Handpicked Zimbabwe

The main problem for travellers to Zimbabwe’s national parks is simply which to choose. There are 11 in total, each different in size, character, and wildlife. It’s virtually impossible to see them all in a single trip, but the least you can do is try…

Hwange is the country’s largest park – and one of Africa’s 10 biggest – covering almost 15,000 square kilometres on the western border with Botswana. It’s also Zimbabwe’s most popular game viewing area, and it’s easy to see why. Visitors can tick off all of the Big Five here, as well as scores of other species and over 400 types of bird.

For something a little different, we love Matobo National Park. It’s Zimbabwe’s secret gem, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where immense granite boulders balance precariously on top of one another. Considered the spiritual home of the country, visitors to Matobo can expect quality over quantity in terms of wildlife. It’s one of the best places on Earth to see black and white rhinos, has a huge density of tough-to-spot leopards, and remains home to a third of the world’s eagle species.

Elsewhere, Gonarezhou and Mana Pools National Parks are equally as wondrous as anything Zimbabwe has to offer. And that’s notwithstanding its most famous site…

Arguably the most famous of all the great waterfalls, two-thirds of them lie within Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls National Park. Flowing year-round, visitors here walk along gorges, popping out along the route to soak up the views – and perhaps some of the spray.

Two of our favourite spots to marvel at the main falls, which fan out over a mile in width, are Cataract View and Danger Point. The former is the more accessible, with steps leading down to a dramatic panorama of the falls and often accompanied by the famous rainbow prism effect. For the more adventurous, the aptly named Danger Point is a slippery scramble to a nerve-jangling 100 metre drop-off. Not for the faint of heart.

If budget allows, the most remarkable views of all are from the air. Rest assured, wherever you catch this wonder of the world from, it won’t disappoint.

Towards the south of the country, the Great Zimbabwe National Monument is one of Africa’s most significant cultural sites. At nearly a millennium old and widely viewed as the heart of modern Zimbabwe, this is a place to savour the rich history of the land and all that it’s been through.

Great Zimbabwe is a ruined city, a series of crumbling stone fortresses and dwellings that have helped disprove well-worn theories about the level of sophistication that African civilisations were able to reach in the past. It’s easily explored on foot with a guidebook and information pack, all available on site.

Elsewhere, the country’s largest museum, the Natural History Museum in Bulawayo, is a fascinating journey through the objects, creatures, and stories that have helped to shape a modern-day country.

Zimbabwe’s capital is often overlooked as visitors rush to the game reserves but, with its wide, attractive avenues, vibrant selection of endemic flowers and cultural and culinary spots, it’s well worth a visit.

The National Gallery and the Delta Gallery both showcase the best of contemporary African art, as well as an ever-rotating selection of sculptures, installations and photography. For a taste of some more natural art, head to the National Botanic Gardens, where a tranquil cycle among its 68-acre site had us in an almost zen state of calm. Relaxing doesn’t do it justice.

For those eager to start their wildlife experience as soon as possible, Wild is Life is a must. A sanctuary for injured and rescued animals a stone’s throw from the airport, visitors can expect to get up close and personal with its inhabitants – and sip on a cuppa or a glass of champagne at the same time.

As ever with a new place, we loved simply walking around the dust-lined avenues, exploring the markets, sampling the street food and – perhaps – sipping an ice cold Zambezi lager.