Zimbabwe like its neighbour Zambia is one of the best places in Africa for a true classic walking safari experience. Safari on foot is one of the best and most exhilarating experiences you can have whilst on safari. It is a wild and raw experience.
For this experience it is essential to have a truly expert guide with you, and this really is where Zimbabwe really comes into its own. Like Zambia, Zimbabwe prides itself on its excellent guides, in our view some of the very best in Africa, who have a special knack in reading life in the bush and sensing how the animals are reacting.
The best walking safaris in Zimbabwe
The best and really only place in Zimbabwe for a true walking safari is in the Mana Pools National Park. This large park straddles part of the mighty Zambezi River and sits directly across from the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia. Even though this part of Africa is very remote, Mana Pools is easily accessible from Harare or Victoria Falls.
Mana Pools unlike the Lower Zambezi opposite is open and flat making it perfect for a true guided walking safari. Almost all of the camps are located along the Zambezi river and you can easily spend a few days in two or three camps in different areas along the river to get that real Mana experience.
One of the best areas is along the centre of the park where Vundu camp is located, a few years ago David Attenborough spent a couple of weeks here with Nick Murray as his guide tracking a local pride of Wild Dogs for an episode of Dynasties.
Not as well known for its walking safaris as Mana pools but Hwange National Park offers some excellent opportunities for a classic walking experience especially in the far south of the park well away from the busy northern part. The park is more famous for its large elephant population which can easily be seen on foot.
