Discover a myriad of wildlife on foot, on horseback, or on a game drive
Trip Overview
(2026 Sold Out) Please enquire for 2027!
16 – 19 Sep: Walk with the elephants in Hwange National Park, overnights with Somalisa Expeditions Tented Camp
19 – 22 Sep: Mana Pools National Park, overnights glamping at Zambezi Expeditions
22 – 25 Sep: Lake Kariba, overnights with Bumi Hills Safari Lodge
25 Sep: Departure
Beautiful Accommodations
Enjoy staying at luxury camps with Somalisa Expeditions and Zambezi Expeditions. You will also enjoy Bumi Hills Safari Lodge which is elevated on the hillside overlooking Lake Kariba. A wide range of animals can be seen near the accommodations such as lion, leopard, kudu, elephant, zebra, wildebeest, gemsbok, buffalo, leopard, giraffe, hyena and even the rare and endangered roan antelope.
16 – 19 Sep
Game drives &
Guided Bush Walks
The imposing image of the elephant may as well be the official symbol of Hwange National Park. As home to one of the largest elephant herds in the entire Africa, it should come as no surprise that—spanning an area of 14,600km²—it is also the largest (and oldest) national park in Zimbabwe.
Hwange is arguably one of Africa’s very best game-viewing destinations. This massive park and its creatures can be explored on foot, on horseback, or on a game drive. Hwange’s impressive range of wildlife—lion, leopard, rhino, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, gemsbok, hyena, wild dog, and more—is mirrored by the diversity of the park’s environment: the sandy southern part of the park skirts along the Kalahari Desert and is dotted with semi-arid shrubbery, while the northern grasslands are thick with granite outcrops and groves of teak and mopane trees.
Laying just off the main road that runs between Victoria Falls and Bulawayo, Hwange can easily be combined with a visit to ‘the smoke that thunders’. Only about an hour’s drive from Victoria Falls, Hwange is also well-served by an airport for charter flights. Hwange is best visited in the winter months—from June to August—when game-viewing is at its best thanks to wetter waterholes and sparser bush.
Meals: Full Board, Selected Beverages
19 – 22 Sep
Mana Pools
National Park
In the Shona language, the word ‘mana’ means ‘four’. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that the Mana Pools National Park earned its name (and its status as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site) from the four iconic pools dotted across its wetland waterscape. These four oxbow pools were formed over thousands of years by the changing course of the relentless Zambezi River.
Mana Pools is widely regarded as one of Africa’s finest spots for game-viewing and bird-watching. Nile crocodiles and hippos glide through its murky waters, and the treetops and sky are abuzz with over 350 species of birdlife. Elephants, buffalos, zebras, warthogs, impalas, baboons, and more flock to the pools’ lush banks for food—while lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas skulk not too far behind. These predators are far more secretive than their herbivorous counterparts and spotting them is usually a game of chance.
During the rainy season, the park’s floodplains swell with water and are transformed into a vast expanse of lakes. The warmer months—when the lakes dry up—is when the banks of the pools are most alive with wildlife and game-viewing is at its finest. The sparse undergrowth makes Mana Pools perfect for walking safaris but, with 2,196km² of water, it’s also ideal for a canoe safari.
Meals: Full Board, Selected Beverages
22 – 25 Sep
Lake Kariba
Tonga legend has it that the Zambezi River was once inhabited by the Nyami Nyami, a river-god with the head of a fish and the body of a snake. The Nyami Nyami and the people of the Zambezi Valley lived side-by-side in harmony—until the 1950s when construction began on the Kariba Dam, separating the Nyami Nyami from his wife. Infuriated, the river god tried to force his way upstream to reunite with her and, in doing so, caused the dam to flood the Zambezi Valley.
Today, Lake Kariba is the largest man-made lake in the world—covering a whopping 5,580km²! Its murky waters may no longer be home to the Nyami Nyami, but equally ferocious hippos and Nile crocodiles now swim along its far-reaching shoreline. Leaping tigerfish also abound, making the lake a popular spot for game-fishing. Antelope, the mighty Big 5, and more roam the plains of Matusadona National Park (the conservation area skirting Kariba’s shore).
Getting to Lake Kariba is a breeze: there’s an airport along its shores at Bumi Hills as well as an international airport in the town of Kariba. Both service frequent flights from O.R. Tambo International in Johannesburg, Livingstone International in Zambia, and Victoria Falls International.
Meals: Full Board, Selected Beverages
“It was another wonderful trip by
Wild Rainbow Safaris.”
Marian Z., Redwood City, CA
Additional Information
This quote is valid for the dates of travel specified. Prices are subject to change and lodge availability is not guaranteed until a signed application and deposit are received, at which time accommodations are booked and a final itinerary prepared. Modifications to the itinerary may result in a change in price.
Review the location and amenities of the suggested accommodations and ensure you are comfortable.
Prices are subject to change without prior notification due to circumstances beyond our control, namely fuel surcharges, supplier increases, government taxes, exchange rate fluctuations, etc. The full booking value will be subject to rate of exchange fluctuations until full payment has been made.
All costs are valid for the itinerary travel dates. Costs may vary with date changes. Should any details change, we reserve the right to recalculate the tour price accordingly WRAS is happy to help with any additional Intra Africa flights to ensure the best arrival/departure times. There is a USD 35.00 fee for this service.
Trip Cancellation and Travel Insurance should be purchased within 14 days of making your deposit.
If you would like to confirm this itinerary, a completed and signed Trip Application for each traveler and a 30% deposit on the full trip amount for each traveler is required. 50% of this deposit amount is non-refundable. We strongly recommend purchasing Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance immediately after your deposit is made. Insurance protects you and your investment should there be a reason at any point in the planning process that you would need to cancel your trip. Final payment will be due 120 days before travel.
Please contact Jody at jody@wildrainbowsafaris.com or call 415-407-3691 to secure your safari.
We look forward to helping your dreams of Africa come true!
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