Basic Safari

12-Day Glamping Vfl-Hwange-Kariba-Sail-Mana-Chitake-Hre

by Mana Pools Tourism Services12 daysEthiopia, Zimbabwe

Overview

Tour Overview

Zimbabwe Safari: The Ultimate Zim Adventure for private groups of 5-7 guests. You'll start in Vic Falls and take in the best of Hwange, Kariba Ferry, sail with

Day by Day

Itinerary

1

Rendezvous in Vic Falls & Drive to Hwange National Park

Day 1Rendezvous in Vic Falls & Drive to Hwange National Park Rendezvous in Vic Falls & Drive to Hwange National Park Your adventure starts at Victoria Falls (4x4 Handover and departs to Hwange National Park). Your driver will collect you from your Vic Falls accommodation in our 8-seater Land Cruier with bush trailer + pop-up game viewer roof to take you on the 4-hour drive through the Matetsi Safari Area to Robins Campsite in the Western section of Hwange National Park. You'll set up camp for your first night on the bus, a gentle introduction in a fenced site whilst you acclimatize for wilder things ahead! Main Destination: Hwange National Park Best Time To Visit July to October (Middle and end of the Dry season) High Season June to October (Hwange’s main area can become busy) Best Weather April to September (It hardly ever rains) Wildlife in Hwange NP ElephantAbundant GiraffeCommon LionCommon BuffaloCommon ZebraCommon WildebeestCommon Show more HippoCommon HyenaCommon CheetahOccasional Wild DogOccasional White RhinoVery Rare Black RhinoVery Rare LeopardRare Accommodation: Budget camping Inside Hwange NP Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

2

Explore Western Hwange National Park

Day 2Explore Western Hwange National Park Explore Western Hwange National Park You'll wake up to the dawn chorus for your first full day in the bush. You are still in the acclimatization phase so game drives will be the order of the day. Then, you'll relax around the pool and get into the right frame of mind for the escalating levels of adventure ahead. Main Destination: Hwange National Park Accommodation: Budget camping Inside Hwange NP Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

3

Drive through the Heart of Hwange National Park

Day 3Drive through the Heart of Hwange National Park Drive through the Heart of Hwange National Park Your first little adventure, is a day-long game drive through the center of Hwange National Park, stopping at pans and game viewing platforms as you traverse the park from West to East in the big rig. You have a very good chance of seeing all sorts of sightings along the route to reach your campsite for the night. You'll set up camp overlooking the waterhole and sleep deeply. Main Destination: Hwange National Park Accommodation: Budget camping Inside Hwange NP Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinks not included

4

Explore Sikumi Area

Day 4Explore Sikumi Area Explore Sikumi Area You'll have a leisurely breakfast then a drive through the bush to visit the Wild Dog Conservation Centre in the morning. Then, you'll go back through the winding, sandy bush roads to camp for a lazy afternoon brunch then spend the afternoon watching animals coming down to drink. Main Destination: Hwange National Park Accommodation: Budget camping Inside Hwange NP Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

5

Drive to Mlibizi, Embark the Kariba Ferry

Day 5Drive to Mlibizi, Embark the Kariba Ferry Drive to Mlibizi, Embark the Kariba Ferry You'll break camp very early and take the winding roads through the bush to Mblibizi in the upper reaches of Lake Kariba where you will board the Kariba Ferry for the 300km voyage the length of the largest man-made lake on earth. You'll spend the afternoon passing through the narrow upper reaches of the lake and fall asleep to the hum of the motor, well-fed on tasty Zimbabwean treats. Main Destination: Lake Kariba Accommodation: Kariba Ferry Budget accommodation located in Kariba (Lake Kariba) Meals & Drinks: All meals included Drinks not included

