Things to Do in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a large country, so the best activities are grouped around a few bases: Victoria Falls and Hwange in the north-west, Bulawayo and Matobo in the south-west, Harare in the north-east, and Lake Kariba and Mana Pools along the Zambezi in the north. Tourism prices in US dollars, so carry small, undamaged US notes as well as a card, because the domestic currency is the ZiG and card machines can fail. Check current government travel advice before you book.

At Victoria Falls

  • White-water rafting: The Zimbabwe-side low-water season runs from about August to late December and gives the full run through the Batoka Gorge. High-water runs operate roughly January to March and May to July, and the river closes around March to June when the flood peaks. Dates move from year to year. The minimum age is 15 and the climb out of the gorge is steep, about 250 m. Expect to pay from about US$120 plus a river levy of about US$12.
  • Bridge bungee: The 111 m jump from Victoria Falls Bridge is run by Shearwater and gives about 4 seconds of freefall. Prices run from roughly US$130 to 200 depending on the seller.
  • Canopy tour: Wild Horizons runs 9 zip-lines and slides across the gorge in about 2 to 2.5 hours. Ask about age limits when you book.
  • Helicopter flight: The usual flight lasts 12 to 13 minutes and costs about US$150 to 190 through resellers, plus a park levy of about US$18.
  • Sunset cruise: Zambezi cruises carry a river levy of about US$12 on top of the operator fee.
  • Dinner: The Boma, Place of Eating, is at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. It serves dinner only and booking is essential.

Devil’s Pool is on Livingstone Island in Zambia, reached by boat from the Zambian bank. It is usually open from about mid-August to mid-January, and you need Zambian entry to join.

Wildlife

Hwange National Park has its best game viewing from August to November, when animals gather at pumped waterholes. Zambezi National Park, close to Victoria Falls, charges about US$17 daily entry for international visitors. Wild game drives with a licensed operator are the way to see animals. Elephant-back rides and lion walks are not worth supporting, and responsible operators have dropped them.

Lake Kariba and Mana Pools

Lodges on Lake Kariba, such as Bumi Hills Safari Lodge, offer tigerfish fishing on a catch-and-release basis, game drives and boat cruises. Do not swim in the lake, because crocodiles and hippos live there and bilharzia is a risk in still fresh water.

Mana Pools lets visitors walk on foot with a ZimParks walking permit. A licensed guide is strongly recommended, since elephants, buffalo, hippos and lions share the floodplain. The park needs a 4x4 on unpaved roads or a light aircraft, and flooding limits access from about mid-December to the end of March.

Read more: Day trips in Zimbabwe and Multi-day trips .

Rules and fees change, so check ZimParks and the UK government advice for Zimbabwe . Search tours on GetYourGuide .