one of the biggest man made dams in the world, surrounded by incredible wildlife and scenery, bungee jump off the victoria falls bridge (one of the highest commercial bungee jumps in the world) and then go white water rafting on the mighty Zambezi river, one of the best white water rafting destinations in the world.

First off when I first mention to people that I am going to Zimbabwe, most peoples reaction is "Is it safe?" I am a proud Zimbabwean, and it saddens me to what is happening in our country, but this does not change the fact that 99.9% of Zimbabweans are the friendliest people in the world and as long as you follow the same safety rules as you would in any other country (not wandering around with your wallet in your back pocket!) you will not only be safe but probably have the best safari holiday of your life. Zimbabwe has so much to offer and because of what is happening there at the moment tourism is really suffering, so on the upside as a tourist there are many great deals to be had and you can also help out a few Zimbabweans by visiting their country and paying for a service or buying piece of African art.

So why visit Zimbabwe on Holiday?

I recently went on holiday to The Gambia and we traveled inland up the river Gambia to a remote location and whilst the trip was excellent it did make me realise just how special combining a houseboat and safari holiday in Zimbabwe could be. I was a little disappointed by the lack of wildlife in the Gambia, the Gambia river is truly massive and we traveled over 200 miles inland, mostly on the river and on the whole trip we only spotted 1 bloat of hippos (yes that is the correct term for a group of hippos!) and 1 dead crocodile. The highlights were spotting dolphins in the river, the chimpanzees, baboons and a couple of species of monkeys. The birdlife in the Gambia was great and we saw many new species and plenty of old favorites. The accommodation that we stayed in whilst in The Gambia was adequate but for what you pay for, I would suggest that in Zimbabwe for the same price, the standard is much higher. I am not going to make out that Zimbabwe is perfect, far from it and if you visit in the current climate, things like electricity and water in some locations may be a problem but Zimbabwe still has some truly wild locations, with an abundance of wildlife and spectacular scenery that will take your breath away.

Kariba Houseboat and Safari Holiday

My parents have during most of my life owned a boat and I have spent many holidays fishing and game viewing on Lake Kariba. A houseboat holiday on Kariba offers a unique type of Safari, it combines the relaxation that only water can, whilst still the possibility of game viewing, excellent birdwatching and fishing. Game viewing on the lake is limited mostly to water dependant animals and thus you wont see the huge variety that you would on a traditional safari on land, that is why in this guide I suggest combining a houseboat holiday on Kariba and a Safari holiday at one of Zimbabwe's many National parks or reserves. That way you get the best of both worlds and if you are a keen birder, you will get to see both water and land birds.

... to be continued.

Zimbabwe Highlights

Victoria Falls The Kololo tribe, who lived in the area in the 1800's called it ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ or ‘the Smoke that Thunders’, the Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world is a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, bordering Zimbabwe and Zambia. >> more	Hwange National Park Home to vast herds of elephant, buffalo, zebra and giraffe, many predators and endangered species plus a very large and varied birdlife. Hwange National Park is one of Africa's finest National Parks and traveling through Hwange National Park today is what much of the interior of Africa might have been like more then 150 years ago.
Mana Pools National Park Mana Pools National Park is a paradise for game viewing. The word 'Mana' means four, in reference to the four pools around the park headquarters: Main, Chine, Long and Chisambik. The magic of this national park stems from the pervading sense of the wild and also in the park's relative remoteness along a portion of the southern bank of the Zambezi River. Game drives bush walks offer the opportunity to stand near buffalo or elephant or watch crocodile and hippo from close quarters with nothing but your fear to protect you.	Matobo National Park Set amongst the fascinating rock formations, the park contains many historical sites including the burial site of Cecil John Rhodes, as well as Leander Starr Jameson, Sir Charles Coghlan and the memorial of the Shangani Patrol. Matobo contains the largest concentration of raptors and leopard in an area of its size in the world. Some of the more beautiful larger antelope: kudu, sable and eland and the endangered black and white rhinoceros are also abundant.
Great Zimbabwe Great Zimbabwe is the name given to ruins of an ancient city once the centre of a vast empire known as the Munhumutapa Empire and is sometimes referred to as the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. The quality of the building in places is outstanding and nothing compares to this timeless place in Southern Africa	Lake Kariba Zimbabwe Lake Kariba is one of Africa’s best kept secrets. Ever thought of game viewing from a boat and then returning back to your lodge on the shore line to watch the sun drop below the horizon? Situated on the Zambezi River, lake Kariba is a freshwater paradise stretching back from the dam wall for 290km and reaching 42km at its widest point.