6

Rockstar Mid-water Transfer to your Private Sailing Catamaran

Day 6Rockstar Mid-water Transfer to your Private Sailing Catamaran Rockstar Mid-water Transfer to your Private Sailing Catamaran You'll wake up aboard the Kariba Ferry as you steam into the expansive Eastern Basin (fat end) of Kariba. Your private 30-foot safari catamaran will approach over the horizon and draw alongside the Ferry (weather permitting). You will de-buss over the railings and sail into the wide blue yonder under the expert guidance of our expert skipper. He will take you to the ropes as you sail the open water and wildlife-view the shallow Matusadona shoreline. Main Destination: Matusadona National Park Best Time To Visit May to October (Best wildlife viewing) High Season August to September (The park is never crowded) Best Weather April to September (Sunny days) Wildlife in Matusadona NP ElephantAbundant BuffaloCommon HippoAbundant LionOccasional ZebraOccasional HyenaOccasional Show more LeopardRare Wild DogVery Rare GiraffeNone White RhinoNone Black RhinoNone CheetahNone WildebeestNone Accommodation: Sail With Elephants - Kariba Private Catamaran Mid-range accommodation located in Kariba (Lake Kariba) +3 Photos Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

7

Sail with Elephants, Kariba

Day 7Sail with Elephants, Kariba Sail with Elephants, Kariba You'll wake up under the stars in paradise, have breakfast, and put out to sail. Our boats are nimble and stable and able to get into places that lumbering houseboats can't. You will see hippos and elephants and the whole menagerie of Matusadona National Park the best way possible, from the water as they graze the grassy shoreline. You'll dine on some deserted island draw alongside swimming elephants frolicking in the warm, clear water. Main Destination: Matusadona National Park Accommodation: Sail With Elephants - Kariba Private Catamaran Mid-range accommodation located in Kariba (Lake Kariba) Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinks not included

8

Disembark Sailboats and Drive to Mana Pools National Park

Day 8Disembark Sailboats and Drive to Mana Pools National Park Disembark Sailboats and Drive to Mana Pools National Park You'll disembark on the Catamaran at Halls' Beack in Kariba town where your driver will be waiting in the big rig to whisk you 4 hours through the national park to Mana Pools. Here, you will have an exclusive campsite all to yourself in the middle of the bush. You will be more acclimatized now to having all manner of animals wandering through at all hours. You'll relax and enjoy the beautiful Mana. Main Destination: Mana Pools National Park Best Time To Visit June to October (Best wildlife viewing) High Season July to September Best Weather April to September (Rains rarely fall) Wildlife in Mana Pools NP ElephantAbundant LionCommon BuffaloCommon ZebraCommon HippoCommon HyenaCommon Show more LeopardOccasional Wild DogOccasional CheetahRare GiraffeNone White RhinoNone Black RhinoNone WildebeestNone Accommodation: Budget camping Inside Mana Pools NP Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinks not included

9

Explore Mana Pools National Park

Day 9Explore Mana Pools National Park Explore Mana Pools National Park You'll relax and enjoy wild Mana Pools. You'll enjoy a game drive to the open plains and see more animals than you can shake a stick at. Elephants, hippos, hyenas, elands, kudu, impalas, ground hornbills, monkeys, baboons, buffalos, lions, honey badgers, squirrels, civets, gennets, you name it, they can all wander through at any moment. Main Destination: Mana Pools National Park Accommodation: Budget camping Inside Mana Pools NP Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinks not included

10

Drive to Chitake Springs

Day 10Drive to Chitake Springs Drive to Chitake Springs You'll break camp and drive 70km through the bush to the wildest campsite on earth, Chitake Spring. Your driver will show you the ropes as you set up camp in the heart of lion country. Keep a low profile as you sit patiently near the spring watching animals come to drink, then fall asleep to the roaring in the darkness not too far from where you lie. Once you feel a lion roar, you will know your place in this world. Main Destination: Chitake Springs (Mana Pools NP) Accommodation: Budget camping Inside Chitake Springs (Mana Pools NP) Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinks not included

11

Experience Chitake Springs

Day 11Experience Chitake Springs Experience Chitake Springs This is a full day to sit quietly and experience raw nature. You are unlikely to see much lion action during the heat of the day, but thousands of birds and multitudes of other animals use this spring for water. You can go up to the baobab forest, but it may be more productive to sit quietly in the spring and watch the world go by. Main Destination: Chitake Springs (Mana Pools NP) Accommodation: Budget camping Inside Chitake Springs (Mana Pools NP) Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinks not included

