Magnificent Victoria Falls, the largest waterfall in the world, is truly awe-inspiring. It is the result of the mighty Zambezi River tumbling to a depth of more than 350 feet and stretching over 1 mile wide. Known by the local people as Mosi-oa-tunya – “The smoke that thunders” – its spray can be seen 18 miles away! The Falls is shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe, and visitors can easily cross over to experience the view, and partake in activities, on both sides.
Located in western Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park (formerly Wankie Game Reserve) is the largest natural reserve in the country and is famous for its rich diversity of wildlife. Home to one of the biggest elephant populations in the world, as well as around 100 mammal species, the park is popular among animal lovers. Several protected species inhabit the awe-inspiring open landscapes, including the endangered wild dog, critically endangered black rhino, and rare roan and sable - along with lion, cheetah, and around 500 bird species. Adventurers can look forward to guided bush hikes, game drives, and horse riding safaris, all of which offer excellent photographic opportunities.
The planet’s most voluminous man-made lake, Kariba is a popular tourist destination that was created in the 1950s when the mighty Zambezi was dammed. It stretches for more than 200 kilometres along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, forming a natural boundary between the two countries. The lake’s waters are home to abundant wildlife including: crocodiles, hippos, fish and aquatic birds, while its shoreline and islands are rich with terrestrial game such as elephant and buffalo. It has become one of Zimbabwe’s main tourist attractions offering houseboat holidays, fishing safaris and wonderful game viewing experiences. Lake Kariba, the largest man-made lake in the world (by volume) was created by a massive dam built on the mighty Zambezi River. It is hard not to be mesmerized by its sheer size, covering an area of 2,000 square miles, and incredible beauty, a deep blue inland sea with lush vegetation on shore, an eerie but photogenic petrified forest of drowned trees, and a backdrop of majestic mountains. It is a popular resort area where visitors come to relax, soak in magical sunsets from a houseboat, and to enjoy a variety of watersports, including parasailing, waterskiing, diving, sailing and some of the world’s best fishing, especially tiger fish. There are also restaurants and a casino for those interested in a bit of nightlife.
Mana Pools National Park, a Natural World Heritage site, is named for its large pools of water, some 5 miles long, not really “pools” at all, where a great abundance and diversity of wildlife come to drink and forage on the lush vegetation on shore. It is well-known as one of Africa’s best game-viewing areas, including large herds of elephant and buffalo. The park is in a spectacular location, in the heart of a beautiful valley, with the backdrop of the dramatic Rift Valley Escarpment, and the mighty Zambezi flowing through it. Although game drives are possible, canoe safaris are amazing here because of all the animals attracted to the pools. A calm, drifting approach to wildlife grazing on the banks provides a different point of view than the typical land rover, allowing for quiet, intimate moments with wildlife, as well as thrilling opportunities to encounter one of Africa’s highest concentrations of crocodiles and hippos in their natural habitat.
