Zimbabwe's Best hosted by Brian Keating - September 14 -28, 2023

Day and night game drives provide exclusive access to a spectacular stretch of the Zambezi River, its typical Mana Pools woodlands, the Sapi River and fertile floodplains.

It’s all about experiencing Africa on foot: along the Zambezi River, amongst the riverine vegetation, and under the shady canopy of albida trees. Venture through the wilderness in the safe hands of a professional guide. Look out for animal tracks, stop to smell the plants, take the time to admire the smaller often unnoticed animals.

Boating is a wonderful way of seeing large numbers of waterbirds and wildlife attracted to the river and seasonal pans.

* Water levels permitting.

For the adventurous, canoeing down one of Africa’s mightiest rivers is a must.

* Water levels permitting.

Relax and enjoy the spectacular beauty of this stretch of the famous Zambezi River, with breathtaking sunsets over the African horizon.

* Water levels permitting.

Early Morning and Sunset Game drives are included in your stay. Each game drive is approximately 3h30 minutes long.

Embark on a Guided Walk with your Ranger, as you learn about wildlife, fauna and flora in the area.

Half Day Trip
We offer an exciting half day trip that includes visiting our local School, a small rural village near
the National Park, and an informative stop over at the Wild Dog Research Centre.

A Brief Description - After an early breakfast at 7am, guests depart on a slow game drive north east towards Hwange Main Camp, which takes around 2 hours. Guests will visit The National Parks Primary School that we as Verney’s Camp have adopted and sponsor along with other operators in Hwange National Park. After the visit, guest travel to Mabale Village where we visit this authentic rural village typical to the area, and meet the local people from the district. Following this visit we then head to the Painted Dog Research Centre to learn more about the endangered African Wild Dog, guests also get a chance to meet the researches and get involved in future sponsorship of this critical study. Then it’s back to Verney’s Camp after a scrumptous picnic lunch at one of the numerous waterholes on the way.

Schedule
Best days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Pre-booking this activity helps us to coordinate with
the school and researchers (During school holidays and weekends the school is closed however the trip still operates to the other two venues).

At over 5,000 km², Gonarezhou is the second largest National Park in Zimbabwe, cutting a swathe of sandstone cliffs, scrub and baobab trees along the country’s southeastern border with Mozambique. Largely undiscovered by the outside world, this striking land is one of the last great pristine wildernesses in Africa and takes in a huge diversity of habitats. Lions, cheetah, wild dogs, hyena, buffalo, hippo and giraffe can all be seen within the boundaries of Gonarezhou, but this country is known, first and foremost, as the Land of the Elephant. These massive, intelligent creatures are called Nzhou in Shona, and give their name to the National Park where they number in their thousands. Gonarezhou National Park is one of Africa's last remaining true pristine wilderness areas.

Morning, Afternoon and Full Day Games Drives into Gonarezhou National Park, with our resident Guides.

There is no better way to explore an area than on foot. Chilo Gorge offers morning and afternoon Game Walks in Gonarezhou National Park, with our resident Professional Guides. Explore the Runde river floodplains from Chilo Gorge Tented Camp, or some of the more remote corners of Gonarezhou when on the Ivory Trail Adventure fly camping experience. Game Walks are also available for guests staying at the Main Lodge.

Min age of 12yrs.

A full day excursion to the Red sandstone Chilojo Cliffs, situated in the heart of the Gonarezhou National Park on the banks of the Runde River. Visit the Tembahata and Machanu Water Pans offering unrivaled bird watching & view large herds of Elephant and Buffalo. A picnic lunch is served at the spectacular Chilojo Cliffs, followed by a sundowner game drive back to the lodge.

Available in the dry season: April to November, with the top of the Chilojo Cliffs normally only accessible between June/July to November when the Runde River is fordable.

The intimate working relationship between the lodge and the local Shangaan community, makes a visit to Mahenye Village a uniquely rewarding cultural experience. This is the birthplace of the CAMPFIRE concept, which has since been replicated thousands of times around Africa. At it's core is the concept of "Community Led Conservation", and for his work setting up this initiative, and his ongoing commitment to conservation, Chilo Gorge Founder and Director, Clive Stockil, has won numerous international awards.

It will be a colourful and informative visit, likely to include the Secondary School and local Clinic, and guests are encouraged to interact with the local villagers. This is a unique opportunity to spend time exploring an authentic village, and watch daily village life in one of Zimbabwe’s remotest corners.

There is also a potential to visit the local palm forest, to meet the resident palm wine maker. Your guide will explain how palm wine is produced, together with providing different samples for tasting.

For those with a penchant for something a bit more active, the 2.5km hiking trail from the lodge to the beautiful Chivalila Falls is a great way to start or end your day. Trekking through a rugged landscape will lead you to a view point overlooking the Falls. As the water cascades over age-old rocks, take in the sights and satisfy your thirst with some well deserved refreshments.