12

Drive back to Harare

Day 12Drive back to Harare Drive back to Harare You'll break camp reluctantly for the 8-9 hour trip to Harare. You'll ponder your experiences as you slowly ascend the Zambezi escarpment and return to civilization. There is no other country in Africa that can give you such a diversity of wild landscapes as Zim. You will love our warm climate and decent, warm-hearted people. Once you have caught the Zambezi fever, you will find the only treatment is more of the same. Main Destination: Harare (City) Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour) Meals & Drinks: Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included) Drinks not included End of tour (See Getting There for more details)End of tour (See Getting There for more details) Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. A transfer back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost. Interested in This Tour? Request a Quote We advise requesting quotes from 3 operators (Learn why) Requests are sent directly to the tour operator If preferred, you can contact the tour operator directly Next: Overview Next: Day by Day Next: Rates Next: Inclusions Next: Getting There Next: Offered By Best price guarantee Your request will be sent directly to the operator If preferred, you can contact the operator directly Next: Request a Quote Request a Quote Disclaimer This tour is offered by Mana Pools Tourism Services, not SafariBookings. This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings. This group to

What's covered

Included & Excluded

Included

  • What is included in this tour

Not Included

  • A transfer from and back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost
  • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost

What travellers say

Verified Reviews

Reviews are aggregated from SafariBookings, TripAdvisor, Google, and Trustpilot — weighted by platform reliability and review volume to give a balanced composite score.
Rafael 5.0/5

When planning our trip, Ant''s advice was precious to put up a realistic itinerary allowing us to combine both must sees (Vic Falls, Mana Pools) and pretty unique experiences (sailing the Kariba lake on a catamaran then crossing the lake on...

Jane & Dave Greenslade 5.0/5

If you’re thinking about a Zimbabwe self drive adventure this is the company to contact. Ant is very communicative, helpful and has lots of good advice and local knowledge. The vehicle was ideal for the self drive safari, well equipped...

Brian 5.0/5

Thanks to Ant and his well trained to team for putting together a trip to Mana Pools for the three of us-the adventure of a lifetime! From start to finish the guys made us feel at home at their Sunbird Guesthouse. Ant and his teams...

Louis Malzer 5.0/5

Ant was extremely helpful in tayloring our itinerary to fit in with what we requested. He replied promptly to any queries we had and was happy to discuss any requirements. The tour was very good value for money, the vehicle comfortable and...

Niall 5.0/5

Very impressed with the service we received from Ant in advance of the trip. Organising an itinerary that suited our timescales and requirements over WhatsApp, email, phone and facetime was all done with a minimum of fuss. Upon arrival...

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

How much does 12-Day Glamping Vfl-Hwange-Kariba-Sail-Mana-Chitake-Hre cost?

12-Day Glamping Vfl-Hwange-Kariba-Sail-Mana-Chitake-Hre starts from USD 3,969 per person. This is a basic-level safari spanning 12 days. Prices vary by season and group size, with low season offering the best rates.

How long is 12-Day Glamping Vfl-Hwange-Kariba-Sail-Mana-Chitake-Hre?

This safari runs for 12 days and 11 nights across Ethiopia, Zimbabwe. The itinerary is designed to maximize wildlife viewing while allowing comfortable travel between parks and lodges.

What comfort level is 12-Day Glamping Vfl-Hwange-Kariba-Sail-Mana-Chitake-Hre?

This is a basic safari featuring budget-friendly camping and basic lodges, ideal for adventurous travellers. Operated by Mana Pools Tourism Services ensures a high standard of experience throughout the journey.

Is 12-Day Glamping Vfl-Hwange-Kariba-Sail-Mana-Chitake-Hre well-rated?

Yes, this safari has an aggregate rating of 5.0 out of 5 based on 42 verified reviews. Mana Pools Tourism Services consistently receives positive feedback for wildlife sightings and overall experience.

Who operates 12-Day Glamping Vfl-Hwange-Kariba-Sail-Mana-Chitake-Hre?

12-Day Glamping Vfl-Hwange-Kariba-Sail-Mana-Chitake-Hre is operated by Mana Pools Tourism Services, a safari company based in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe. You can view their full profile, other tours, and verified reviews on SafariPicked to compare before booking.