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Veritable Wilderness Safari and Community-Driven Conservation

Zimbabwe

July 5 to July 20, 2026
Private Trip Available
Cost: $9,500
Leader: Vusa Ncube
Group Size: 10
Days: 16


    Safari Overview

    Experience Zimbabwe’s grandeur from the untamed wilds of Hwange National Park to the majestic Victoria Falls. Explore uncrowded concessions that offer flexible wildlife encounters like spontaneous chases to witness lions on the hunt. Hwange is home to over 100 mammal species including 19 large herbivores such as buffalo and wildebeest, alongside predators such as lions, cheetahs, and leopards.  The park’s 45,000-strong elephant population and rare painted dogs make it exceptional. Visit nearby villages to see the positive impact of ecotourism and engage in efforts to address human-wildlife conflict. Discover vital water pump projects in the remote southern regions of Hwange, which support local communities and contribute to wildlife conservation. These initiatives promote sustainability, balancing human development with the preservation of nature’s wonders.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Dwell amongst elephants, lions, buffalo, and more in lodging set in the action.
    • Experience the thrill of walking alongside white rhino and meet the team that protects this threatened species.
    • View thirsty wildlife up close from custom “look-up blinds” located feet from freshwater pumps the elephants love.
    • Witness the splendor of one of the world’s natural wonders: Victoria Falls.

    NOTABLE EXPERIENCES


    Wildlife Safari Coordinator: Elizabeth Coler



    Print Trip
    Date Description Lodge Meals
    Jul 5 – 6 Travel to Victoria Falls.
    Jul 7 Arrive in Victoria Falls and join the group for dinner. Pioneers, Victoria Falls D
    Jul 8-11 Take the Elephant Express railcar to Bomani and explore the Ngamo Plains. Bomani Tented Camp, Hwange National Park B, L, D
    Jul 12 – 13 Head to Jozibanini to enjoy true remoteness. Jozibanini Camp, Hwange National Park B, L, D
    Jul 14 – 16 Fly to Nehimba and experience wildlife-rich Northern Hwange in Land Cruisers and on foot. Nehimba Lodge, Hwange National Park B, L, D
    Jul 17 – 18 Tour Victoria Falls and take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi. Palm River Lodge B, L, D
    Jul 19 Bid farewell to Zimbabwe B
    July 20 Arrive home.

    Our Trip Leaders

    Vusa Ncube

    Vusa leads safaris in Hwange National Park as a fully licensed Professional Guide, the culmination of ten years of hard work and dedication. Zimbabwe's Professional Guides are known as among the best in Africa due to the intensive qualification procedure. Vusa guides with expertise in the plant, wildlife, and culture of Zimabawe, and he entertains travelers with his humor and warm personality. Vusa exudes passion for his native country.

    Detailed Itinerary

    A glimpse into our journey

    Travel to Victoria Falls from home

    Jul 5 – 6

    Arrive in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

    Jul 7

    Welcome to Zimbabwe! Our local agent will provide transfers from the airport to the hotel. If you would like to arrive earlier, we can arrange divergent airport transfers and extra nights. Join the group and your leader for dinner at the lodge.

    Experience the wildlife and culture of Ngamo Plains

    Jul 8-11

    Elephant Express
    © Imvelo Safari Lodge

    After a leisurely breakfast, you will depart Victoria Falls town on a 2.5-hour road transfer to Dete Railway Station on the boundary of Hwange National Park. Enjoy lunch on the Elephant Express before departing on your one-of-a kind game drive by antique rail car.

    After arriving at Ngamo in the early evening, you'll disembark the Elephant Express and climb aboard 4 x 4 safari vehicles for the short ride to camp. You can settle in before returning to the main lodge for a pre-dinner drink at the bar or around the campfire. A delectable 3-course dinner will be served under the Milky Way and the Southern Cross followed by coffee or a nightcap around the campfire.

    Over the next two full days you will have the opportunity to explore and discover the wonders of Bomani Concession and Southeast Hwange National Park. After early wake-up calls, join your guide at dawn for a cup of coffee and slice of toast before heading out to explore and interpret what happened in the wilderness the previous night. You will depart early when the big cats are still active. Your professional guide will point out tracks and signs, and perhaps approach an animal on foot to snatch a memorable photograph. Game-viewing is flexible to take advantage of happenings on the ground.

