It begins, maybe, with one thing acquainted: the title Victoria Falls, the psychological image of spray rising in nice plumes, the thought of a dust-cloaked nation with little extra to supply. However when Rhino Africa Journey Professional Candice McCarthy travelled via the nation to raised perceive the vacation spot she sells, she discovered one thing much more layered: a rustic formed by water, distinction, and safari experiences that shift meaningfully from one area to the following. It was a journey that made Zimbabwe more durable to simplify, and much more rewarding to know.
The Rhino Africa Zimbabwe group take to the skies, Picture Credit score: Savannah St Claire
A Acquainted Identify, An Unfamiliar Place
Being proudly South African, Candice thought she had Zimbabwe roughly mapped in her thoughts: dry, dusty, and outlined above all by Victoria Falls. What she had not accounted for was how a lot of the nation can be formed unexpectedly – not within the sightings, however within the emotions. The sensations evoked by every uncommon panorama, and the bizarre creatures that referred to as them residence.
As Candice travelled via Victoria Falls, Mana Swimming pools, Lake Kariba, and Hwange Nationwide Park, Zimbabwe revealed itself not as one expertise, however many.
“I really like that Zimbabwe is a mess of various experiences in a single.” – Candice McCarthy.
Experiencing Zimbabwe from a brand new perspective, Picture Credit score: Savannah St Claire
Following The Water
Whereas Zimbabwe could also be outlined in lots of minds by the pressure of Victoria Falls, it was water elsewhere that fully altered the feel of Candice’s safari.
In Mana Swimming pools, the Zambezi drew wildlife into shut, river-led encounters; in Kariba, the lake opened out right into a safari of shoreline motion, hippos, and swimming elephants. It was this water-shaped rhythm that made the journey really feel so totally different – much less about driving via the bush, and extra about watching life collect on the fringe of it.
Lake Kariba holds each shade of blue conceivable, Picture Credit score: Laura Paterson
Mana Swimming pools: The River-Led Coronary heart of Zimbabwe
Set alongside the Zambezi River, Mana Swimming pools continues to be very a lot safari nation – dry, dusty, and sun-bleached in locations – however right here, that acquainted bush is softened by water. Floodplain and forest sit towards the mud, whereas albida timber throw inexperienced throughout the panorama in a method that feels putting towards the pale earth and blue of the river.
That distinction is a part of what makes Mana Swimming pools so distinctive. And it was right here that Candice noticed probably the most extraordinary issues: an elephant standing on its hind legs to feed. This uncommon sighting is a part of the virtually surreal Mana Swimming pools magic. Sure bulls have discovered to rise to achieve the nutritious pods and leaves excessive within the timber, making the world well-known for this behaviour.
“I’ve by no means seen that in my life. I’ve all the time needed to see it, and it was pure goosebumps.” – Candice McCarthy.
As a visitor, the entire safari expertise feels slower and extra intentional. And for Candice, Mana Swimming pools confirmed her a softer aspect of Zimbabwe – one the place the safari is formed by the Zambezi itself.
Elephants stand on their hind legs in Mana Swimming pools
Lake Kariba: The Shock Few Travellers Count on
Lake Kariba brings with it one other model of Zimbabwe solely. The place Mana Swimming pools feels intimate and riverbound, Kariba opens every thing out. The shoreline stretches, the horizon loosens, and safari turns right into a water-based dimension.
Right here, you possibly can drift throughout the lake by boat as elephants feed on the water’s edge, watch hippos floor and disappear within the shallows, or transfer quietly via channels the place birdlife and shoreline motion heighten your consideration. The tempo is slower and extra suspended than a traditional recreation drive.
For Candice, that distinction got here into focus when she watched an elephant transfer deeper and deeper into the lake till solely its trunk remained above the floor, lifted like a submarine, earlier than it emerged once more on the other financial institution. That second did greater than astonish her. It turned the shoreline into probably the most dynamic components of the safari.
Zimbabwe is without doubt one of the few locations the place elephants swim
The Basic Pulse of Safari
If Mana Swimming pools and Lake Kariba moved like water, Hwange Nationwide Park feels grounded, just like the bush drawing itself again into sharper traces.
The panorama tightens. The lushness falls away. Instead comes teak woodland, mopane, grassland, mud, and the dry hush of a spot the place every thing appears to be ready for one thing. Right here, safari feels extra charged.
Zimbabwe’s largest nationwide park is understood for its huge elephant herds and huge predator presence, all unfolding in a gentle, traditional game-viewing rhythm. It’s akin to a theatre, one which gathers round waterholes and spreads out between hardy foliage. Spoor thickens within the mud. Elephants arrive in numbers. Lions are by no means removed from the logic of thirst.
That’s what Candice loved most – not as a repeat, however as a revelation – the following layer, the cycle accomplished.
Candice preserving it cool with the massive cats of Hwange Nationwide Park, Picture Credit score: Savannah St Claire
The Locations That Framed the Wild
In fact, the right safari isn’t full with out the appropriate lodging. These areas change into your anchor, the rooted sanctuary you come to that frames your expertise. Two camps specifically stood out for Candice: Kariba’s stillness at Bumi Hills, and the close-up wildlife drama of Somalisa Acacia Camp.