The three major rivers, the Chilojo Cliffs and the vast water pans in the park support a rich variety of birdlife, including Kingfishers, Hornbills, Eagles and Raptors. Over 450 species have been recorded in and around Gonarezhou, making it one of Southern Africa's top birding destinations. The rivers attract many waterbirds from herons, storks and egrets to waders, African Skimmers and nesting Southern Carmine Bee-eaters. Purple-crested Turacos flash crimson through the denser riverine and Grey-headed, Brown-headed and Meyer’s Parrots squawk and shriek. The Chilojo Cliffs and the surrounding areas offer common sightings of Verreaux’s Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Black Storks, swifts and other raptors, including Bat Hawks and Taita Falcons. And the local Sacred Sand Forest also provides sightings of specials such as the Green Malkoha, Narina Trogon, Chestnut -fronted Helmet shrikes, and Square tailed Drongo.

Daily game drives with professional guides and trackers provide the perfect opportunity to get up close to Africa’s incredible animals, while late afternoon drives reveal the elusive magic of nocturnal Africa. Our game drives are all conducted in state-of-the-art Land Cruisers, each accommodating a maximum of six guests. During your stay at Singita Pamushana Lodge you are likely to spot a wide variety of wildlife including white and black rhino, Lichtenstein hartebeest, sable, nyala, klipspringer, cheetah, wild dog, lion, leopard, and an abundance of bird life.

Walking safaris are an incredible way to experience the bush up close and personal. Your expert guide and tracker will accompany you as you track animals on foot through the wilderness and explore the magnificent plants and landscapes around you.

Water is a source of life and beauty, and no place is this more apparent than in the remote tranquility of the African bush. Fishing at the dam below the lodge is the ideal way to experience this wonder firsthand. Drop in a lure and see what bounty the day will bring, while your guide and tracker show you how the locals catch fish using plants found in the area. Singita Pamushana boasts excellent game fishing throughout the year including Tiger Fish, Bass, Bream (tilapia), and Catfish.

There is perhaps no more transcendent experience than looking up at a full sky of sparkling stars. Man has had a love affair with the nighttime sky for centuries and with very little pollution and no city lights to detract from the stars, your view of the heavens here will be crystal clear – nothing between you and the vast African sky above.

Experience a game of tennis as you never would have before.

Enjoy your time on court whilst being surrounded by the beauty of the African wilderness. Cool down with rewarding refreshments and a dip in the nearby swimming pool.

Community tours provide guests at Singita with the opportunity to gain insight into community life and the local Shangaan culture. You will be able to witness firsthand the positive impact of the thriving development programmes in place and meet the fascinating people who live in these communities.

The San Bushmen are one of the earth’s oldest continuous cultures on earth, the original hunter-gatherers, their way of life is a mirror into our past. Take an educational tour to view San Bushmen rock art dating back tens of thousands of years and learn about their remarkable way of life.

As one of Africa’s most influential buyers of wine, Singita’s cellars are home to some of the most sought-after private reserves and vintage wines the continent has to offer.

Whether you are a connoisseur or just enjoy the occasional glass of wine, our experienced sommeliers delight in introducing guests to a vast selection of varietals from all over the world.

Through Singita Premier Wine Direct guests may purchase wines from our cellars: either to be taken home at the end of their trip or conveniently delivered to their door. As an addition to cellar purchases, we have secured allocations of highly limited, sought-after wines, including ‘Icons’, ‘Single Vineyard’ and ‘Limited Release’ wines, directly from leading wineries in South Africa.

Stored in temperature-controlled cellars, these wines are unlikely to be available anywhere else.

Offering the luxury of unfiltered time and space, the African wilderness is the ultimate setting for complete unwinding, while the continent’s healing energies are encapsulated in rituals that nourish and nurture.

At Singita, our enduring purpose to restore the land and its wildlife extends to offering healing experiences to our guests at every touchpoint. The dedicated treatments in our massage spaces tap into the profound benefits of indigenous wisdoms and essential oils that relax, replenish and revive. Each tailor-made therapy can be customised and timed to preference, ensuring a completely personalised experience.

The massage menu has been designed to immerse guests into their beautiful surroundings, and all treatments incorporate that peace and vibrant energy to revitalise and nourish the soul.

A fully equipped fitness centre is available for guests’ convenience.

The African sunset is an occasion worth celebrating and the dam below the lodge is the perfect spot to enjoy a gorgeous sunset cruise while sipping refreshing sundowners and to watch the magnificent wildlife as it comes down to sip from the dam.

Guests at Singita Pamushana can enjoy a swim at the swimming pool located at the main lodge area. All of the guest suites also come complete with their own private plunge pools.

Singita Boutique & Gallery in the main lodge area.

You will find a dedicated yoga mat in your suite as well as a card to guide you through a relaxing sequence in the privacy of your room or on your deck. All our lodges also offer Vinyasa and Yin yoga practices with trained practitioners – simply ask our front-of-house staff to check availability, then book and join a session.

Known for seamlessly synchronising movement with breath, Vinyasa is a flowing style of yoga that moves from one posture to the next using muscular engagement. Yin is a meditative practice focusing on passive, long-held poses – often with the support of props like blocks and bolsters. It helps to improve flexibility, reduce stress, quieten the mind and foster mindfulness.