    You will explore Hwange in search of game before making a stop for a bush lunch next to a specially built underground game-viewing “look-up blind” named such because its located at the water level so you'll be looking up at the elephants! After lunch, you’ll enjoy some time in the blind with snout-level viewing of thirsty elephants just feet way! The blind is furnished with comfortable seating and has running water for flush loos and hand basins.

    In the late afternoons, you’ll continue to explore the Ngamo Plains on foot and by vehicle. After sundowners, you’ll night drive back to camp on the Bomani concession looking for nocturnal species that prowl the plains after twilight.

    On your third morning, only twenty minutes’ drive from the lodge, you have the opportunity to enjoy an unorchestrated look at village life in rural Matabeleland. After breakfast, you can join the children on their morning walk to school or with ride with younger kids in our safari vehicles! Once at the school, meet the headmaster and enjoy traditional songs sung by the students followed by a short classroom interaction. This activity gives the school children a wonderful opportunity to meet and interact with people from all over the world who have come to see the wildlife bordering their community.

    After the school visit, head to a nearby village for an authentic visit to a local homestead, including a meeting with the headman of the village. You will be able to see some of Imvelo's community initiatives firsthand and gain insight into the day-to-day life of a rural Zimbabwean including learning about thatching roofs, tilling fields, milling maize, and weaving baskets.

    In the afternoon, you head to the Imvelo Ngamo Rhino Sanctuary where you'll meet the resident white rhino, Thuza and Kusasa, as well as the Cobra Rangers guarding them 24/7. Start with a behind-the-scenes look at the Cobras basecamp where you'll learn more about their work along with Imvelo's many other community and conservation programs. Hear a short talk on the origins and ideas behind the formation of the Cobras unit and how they protect the rhino as well as the future plans for the ground-breaking Community Rhino Conservation Initiative. Then, head off on foot or by vehicle with the Cobras to meet Thuza and Kusasa! There will be plenty of photo opportunities and quality time to watch and enjoy the rhinos in their natural environment.

    Onward to Jozibanini

    Jul 12 – 13

    African Elephants at Watering Hole
    © Imvelo Safari Lodges

    Enjoy an early morning tea or coffee on your veranda before a hot breakfast in the main lodge. Afterwards, you'll depart Bomani on a full-day safari or "pump run" deep into the southern part of Hwange.

    Hwange National Park has no major rivers, and for the past 70 years during Hwange’s dry seasons, wildlife has subsisted here on water originally pumped by windmills, later replaced by diesel engines, and now solar power. In the southern sector of the park, Imvelo Safari Lodges shoulders the responsibility for 20+ pumped waterholes. This means Imvelo is looking after approximately 20-25% of the waterholes that sustain Hwange’s wildlife including upwards of 10,000 elephants in the dry season – a huge commitment! 

    Imvelo’s trademark "pump runs" combine game viewing in remote areas of the park with practical hands-on conservation helping to maintain the waterholes and pumps that the wildlife relies on for water during the dry season. Many of these pumps have been converted to solar-hybrid pumps in recent years. You'll learn about the challenges of maintaining this system in conversations and hands-on activities with your guide and the pump attendants who spend the dry season living at the waterholes to keep the pumps running.

    You will also make a stop at the Makona Ranger Station near Jozibanini Camp and meet some of the national park rangers who patrol in this remote corner of the park. Imvelo funded and installed a state-of-the-art solar powered water pump at Makona which provides water for the rangers, their organic vegetable garden, and for wildlife at the nearby Makona pan. In addition, the solar array provides power for lights and radios at the station.

    Arrive at Jozi for dinner and then have your first look at the Milky Way four hours from any other camps. After a night’s rest, enjoy an early morning game drive or a guided game walk through the area around camp once more experiencing Hwange’s magnificent elephants on ground level and go tracking for the different species to be found in this part of the park such as lion, wild dog, and buffalo.  After returning to camp, relax and experience a fabulous brunch out in the open at the Jozi pan, enjoying the solitude of being in a completely untouched and isolated spot within the pristine African bush.

    An afternoon option is to head off on a guided mountain bike ride through the elephant paths along the inter-dune troughs around Jozibanini. The ecosystem here is semi-desert akin to the Kalahari in neighboring Botswana. Ancient windblown fossil sand dunes are separated by shallow valleys where elephant paths have compacted the terrain, providing the opportunity for a unique experience of game viewing by mountain bike. These rides can be from 30 minutes around camp to a full day exploring deep into southern Hwange, depending on your energy, fitness and adventure level!

