25 days - Self drive Zimbabwe & Mozambique

While we do not offer any activities on site our team are happy to help with making arrangements on your behalf.

The Makalolo Private Wilderness Reserve is situated in the most prolific wildlife area of Hwange National Park. The varied habitats and vegetation types, as well as countless waterholes, mean that game drives are exciting with always something new to be seen in an exclusive setting.

Evening game drives offer the best opportunity to see the shy nocturnal animals that are rarely seen in the daylight hours. The Hwange 'night act' includes species such as lesser bushbaby, spotted hyaena, leopard, lion, Selous mongoose, pangolin, caracal, porcupine, scrub hare, springhare and even honey badger.

Hwange was proclaimed some 80 years ago and has served as a haven for one of the highest concentrations of game on the African continent. There is no better way to experience this park than on foot, discovering the ecological-diversity of Hwange on a nature walk with a highly experienced safari guide.

This log-pile hide is beautifully placed at the waterhole in front of camp, and is the perfect place to spend afternoon siesta hours. The productive waterhole offers thrilling game viewing to literally a Noah's Ark parade of elephant and buffalo. Elephants are often the star attraction at the hide; just watch out for the sprays of water propelled from their nearby trunks.

* Note that during rare times of heavy rains, the log-pile hide becomes very muddy and inoperative.

Situated on a raised platform overlooking Madison Pan, the Star Bed is just a 20-minute drive away from camp and offers a truly secluded, remote wilderness experience. Spend a romantic night surrounded only by nature, and beneath the canopy of millions of stars.

* Weather permitting and operated subject to the discretion of the Camp Manager.

While the area is best explored on game drives, a visit to the Scorpion Anti-Poaching Unit provides unique insights into our conservation support of Hwange. Depending on the movements of the unit, learn more about the teams and their daily anti-poaching efforts.

* Subject to availability.

An authentic village experience takes place in a manner that is respectful to all parties. Usually around four hours and led by one of the local villagers or a Wilderness guide, it often includes a tour of the school, meeting the headman or headwoman and enjoying cultural interaction with the community.

* The school is closed over the weekend and during school holidays.

Our qualified guides will take our 4 x 4 safari open vehicles into the Matobo National Park. Once in the Park we will pay for our walking permit of US 20.00 per person. From there we proceed to look for the rhino by vehicle. The vehicle is then parked close to where the rhino were last seen or where we can see fresh spoor, and we then continue on foot. Once we have sighted the rhino we accompany a team of National Parks officers up close and personal to get amazing pictures of the white rhino. US 65.00 per person excluding Park Fees and walking permit. It is truly an amazing experience! US 65.00 per person excluding Park Fees US 15.00 per person, and Rhino walking permit US 20.00 per person. Duration 3.5 hours approximately.

We normally do this activity in the afternoon. Safari Vehicle and guide departs from the lodge entering the Park from the Western side. We proceed to Nswatugi cave, which is one of the best quality San rock art sites in the Matobo National Park, and as a reminder is a World Heritage area. Once we have visited the cave, and chatted about the origin and meaning of the rock art paintings, we then proceed via Maleme Dam to Rhodes Grave. We aim to get to Rhodes Grave / Worlds View around sunset, which makes for a wonderful historical tour, and even better sun downers with an incredible view! US 65.00 per person excluding Park fees US 15.00 per person, and Monument fees US 10.00 per person. Duration 4 hours approximately.

If you arrive late in the day, or perhaps just feel like having an easy afternoon, then the drive on the Big Cave property is well worth considering. We have quite a lot of plains game to see, 100 year old grain bins, as well as our own rock art hidden away! We normally land up having sun downers at either Leopard rock, or at Lightning rock. Both have magnificent views. Price US 25.00 per person. Duration 1.5 hours.

We offer a 1.5 hour walk on the property to view rock art, grain bins, balancing rocks and just the general fauna and flora of the Matobo area. The granite is incredibly easy to walk on, and makes for a very pleasant walk. US 10.00 per person. Duration 1.30 hours.

We have been supporting the Whitewaters Secondary School for close to 25 years now. It has been a remarkable project that has taken many different turns over the years. At one point in a severe drought we were feeding the entire school of 480 children lunch every day. Today we are sponsoring over 40 children's education every year through donor funding from our wonderful guests. In addition we are building a large computer block at the school which will have 24 laptop computers for the children to use. This through a Swedish donor Peter Karaszi. Thus guests can visit the school and join classes and chat to the staff, and then we also include a visit to one of the local Ndebele villages, as well as a visit to a traditional healer if requested. US 45.00 per person. No park fees. Duration 3 - 4 hours.

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.

Game drives, in an open safari vehicle, are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon every day in search of animals – both large and small. This means that about 8 hours of every day are spent in this natural sanctuary, in search of the creatures who call it home…

The more active will enjoy a guided bush walk with one of Arathusa's experience rangers.