A Week Between the Falls and Hwange

These three plans use the A8 road as the spine. Choose the length that matches your time, and add Binga or Chizarira only if you have a spare night and a vehicle that can cope with rough tracks.

Three nights: Victoria Falls only

Base yourself in town and mix one river day with one wildlife day. A morning in the rainforest costs about US$58 for international visitors, and the ticket covers one entry. Add Zambezi National Park for a game drive, at about US$17 entry, and a sunset cruise on the river above the falls with its US$12 levy. This plan needs no long drives.

Five nights: Falls plus Hwange

  1. Two nights at Victoria Falls for the rainforest and one adventure day. Rafting needs minimum age 15 and runs on a seasonal route, with the full Rapid 1 to 19 run about August to late December.
  2. Drive about 2.5 hours south-east on the A8 to Dete, turning off at Cross Mabale for Hwange Main Camp, which is 172 to 195 km from Victoria Falls. Visit the free Painted Dog Conservation centre first.
  3. Two nights at a camp near Hwange for game drives. Imvelo’s Bomani Tented Lodge and Camelthorn Lodge can be reached from Dete Siding on the Elephant Express railcar, about 70 km and 2 hours to Ngamo Siding, though running times follow the railway and seats are not guaranteed.
  4. Drive back, about 2.5 hours.

Plan the park fee in advance. Hwange charges a ZimParks daily conservation fee plus a vehicle fee, and your operator or ZimParks can quote both. The park covers about 14,651 km2 and has no permanent rivers, so animals gather at pumped waterholes in the dry months. October can pass 40 C.

Seven nights: add Binga or Chizarira

Binga adds two days of driving. The turn-off from the A8 is at Cross Dete by the Total garage, and the road is tarred to Kamativi, then potholed. It is about 305 to 310 km from Victoria Falls. The BaTonga Community Museum is a quiet, cultural stop, and Lake Kariba is the setting. Houseboats are mostly based at Kariba town rather than Binga.

Chizarira National Park sits on the Zambezi Escarpment. It needs a high-clearance 4WD to climb the access gorge, and visitors camp at Mucheni Gorge or Mucheni View and must carry all supplies. The suggested months are July to October.

What to carry

  • US dollars in cash, since the ZiG is the domestic currency and card machines can fail.
  • Malaria prevention advised by a doctor, because the Zambezi Valley, Hwange and Binga carry risk all year.
  • Fuel, water and a spare tyre on rural stretches. Fuel can be scarce.

Road safety

Avoid driving outside towns after dark. Cattle and potholes are common. The UK FCDO advises that no travel can be guaranteed safe, so check its current advice before you go.

Read more: Day trips and Romantic getaways .

Search stays on Booking.com . Official links: UK FCDO advice for Zimbabwe and Imvelo Safari Lodges .