13 Days Best Of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe rewards the curious traveler. This 13-day route links Victoria Falls, Hwange, Great Zimbabwe, Gonarezhou, and the Eastern Highlands with one guide, a chef, transport, lodging, meals, and entry fees built into the price. I like the mix of wildlife, archaeology, scenery, and local culture, rather than a trip that treats Zimbabwe as only a safari destination. I also like the small maximum of 16 people, which should make the long route easier to manage.

The two strongest features are the personal guide and chef, plus the variety of national parks and heritage sites. The main caution is that game drives are not included, and drinks, mineral water, laundry, tips, insurance, and optional activities cost extra. At $3,550 per person, this can be good value, but you need to budget beyond the advertised price.

Key details that shape the trip

• Victoria Falls opens the journey: You begin with a Zambezi River cruise and a guided visit to one of the world’s great natural sights.
• Wildlife comes in several forms: Hwange offers game drives, Matobo offers rhino tracking, and Gonarezhou is known for its large elephant population.
• Zimbabwe’s past is part of the route: Great Zimbabwe National Monument and Cecil Rhodes’s burial place add historical context between wildlife stops.
• A chef travels with you: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are supplied in the stated package, with 13 breakfasts, 10 lunches, and 10 dinners included.
• Some days are intentionally open: Days 4, 9, and part of day 12 allow leisure or optional activities, giving you breathing room on a long trip.
• Falcon Safaris handles a complicated route: Past bookings praised Kelly, Falcon, Newtone, and Gertrude for quick replies, organization, transfers, and personal care.

Why this route works for a first Zimbabwe trip

Zimbabwe is a large country, and this itinerary gives you a broad introduction without asking you to arrange each transfer, park entry, meal, and lodge night yourself. You move from the Zambezi River to western wildlife areas, then south to Great Zimbabwe and Gonarezhou, before finishing in the eastern highlands and Harare Province.

That variety is the real reason to consider the tour. You get famous sights, but you also reach places that appeal to people who want more than a quick Victoria Falls stop. The trip includes wildlife, stone ruins, botanical gardens, mountain scenery, birding, and time to rest.

The trade-off is pace. Thirteen days is long enough to cover a lot, but the route crosses a wide area. Some days may feel like travel days even when the schedule lists a stop. A personal guide and included transport are especially valuable here because you do not have to solve the route yourself.

The experience is capped at 16 people, and it is offered in multiple languages. That makes it a sensible choice if you want guided support but do not want to join a very large coach group. Confirmation is provided when you book, and the listed start time is 8:00 a.m.

Day 1: A gentle start on the Zambezi River

The opening activity is a two-hour cruise from the Zambezi River Cruise Terminal. It is an easy way to begin after arriving in Victoria Falls, with complimentary drinks and snacks served onboard.

The cruise is scenic rather than highly structured. Depending on the season, you might see animals coming to the river to drink. That uncertainty is part of the charm, but you should not treat this as a guaranteed wildlife outing. The value lies in the relaxed first look at the Zambezi and the chance to settle into the group.

Admission is included. Since drinks and snacks on this cruise are supplied, this first activity also gives you a small taste of how the trip handles meals and refreshments. Mineral water for the wider journey is not included, so plan for that separately.

Day 2: Victoria Falls and the road toward Hwange

Victoria Falls deserves a guided visit. In about two hours, your guide explains how the Falls formed and discusses local customs and traditions connected with the area. The visit finishes at a local art and crafts center, adding a human and cultural element to the famous view.

The Falls are the emotional high point for many people on this route, but a guide helps you understand more than the spray and noise. You get the physical spectacle along with useful context. Admission to this guided stop is listed as free, while the tour includes the necessary park entry fees elsewhere in the program.

The same day includes a three-hour stop in Hwange National Park, with game drives listed as optional. This is an important cost detail. You should ask Falcon Safaris exactly which Hwange activities are available and what they cost before you arrive, because the basic package does not include game drives.

Day 3: Morning in Hwange National Park

Hwange receives another three-hour morning visit for game drives. The park is one of the major wildlife areas on the route, and the early timing gives the day a clear safari focus.

Because game drives are excluded from the package, this is one of the first places where the final cost can change. If wildlife is your main reason for booking, set aside money for these activities rather than assuming the park stop includes a vehicle and drive.

I like the fact that Hwange gets time on two consecutive days. A single short stop can feel rushed, while a second morning gives you another chance to see the park in different conditions. Still, sightings are never guaranteed, and the itinerary does not promise specific animals.

