Zimbabwe Walking Safari

- accommodation in luxury tents right in the heart of the national park
- with the world's top guide - a former war vet
- you will meet Big Five

Victoria Falls is the perfect starting point from where you can explore Zimbabwe. Explore Hwange, one of Africa's forgotten gems, only 200 km away. Or the majestic and isolated wilderness of Chizarira. Then there's Bulawayo, full of history and character, and gateway to the Matobo Hills, or in the middle Zambezi Valley Matusadona and Mana Pools National Parks, all on the tourism circuit. And don't forget the man-made marvels of Zimbabwe - the historic Great Zimbabwe ruins and the modern engineering wonder of the Kariba dam and lake.

Victoria Falls is also a great starting-point to explore neighbouring countries, especially Botswana and Zambia. Chobe National Park, Botswana offers great wildlife viewing, and who can resist a trip into the Okavango Delta. Zambia offers the opportunity to explore the river upstream and downstream, from Sioma Falls to Siavonga on Lake Kariba, and a wealth of National Parks, including Kafue, Lower Zambezi and Luangwa.

A World Heritage Site, the Victoria Falls are Zimbabwe's prime tourist attraction and the gateway to the country. The Falls themselves vary dramatically with the seasons, but remain spectacular at any time of the year. The numerous activities available here have made it Africa's adrenaline capital - from white-water rafting to bungee jumping and helicopter flights, Victoria Falls has something to offer everyone.

Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe's largest protected area and is home to its greatest diversity of wildlife and highest concentrations of elephant, lion and much more. Hwange offers excellent safari experiences to rival anywhere in Africa, from luxury lodges and game drives to walking safaris, all led by some of the best guides in Africa, this is big five country and a wilderness to savour.

Chizarira National Park lies in Northern Zimbabwe. At 2,000 square kilometres (490,000 acres), it is one of the larger National Parks, and also one of the least known because of its isolated situation on the Zambezi Escarpment. The escarpment falls steeply through some 600 metres (2,000 ft) to the Zambezi River valley floor and offers magnificent views towards Lake Kariba, 40 kilometres north. It has good wildlife populations and some majestic scenery.

The Park's distinctive rock formations are unique and inspiring. A rich cultural landscape with a long tradition of human habitation is recorded in its wealth of bushman cave art. More recent associations with Ndebele Kings and colonial figureheads make this Park a history lesson on the country and its origins, a place of contemplation and spiritual renewal.

The enigmatic ruins of Great Zimbabwe, from which the nation takes its name, are the most importance ancient monuments in sub-Saharan Africa. Standing in silent testimony to the lost civilisation of the country's ancestors, they have given rise to legends and inspired the awe and imagination of adventurers, travellers and indeed Zimbabweans themselves.

Created by the construction of the Kariba Dam in the 1950s, Lake Kariba is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Known as 'Zimbabwe's Riviera' the Lake has since become an attractive and popular holiday destination for Zimbabweans and tourists alike. The emphasis here is on leisure – relaxing on holiday houseboats, watching wildlife or testing your angling skills are all to be enjoyed.

Matusadona National Park is one of several protected wildlife areas with shorelines on Lake Kariba. Some 338,000 acres (1370 km²) in area, it is bounded on the west by the Ume river and on the east by the Sanyati River. Two-thirds of it lies south of the Zambezi Escarpment formed by the 1968 foot (600 m) high Matusadona Hills from which it takes its name.

Situated downstream from Lake Kariba on the southern banks of the Zambezi, legendary Mana Pools National Park is known for its canoeing and walking safaris. Close encounters with big game here are commonplace, with healthy populations of elephant, buffalo and lion among others. This is wilderness at its wildest.

Running some 300km from north to south along Zimbabwe's eastern border, the Eastern Highlands offers beautiful landscapes of rolling hills and rugged mountains, with breathtaking valleys and gorges containing waterfalls, rivers and lakes. With its refreshing mountain climate, the Highlands are a popular holiday retreat. The mountain forests and meadows are home to a wealth of wildlife not found elsewhere in the country.

Gonarezhou National Park is located in south-eastern Zimbabwe, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. At 5,053 square kilometres Gonarezhou is Zimbabwe's second largest game reserve after Hwange National Park. Owing to its vast size, rugged terrain and its location away from main tourist routes, large tracts of Gonarezhou remain as pristine wilderness. It forms part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Gonarezhou with the Kruger National Park in South Africa and the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.