16 Day Zimbabwe Rediscovered Tour

≈AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURS (AAT)'Since 2002.

16 Days - Camping 

Day 1 Botswana – Francistown
The tour begins in Johannesburg where we load up the truck before heading northeast towards the Zimbabwe border. It is a long and fairly uneventful drive to Francistown, Botswana’s second largest city and the site of Southern Africa’s first ‘gold-rush’ back in the late 1800’s. Nowadays Francistown is a modern African city and home to many jazz-clubs and casinos making for some excellent nightlife.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2 Zimbabwe – Hwange National Park
It is just under 100km from Francistown to the Zimbabwe border and within hours we arrive in Hwange National Park and begin some spectacular game viewing from an open 4x4 vehicle. At around 14650 square kilometres the Hwange National Park is the largest in Zimbabwe and home to one of Africa’s largest Elephant populations as well as over 100 other mammalian species and 400 different birds.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls National Park
In the early morning there we will enjoy another game drive in the Hwange NP. After lunch we drive north to Victoria Falls where we will visit the Victoria Falls National Park in order to experience this magnificent natural wonder. The local people wisely use the expression ‘the smoke that thunders’, or Musi-o-tunya, to describe the unforgettable waterfall in the Zambezi River. We will also visit a local adventure operator to book activities for the next day. In the evening there are many excellent restaurants to choose from. Optional Activity: Dinner Out
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 Victoria Falls
Today there is an entire day free to experience some of the exciting adventure activities that are possible from this tourism town. While the White Water Rafting is one of the most popular activities there are many others on offer such as: Walking with Lions, Elephant interactions, Gorge swing, microlighting and scenic Helicopter flights.
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 Zambia - Livingstone and Zambezi River
Today we cross over the historical railway bridge that links Zimbabwe and Zambia at the Victoria Falls. This bridge was completed in 1905 and was placed, at the request of Cecil John Rhodes, so that the spray from the falls could embrace the railway carriages as they crossed from one side to the other. Once in Zambia there will be a short stop to collect any additional passengers and then we have a long drive to reach the camp for the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 Lower Zambezi National Park Canoe Trip
Today we will be beginning our canoe adventure in to the Lower Zambezi National Park. Starting early in the morning we will be taking the minimum of equipment necessary and ‘bush camping’ on an island this evening, surrounded by wildlife, including the hippo. This is a unique experience as we will be a long, long way from any form of civilisation!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 Lower Zambezi National Park
This is the second day spent on the mighty Zambezi River. As we are travelling downstream with the current the physical effort required to negotiate the river is not extreme and many happy hours can be spent simply drifting and enjoying the beautiful scenery, birdlife and company. At certain times of the year it may not be possible to canoe on the river due to extreme temperatures or water levels. In this instance the 2 days normally spent on the river will be swapped for a 2-night houseboat excursion on Lake Kariba.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
 

Day 8 Kariba
We finish our canoe trip in the morning and make our way to Kariba where you will have the time to relax next to this famous lake. In the evening there is the chance to enjoy and optional sunset cruise. Kariba is the largest artificial lake in the world. Lake Kariba was filled between 1958 and 1963 following the completion of the Kariba dam. Optional Activity: Sunset cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 Zimbabwe – Chinhoyi Caves
In the morning there is a transfer through the Lower Zambezi National Park and back to the truck. All together again, we will pass through the Chirundu Border (sometimes a time consuming process) and re-enter Zimbabwe. From Chirundu it is not a long trip to Chinhoyi. Probably best known for cave diving, the Chinhoyi caves system is the largest publicly accessible cave system in Zimbabwe and reputably a ‘mysterious’ area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 Harare and Chimanimani National Park
After visiting the caves it is a short drive from Chinhoyi to Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, where we will stop for some shopping, lunch and exploration. Although Harare has not had a lot of positive press in the last 10 years, many will be surprised at just how safe and accessible this small, modern capital is. After lunch we will be travelling to the Eastern Highlands and the Chimanimani National Park. The Mountain range that separates Zimbabwe and Mozambique is the site of some simply spectacular hiking and scenery and with time permitting we will take a short walk to the well-known Bridal Veil Falls in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11 Chirinda Forest
It is possible to spend another full day hiking in the Chimanimani, or take a day trip to Zimbabwe’s only rain forest on the Mozambique Border. Chirinda is the southernmost rain forest in Africa and home to some spectacular large mahogany trees. A short hike to ‘the big tree’ is a lovely outing and a fantastic spot for a picnic lunch.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12 Great Zimbabwe Ruins
No visit to Zimbabwe could possibly be complete without visiting the world-famous Great Zimbabwe ruins. Dating from around the 11th century these iron-age ruins have been the source of much speculation and disagreement over the years. Built without any mortar some of the walls are up to 5 metres high and still standing after so many centuries. This site was also home to 8 carved Zimbabwe birds, the image of which is found on the Zimbabwean National Flag.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13/14 Matobo - Matopos National Park
It is a long drive to reach Matopos. The next day we enjoy a full day Game drive with a local operator into the Matopos NP. We depart Bulawayo and head towards the Matobo Hills where we view the Bushman Paintings, rock formations and scenery in the National Park. We briefly leave the National Park pay a visit to the African Villages where we have the opportunity to meet the local community. We re-enter the Game Park section of the National Park, where we track Rhino on foot with our guides, as well as looking for other game.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15 South Africa – Bulawayo to Messina
After a short visit to the Bulawayo Historical Museum we start the drive back to South Africa. We cross the border at Buitbridge, which can sometimes take a long time, and return to South Africa where we will camp at the border town of Messina.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16 Johannesburg
Today we leave early for the journey South along the Great North Road for our final destination in Johannesburg, the City of Gold. We will gradually move up from the Bushveld and Baobabs of the Limpopo Province through citrus and maize fields to the heavily populated and industrialised Highveld and Gauteng Province, the powerhouse of Africa. We will travel through Pretoria, one of South Africa’s capital cities, before arriving in Johannesburg in the late afternoon. Although this final night is not included in the tour most people choose to get together for a final meal out at one of Johannesburg’s many excellent restaurants.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