    In the late afternoon, you’ll head into an underground “look-up” blind for spectacular photographic opportunities of the wildlife, just feet away, at the Jozi waterhole. You’ll enjoy sundowners inside or atop the look-up blind, and once the sun has set, take a quick drive back to camp for a tasty dinner out under the glorious night sky.

    Jozibanini has an interesting story which reinforces the importance of your visit here. A ranger station named Jozibanini was abandoned in the early 2000's due to lack of park funds, leaving the southern and western parts of the park largely unpatrolled by rangers and never visited by tourists. As a result, elephant poaching raised its ugly head in this area in 2013. After these poaching incidents, Imvelo Safari Lodges decided to establish an outpost at Jozibanini which staff and a privileged few tourists could use as a base for both management of water resources and a safari experience unlike any other. Presence in the area would also deter poachers, and who better to employ to protect the new project than ex-poachers who have turned over a new leaf? By introducing tourism, the Jozi project has helped protect and conserve hundreds of kilometers of remote park, and regular traffic on the route has translated into reliable support for both parks pump attendants and about 25% of Hwange’s thirsty wildlife in the dry season.

    Scenic flight to Nehimba

    Jul 14 – 16

    Lions
    © Imvelo Safari Lodges

    Following breakfast, take a scenic flight over Hwange National Park, giving the opportunity to view the herds from the air. You will land at Shumba and transfer to camp by road in a 4 x 4 vehicle (20 minutes). Your arrival will likely be met with elephants in camp drinking from the lodge waterhole.

    During the afternoon, you'll begin your explorations from Nehimba Lodge. As you’ll see, the north is distinctly different from the southern part of Hwange both in topography as well as habitats and species of wildlife. Nehimba is situated right on the edge of the mopane woodlands of Northern Hwange and the Kalahari sandveld of the West and offers the full spectrum and diversity of Hwange’s fauna.

    The area is famous for its large elephant herds and prides of lion, so you will probably head out to the Nehimba Seeps in search of these and other species of wildlife. You will also enjoy a bush sundowner in the evening before returning to the lodge to toast another magnificent day in Hwange as the herds of elephants and other game arrives for their own sundowner drink. A 3-course dinner under the stars follows, surrounded by elephants drinking from the pool just steps away from the dinner table!

    Over the next two days, after breakfast, you’ll depart for the morning exploring the Nehimba concession and the beautiful northern part of Hwange National Park. The elephant-hunting lions of this area are famous. The area is well watered so is host to large numbers of animals throughout the year but particularly during the dry season. You’ll return to the lodge for a leisurely lunch and then afternoon siesta or perhaps relax by the lodge swimming pool, frequented by Hwange's thirsty herds during the dry season.

    Sundowners at the famed Nehimba Seeps is a must-do activity while staying at Nehimba in the dry season. The Nehimba Seeps are a specially designated conservation area and one of the few year-round, naturally occurring water sources in the massive Hwange National Park. The seeps are an ancient water resource that was once used by the San huntsmen. Today the area is frequented by elephants, which dig for minerals and water; this sacred spot will leave you with special memories and photographs. Back at the lodge, enjoy drinks and then dinner while watching the elephants slurp from the waterhole just steps away.

    Victoria Falls

    Jul 17 – 18

    Victoria Falls
    © Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris

    After a final breakfast and morning game drive (time permitting) at Nehimba, climb aboard your flight covering the scenic territory between Shumba Airstrip and Victoria Falls Airport. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred through to Palm River Hotel situated on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. The rest of the afternoon will be at leisure until meeting up with the group for cocktails and dinner.

    Start the next day with a tasty early morning breakfast then head to Victoria Falls town for a guided tour of Zimbabwe's foremost attraction – the Victoria Falls! Also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya in the local language, “The Smoke that Thunders,” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and at 360ft (108m) high, and 5,306ft (1708m) wide, remains one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world. While not the widest or highest waterfall, Victoria Falls is considered to be the largest curtain of falling water in the world thanks to its incredible volume of water.

