Wild Zimbabwe

Jacana Gardens Guest Lodge
This cosy Dutch-managed guesthouse occupies a small plot in the northern suburbs of Harare. Designed by Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce, it offers six individually decorated bedrooms, all of which open onto the garden terrace & verandah. Facilities include an open-plan lounge decorated in a mixed European and Zimbabwean style, a small outdoor swimming pool, and a dining room where a light buffet breakfast is served each morning.

Aberfoyle Lodge
Dating back to the 1960s, Aberfoyle Lodge is a lovely country estate situated in the Honde Valley region of the Eastern Highlands. The lodge has been thoroughly renovated in recent years, and now offers a fabulous selection of rooms accommodating up to 36 guests. All rooms are en-suite and feature patio doors that open onto verandahs for a view of the tea plantations and forests of the Honde Valley.

Aberfoyle Lodge boasts a wealth of amenities, including swimming pool, 9-hole golf course, tennis court, snooker room and lounge.

The next two days are free for you to relax at the lodge and explore the surrounding forests and highlands adjoining Nyanga National Park. Activities available at Aberfoyle include guided mountain hikes, tree canopy tours, birding tours with a specialist guide, and tea plantation visits.

La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a newly re-opened Country House in Penhalonga, near Mutare. Built in the 1950s as the home of Sir Stephen and Lady Virginia Courtauld, it boasts over 40 acres of landscaped gardens, a beautiful dam, and 16 richly-furnished rooms.

La Rochelle's guest rooms are decorated in fabulous art deco style. The bulk of the rooms are located in secluded cottages scattered throughout the gardens, though a minority are situated within the main house and date back to its original construction. All rooms enjoy views of the gardens or dam.

La Rochelle's gardens are fabulous. Part of a 182-hectare estate, the property features beautiful landscaped and botanical gardens, an orchid house, and an arboretum adjoining the natural forest and woodland, housing over 800 varieties of tree.

The interior of the house bears all the signs of a much-loved home, filled with fresh flowers, art deco furniture and mementos of the Courtauld family.

The next two days are at leisure to enjoy the house and its extensive grounds.

Norma Jeane’s Lakeview Lodge
This attractive, lakeside lodge is situated overlooking Lake Mutirikwi on the outskirts of Masvingo, and offers comfortable, homely accommodation amid a tranquil setting.

Norma Jeane’s offers just 8 en-suite rooms, each spaced apart and with a private balcony overlooking the lake. Guest areas include a comfortable lounge and dining room.

Norma Jeane's primarily attracts guests coming to Masvingo to see the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, but it has other attractions besides. The surrounding woodland offers great opportunities for birding, while guided game drives and bush walks are possible at nearby Lake Mutirikwi Park.

This afternoon, embark on a guided tour of the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1986, the Great Zimbabwe Ruins are one sub-Saharan Africa's most remarkable ruins.

Big Cave Camp
Big Cave Camp sits on top of an enormous granite kopje, commanding marvellous views across the famous Matobo National Park. The thatched, African cottages, of which there are only 8, have been built amidst the rock formations and carefully spaced apart. Each is en-suite and features a private balcony.

The central living area at Big Cave Camp has been built against a dramatic backdrop of massive boulders. The rock formations have influenced the design of the lodge; the bar and dining area are built around a huge rock, while trees have been incorporated into the interiors, creating a natural atmosphere. Dining is at a communal dining table in the shared dining room. There's also a stylish teak bar.

Outside, there is a natural rock pool and sundeck. At sundown, the romantic cave-style boma is illuminated by lanterns.

The next two days will be spent exploring Matobo National Park on guided game drives and bush walks. A particular highlight of this region is rhino tracking.

A UNESCO world heritage site, Matobo is known for its spectacular scenery and striking rock formations. It is also known as one of the world's last remaining rhino sanctuaries, where both black and white rhino are found in stable numbers.

The 45,000-hectare park incorporates the fascinating Matobo Hills, a rugged range of granite domes, boulders and spires that make for terrific hiking territory. Matobo is not all hills and kopjes, however. Its lower foothills and grasslands provide a typical safari bush environment and support a diversity of game, including not just rhino but also many species of antelope, big cats including leopard and cheetah (no lion), rock dassies, wildcat, crocodile, giraffe, hippo and baboon.

Ivory Safari Lodge
Ivory Safari Lodge is situated in the forested outskirts of Zimbabwe's largest safari park, Hwange. The lodge offers a superb game-viewing experience, centring on 4x4 safaris to track the huge herds of plains game and elephant for which Hwange is famous. And you needn't leave the camp to view the wildlife; Ivory Lodge's raised viewing platforms overlook a busy watering hole that is frequented by a resident herd of elephant.

There are 9 raised treehouses at Ivory Safari Lodge, accommodating two guests each. All rooms overlook the waterhole. There is no air-con in the rooms, only ceiling fans (as well as electric blankets for the winter). All rooms have mosquito nets, 24-hour electricity and en suite bathrooms. The central bar area and dining room are well-furnished and overlook the waterhole and lodge swimming pool. Internet access is available.

Daily morning and evening game drives are offered during your stay.

Hwange is Zimbabwe's largest and most famous national park. Simply teeming with game, it provides a safari experience to rival the great parks of East Africa, the Serengeti and Masai Mara.

Formerly the royal hunting grounds of the warrior kings of Zimbabwe, Hwange became one of the first conservation areas in Africa when it was made a national park in 1929. Today it is not nearly as well-known as it once was, owing in large part to the difficult political situation in Zimbabwe, but safari enthusiasts still consider it one of the best game parks on the continent. Indeed, its years out of the spotlight have if anything improved Hwange, as it hasn't experienced the excessive visitor numbers that have affected some of the more famous safari parks of Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.

Hwange is perhaps best known for its tremendous elephant populations, which are among the largest in Africa, but it boasts a diversity of game, including all of the Big 5.

Batonka Guest Lodge
Located in the suburbs of Victoria Falls, Batonka Guest Lodge is a lovely new boutique style lodge offering luxury accommodation in an intimate and personal space.

The lodge is surrounded by landscaped gardens and is within walking distance of the town centre. Each en-suite room has a balcony, TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, AC and tea/coffee.

This afternoon, embark on a guided tour of the Victoria Falls. Afterwards, say goodbye to your driver who will be returning to Harare.

The rest of your stay at Batonka is at your leisure. There is a large variety of activities available in the area, from light aircraft trips, river rafting and bungee jumping to sunset Zambezi River cruises (activities at additional cost).

When ready, transfer to Victoria Falls International Airport for your international flight home.