Day 4: A useful pause in the schedule

Day 4 is reserved for an afternoon at leisure or optional activities. After the opening cruise, Falls visit, and Hwange outings, this break matters. You can use it to rest, arrange an activity, or simply avoid turning the entire journey into a string of early starts.

The exact optional activities are not specified, so you should confirm what is available and what carries an extra charge. Activities not mentioned in the package are excluded.

Day 5: Cecil Rhodes and rhino tracking in Matobo

The fifth day pairs a controversial historical figure with a serious wildlife activity. Cecil John Rhodes’s burial place is visited for about two hours. The site connects to his death in 1902 and the long railway journey that carried his body from Muizenberg, Cape Town, to Rhodesia during the Boer War.

That stop will appeal to people interested in colonial history, but it may not be comfortable for everyone. A good guide is useful here, since the site raises questions about power, empire, and Zimbabwe’s past rather than offering a simple heroic story.

The day continues at Matobo Hills with three hours of rhino tracking. This is one of the more distinctive activities on the route. It puts you close to a conservation subject rather than limiting the day to vehicle-based wildlife viewing. Entry is included, although you should confirm the exact format and any local conditions with the operator.

Day 6: Great Zimbabwe’s massive stone walls

Great Zimbabwe National Monument is the major archaeological stop. The ancient city was once Zimbabwe’s capital and is made from rectangular granite blocks placed without mortar. Some walls and towers reach 12 meters, and the site has World Heritage status.

Allow about two hours for the visit. You can walk among the stone structures while your guide explains their place in Zimbabwe’s past. This is not just a quick photo stop. The scale of the walls gives you a better sense of the city’s importance and the engineering skill behind it.

I especially like having Great Zimbabwe between the wildlife parks. It changes the rhythm of the trip and gives you a stronger connection to the country’s people and past. Admission is included, making this one of the clearest value points in the package.

Days 7 and 8: Elephants and open country in Gonarezhou

Gonarezhou means a place of elephants, and the park is described as Zimbabwe’s second-largest national park, with more than 10,000 elephants. Its terrain includes floodplains, baobab-dotted scrub, mopane woodland, and pale orange sandstone cliffs.

The first Gonarezhou stop lasts about two hours. The riverine edge is good for birding, and with luck you might see a Pel’s Fishing Owl. Near camp, nyala, kudu, impala, and elephant may pass through. The wording matters here: these are possibilities, not promises.

The second visit also lasts about two hours and focuses on the park’s wildlife range. Gonarezhou is home to four of Africa’s Big Five: elephant, leopard, lion, and buffalo. You can also expect a wide range of other animals and birds, but sightings depend on conditions and chance.

Two days give the park more weight than a brief drive-through. The downside is that four hours of listed park time across two days is not the same as full-day safari coverage. Since game drives are specifically excluded, ask whether the Gonarezhou activities require an additional payment and how much time is spent in the vehicle.

Day 9: Another open afternoon

The second leisure afternoon arrives after Gonarezhou. This is a practical feature, not filler. Long road-based trips need unscheduled time, and this pause lets you recover before the eastern part of the route.

Optional activities are not detailed, so treat this as free time unless Falcon Safaris confirms an add-on. It is also wise to ask about the day’s transport arrangements, since the supplied schedule does not list a specific attraction.

Day 10: Vumba’s gardens and scenic roads

Vumba Botanical Gardens and Reserve changes the mood again. The 159-hectare reserve includes landscaped gardens, streams, a small lake, footpaths, indigenous orchids, ferns, flower beds, and plentiful birdlife.

You spend about two hours in the gardens, followed by another two-hour scenic drive in Vumba. This is a good contrast to the drier park areas and stone ruins. You get time on foot, but not an exhausting hike, followed by views from the vehicle.

The two listed Vumba activities may sound similar, but they serve different purposes. The gardens reward slow observation of plants and birds. The scenic drive lets you appreciate the wider setting without needing a long walk. Both admission fees are included.

Day 11: Nyanga’s trout, stone structures, and museum

Nyanga brings together trout fisheries, pit structures, and a museum during a two-hour stop. The itinerary gives little detail about the order or length of each part, so you should expect an overview rather than a full day at each site.

This stop is valuable because it continues the cultural and historical thread begun at Great Zimbabwe. It also keeps the route from becoming a wildlife-only holiday. If you prefer ruins, museums, and local stories to repeated game drives, Nyanga adds welcome range.