The elephants visiting Somalisa Camp, Picture Credit score: Savannah St Claire
A View Value Falling Silent For
At Bumi Hills Safari Lodge, above Lake Kariba, the lake’s magnitude stood out. Candice described the situation of the lodge as a “pinch me second”, and it’s straightforward to know why.
Right here, bliss got here wrapped in stillness: the inexperienced cover urgent shut round camp, the pool reaching out in the direction of the blue of Lake Kariba, the vast deck drawing the attention straight to the horizon, then seemingly spilling into it. Then there’s that palpable hush that settles from the sheer great thing about an area.
With the lake mendacity beneath like one other world solely, the lodge appeared constructed to not compete with it, however to enhance it.
A panoramic view from each angle, Picture Credit score: Bumi Hills Safari Lodge
When Elephants Got here to Camp
And from the water into the grasslands, Hwange’s Somalisa Acacia Camp introduced Zimbabwe again right into a thrillingly shut perspective.
This intimate tented camp is about behind a bustling watering gap, with the primary deck offering an uninterrupted open view and the close by conceal an intimate one. Canvas, wooden, and open area maintain the expertise rooted within the panorama, in order that wildlife turns into a part of the rhythm of camp itself.
Right here, one of many defining options is the waterhole simply in entrance of the camp. And but once more, Candice skilled one other memorable picture: elephants arriving at camp, ingesting and enjoying proper in entrance of her as she sipped her morning espresso.
“A spotlight of the entire journey was the elephant sightings; they have been simply unbelievable.” – Candice McCarthy.
That’s one thing you possibly can’t stage or emulate. It solely happens when the wild leads, and also you’re able to witness it in all its glory. Now that could be a true Zimbabwe safari.
A sighting that may keep in Candice’s reminiscence without end, Picture Credit score: Savannah St Claire
The Kindness That Lingered
For all of the wildlife and surroundings, a few of Candice’s strongest reminiscences of Zimbabwe have been formed by folks. At Somalisa, what stayed together with her was the environment the employees created round her. There was a lightness to it, an ease. Folks have been genuinely blissful to have visitors there, and that feeling settled over every thing. Nothing felt pressured. Nothing felt rehearsed. It simply felt heat.
Evenings appeared to open folks up. Conversations flowed with out a lot effort, and Candice discovered herself talking to folks she would possibly by no means have met in another setting, but in some way all of it felt pure. That sense of welcome grew to become a part of the vacation spot itself. It made the camp really feel comfy and deeply human. And when the extra nitty-gritty particulars of a journey start to blur, that’s usually what stays most clearly: the sensation of getting been obtained with actual kindness.
For Candice, Zimbabwe left that behind not simply sights and landscapes, however connection.
“The crew’s real heat and kindness was a real expertise of care and connection that enhanced each wildlife encounter and made us really feel fully at residence.” – Candice McCarthy.
A kindness you carry with you lengthy after you permit, Picture Credit score: Savannah St Claire
A Safari With a Completely different Pulse
There was one phrase Candice saved coming again to: uncooked.
“In terms of safari experiences, Zimbabwe is much more RAW.” – Candice McCarthy.
Right here, Candice is just not speaking concerning the normal form of comparability of high quality, amount or rating one expertise towards one other. As a substitute, she was speaking about sensations. Rhythm.
Zimbabwe felt totally different. Wilder in temper. Extra atmospheric. Much less keen to clarify itself and never particularly excited about what you make of it. It is doing what it does greatest, and also you’re merely there to witness it.
The sightings nonetheless mattered, in fact, however they have been folded into one thing broader: the feeling of being in a panorama that was not performing for you. It morphs and materialises into one thing unknown, uncommon, and completely unforgettable, whereas remaining unmistakably Zimbabwean.
And it made Candice listen differently.
Candice snapping the Zimbabwe wilderness on a safari stroll, Picture Credit score: Savannah St Claire
Expertise the Many Shades of Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls will all the time draw consideration. However past it lies one thing extra layered: a safari vacation spot formed by water, wildlife, distinction, and environment. One the place the expertise shifts meaningfully from area to area. One the place the rawness Candice felt was not a scarcity of one thing, however as an alternative a depth to every thing.
How You Can Do It
If Zimbabwe has stirred one thing in you, the excellent news is that this journey is solely doable to recreate – and tailor to your journey type. Whether or not you need to pair Victoria Falls with the river-led magic of Mana Swimming pools, the wide-open stillness of Lake Kariba, or the traditional recreation viewing of Hwange, our Journey Specialists can curate the appropriate model of Zimbabwe for you.
Be taught extra about Zimbabwe and discover our vacation spot guides, lodges, and itineraries to see what this exceptional nation may appear to be for you.
Or, in case you’re prepared to start out planning your individual Zimbabwe safari, converse to a Rhino Africa Journey Professional at present.
Characteristic Picture Credit score: Savannah St Claire