≈AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURS (AAT)'Since 2002.

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you make a booking with Africa Adventure Tours (AAT) we will send you a Tour Dossier and a Pre-Departure Information document. This is a brief overview of the information contained in these documents

• Food and Meals. Included are three hearty meals a day, (unless otherwise specified). Vegetarians are easily catered for and they're always impressed by our varied menu. Our guides can produce miracles on a camp-stove. Special dietary requirements can be catered for, but only by special request. In East Africa it is more difficult to cater to certain requirements.

• Accommodation. On our camping tours you will be staying in two-man dome tents. We supply a mattress and you supply your own sleeping bag. The accommodated tours stay in traditional huts, permanent tented camps and hostel-style rooms.

• Health. All people who join an adventure tour need to be in good health. Medical facilities are not always available. If you have a specific medical condition it is compulsory for you to advise us before departure.

• Malaria. Malaria is a real concern in many areas of Africa, especially during the rainy season. Our advice is simple, prevent getting bitten by using an insect repellent and use an effective prophylactic. Speak to your doctor before selecting your Malaria medication.

• Vaccinations. Please ensure you have the relevant vaccinations. Proof of inoculation is required on certain tours.

• Terms & Conditions. All travellers will be required to sign our indemnity form on departure. Any person refusing to do so will not be allowed on the tour.

• Currency, Money and Banking. This is covered comprehensively in the pre-departure dossier. South African Rand and Credit Cards work in Southern Africa. In East Africa (incl. Zimbabwe and Zambia) USD cash is best.

• Age Restriction. Passengers under the age of 18 must have signed permission from a parent or guardian. Passengers over the age of 65 require a medical clearance certificate from their doctor stating they are fit enough to travel.

• What to Bring? A sense of fun and a flexible attitude! A full checklist of essential items is included in the pre-departure info document.

• What to Leave Behind. Your watch, cell phone, laptop, work, stress, concept of time, pre-conceptions about anything and any attitude that is not pure adventure.

• Changes to Routes/Schedules. Although we will do our best at all times to ensure that the tour remains on schedule we want to make it very clear that this is not always possible. There is always something unexpected on a tour, sometimes the truck gets stuck in mud, or sand, sometimes it rains... Anything can happen, but nothing that a good sense of humour cannot overcome.

• How to Make a Booking. You need to complete our booking form and pay a 25% non-refundable deposit to secure your seat. Full payment is due 28 days prior to departure.

• Do I Need Travel Insurance? YES! Make sure your insurance covers being airlifted in case of serious illness/injury as good hospital facilities are often a long way from where our tours travel. Free credit card insurance is often insufficient, so a separate policy is recommended. As travel insurance is compulsory, you will be asked for the policy number before being allowed to board our vehicle.

• How Many People Can Go On This Tour? The average number of passengers on a tour is 18. On the camping tours there is a maximum of 24 and minimum of 4. On the Accommodated tour the minimum is 4 and the maximum is 18. The maximum number on Gorillas, Serengeti and Masai Mara tours is 18. Single Supplements are limited to 4 per tour on all tours.

• Do I Have To Help With Camp Chores? Of course not, but you will not make many friends! On our tours our guides do most of the work. On a camping tour your participation in camp chores is limited: taking turns to assist with washing-up duties, putting up and taking down your tent and loading your bags. On some of our accommodated tours we include a camp assistant.

• Who Is Responsible For My Visas? You are responsible for your own visas. Please check the itinerary of your tour carefully and if you need a multiple entry visa be sure to get one. Your passport needs to be valid for 6 months after your departure date from Africa and you must have at least 3-4 blank pages available. Some countries will not allow you to enter without 2 blank pages in your passport.

• What Are Local Payments (LP) For? The Local Payment is a USD cash portion of the tour payment that needs to be paid directly to your guide in Africa. This payment covers fluctuating expenses such as flights, National Park Fees, entrance fees etc. and also ensures that we have a reliable amount of hard currency on each tour. Our Local Payment is not a kitty, your food and accommodation are included in the tour price. All Local Payment amounts are subject to change without notice. Changes are very rare and are normally due to a sudden or unexpected price increase by a local service provider or National Park.

• What Is a Single Supplement? All of our tours are priced on twin share accommodation. The single supplement is not compulsory on our camping tours but if you want your own tent you need to pay the single supplement. If you are booking one of our accommodated tours alone you have to pay the single supplement. There are a maximum of 4 single supplements available on all tours.

≈AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURS (AAT)'Since 2002.

≈AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURS (AAT)'Since 2002.

≈AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURS (AAT)'Since 2002.

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