Days 12 and 13: Leisure near Harare and the finish

Day 12 includes an afternoon at leisure or optional activities in Harare Province. Again, the specific options are not stated, so confirm availability and fees before you count on an excursion.

Day 13 marks the end of the itinerary. The supplied details do not state a specific final drop-off point or departure transfer, so ask about that when booking, especially if you have a flight or onward connection.

What the $3,550 price really covers

At $3,550 per person, the package costs about $273 per day before considering the value of included lodging, meals, transport, park entry, a professional guide, and a chef. Accommodation is supplied for all nights, and the package lists 13 breakfasts, 10 lunches, and 10 dinners.

That is a strong bundle for a trip covering this much ground. You are not paying only for sightseeing. You are also paying for planning, transfers, meals prepared along the way, and help with a route that would be difficult to organize independently.

Still, the headline price is not the complete holiday budget. You must pay for:

• Drinks and mineral water
• Game drives
• Personal purchases and laundry
• Tips and gratuities
• Travel insurance
• Accommodation upgrades
• Activities not listed
• Sleeping bag and pillow

The food count also deserves attention. Breakfast is supplied for all 13 days, but lunch and dinner are listed for 10 days each. Ask which meals are not covered and how the open afternoons affect dining arrangements.

The people behind the trip

The guide and chef are central to the experience. A chef preparing meals throughout the route can make a major difference on a 13-day journey, particularly when you are moving between parks and heritage sites.

Specific praise has been given to Kelly for being helpful and accommodating, Falcon for fast communication, and Newtone and Gertrude for handling booking, transfers, and activities in an organized way. One account also praised the lodges and detailed itinerary planning. Another described the guide as friendly and highly informed about the areas visited.

Those details suggest a company that pays attention to communication and trip management. I would still ask who your assigned guide and chef will be, since names may vary by departure and the experience depends heavily on that team.

Who should book this Zimbabwe tour?

I would recommend it to you if you want a wide-ranging Zimbabwe introduction and prefer having the practical work handled for you. It suits people who want wildlife but also care about Victoria Falls, archaeology, botany, birding, and cultural history.

It is also a good fit if you value a small group, included accommodation, and prepared meals. The multiple-language option may help if your preferred language is not English.

I would hesitate if your sole goal is intensive safari time. The itinerary includes park visits, but game drives are optional and excluded from the price. A dedicated safari program may provide more time in the vehicle and less time on long transfers.

You should also think carefully about the pace. The open afternoons help, but the route covers a lot of Zimbabwe. Ask for the full lodging list, daily driving times, meal arrangements, game-drive costs, and final departure details before paying.

Final verdict: a broad and well-supported Zimbabwe journey

This is a strong choice for seeing several sides of Zimbabwe in one organized trip. I like the balance between Victoria Falls, wildlife parks, Great Zimbabwe, Matobo’s rhino tracking, and Vumba’s gardens. The inclusion of a chef, guide, accommodation, transport, meals, and entry fees gives the $3,550 price real substance.

The decision comes down to your priorities. Book it if you want variety, structure, and personal support. Choose another style of trip if you want nonstop game drives, a shorter route, or a fully all-inclusive price with drinks and optional activities covered.

Cancellation terms are relatively clear: a full refund is available when you cancel at least six full days before the start time. Cancellation two to six days before departure allows a 50 percent refund, while cancellations less than two full days before the start time are nonrefundable.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour is based in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The listed start time is 8:00 a.m.

How long is the experience?

The tour lasts approximately 13 days and ends on day 13.

What is the maximum group size?

The tour has a maximum of 16 travelers.

Is pickup available?

Yes, pickup is offered.

Is a mobile ticket provided?

Yes, the experience offers a mobile ticket.

Are meals included?

Yes. The package includes 13 breakfasts, 10 lunches, and 10 dinners. A professional chef is also included.

Are accommodations included?

Yes. Accommodation is supplied for all nights, although upgrades cost extra.

Are game drives included?

No. Game drives are not included in the package price.

What is not included?

Drinks, mineral water, sleeping bag, pillow, personal items, laundry, tips, travel insurance, accommodation upgrades, activities not mentioned, and game drives are excluded.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least six full days before the experience start time. A cancellation two to six full days before the start time receives a 50 percent refund, while cancellation less than two full days before departure receives no refund.