    In the evening, there simply is no better way to enjoy the dazzling African sunset than from the comfort of a Ra-Ikane boat on the Zambezi River. The ever-popular sunset cruise offers a unique way to explore the channels of the river and to get an up-close view of the pristine wilderness and African game along its banks. Enjoy an array of canapés, a full bar, and a charming crew who can impart a bit of interesting Victoria Falls history with you on board the Ra-Ikane.

    Depart for home

    Jul 19

    Arrive home

    July 20

    Cost & Payments

    Costs (in US$)

    Type Cost Per Person
    Trip Cost, double occupancy $9,500
    Single Supplement $1,587

    Costs are per person, double occupancy, not including airfare (except for 2 internal flights), singles extra. See Included and Not Included sections for more details.


    Payment Schedule

    Payment Due Date Amount Per Person
    Deposit Due now to reserve your space $500
    Final January 10, 2026 Remaining Balance

    Payments are due based on the schedule above. All reservations require a deposit to confirm reservation of your space.


    Cancellations

    Until the Final Payment due date, deposits are refundable except for a cancellation fee of $150 per person, which can be applied toward another trip if reserved within six months of the cancelled trip’s departure date. Cancellations are non-transferrable. No refunds are given after the Final Payment due date.

    Included

    • Carbon offsets for the duration of this trip.
    • All leaders, transport, park entry fees, landing fees, and permits for all activities unless described as optional.
    • Two internal flights.
    • Accommodations for the nights of July 7 through 18.
    • Meals from dinner on September July 7 through breakfast on July 19.
    • Beverages, including alcohol, from dinner on July 7 to breakfast on July 19.
    • Sundowners from July 8 to July 18.
    • Transfers on July 7 from the Victoria Falls airport to Pioneers Lodge and July 19 from the Palm River Lodge to the Victoria Falls airport.
    • Trip Planning Materials – information about entry requirements, flights, packing, gratuities, etc.

    Not Included

    • Carbon offsets for your flights to/from this trip.
    • All airfare (except flights listed as included), airport and departure taxes, and excess baggage fees. Round-trip airfare is approximately $1,200 to $1,600 between the US and Victoria Falls, depending on origin.
    • Gratuities – tipping is always discretionary. However, we will add a gratuity of $250 per participant to your final payment for local guides and lodge staff.  This does not include Vusa, your trip leader.  We recommend budgeting $195 to $260 ($15 to $20 per day for 13 days) to give directly to him at the end of your trip.
    • Passport and visa fees.
    • Divergent airport transfers (arranged by us) and extra hotel nights.

    Climate

    July is in the dry season in Hwange National Park.  The average lows are in the lower 50’s°f, and the average highs are in the lower 80’s°f. Rain is unlikely.

    Fitness Level

    Good energy levels are required for long days in the field riding in bouncy Land Cruisers.  You will also have the opportunity for walks on elephant trails, usually less than 2 miles at a time, and you can take an optional mountain bike ride at Jozbanini.

    Flights

    Detailed logistical information is included in the Trip Planning Materials we will send you.

    Flights you book

    • Arrive in Victoria Falls (VFA) by 4:00pm on July 7.
    • Depart from Victoria Falls (VFA) after 10:00am on July 19.

    Flights we book.

    • Two internal flights are included in the trip cost. Important: these flights have a strict luggage allowance of 44lbs (20kg), included carry-on, and dimensions no more than 11.8in by 13.8in by 27.5in (30cm by 35cm by 70cm). Also, soft luggage is required.

    FAQ

    Accommodations

    Nehimba and Bomani have rustic, but luxurious accommodations, while Jozibanini is more basic but comfortable. All lodging has electricity and flush toilets.

    Motion Sickness

    Transportation

    Conservation

    Our company ethos has always regarded conservation as inseparable from responsible tourism. We struggle with the dilemma that traveling worldwide expends climate-changing carbon. However, we wholeheartedly believe that traveling with us will cultivate your passion for conserving our beautiful world while stimulating each destination’s local economy. We encourage you to explore the various ways in which Cheesemans’ operates within this context:

    • Ecotourism and Conservation Zimbabwe.
    • Cheesemans’ Trips are Carbon Neutral.
    • Offsetting your Travel to/from our Trip: We ask you to pledge to offset the carbon emissions for your travel to and from our trips. You can purchase offsets with most airlines (Delta includes them automatically), use our handy carbon calculator and donate to Sustainable Travel International, or contribute to your favorite offsetting organization.

    Conditions

    Read our current Terms and Conditions.