Zimbabwe Customer Reviews

The lodge in Victoria Falls was an absolute hidden gem. No-one else we spoke to had heard of it. The camp has been beautifully designed and set up. The staff and the surroundings made us feel relaxed and welcome. It was a perfect start to the holiday. All the staff were so friendly and happy and we felt they genuinely wanted us to have an amazing time. We did! Our day of activities at Victoria Falls was just enough to get a real feel for the Falls but without it being too full on. We did a tour, ziplining and lunch at the Lookout Cafe.

The following camp was a completely different experience. It was basic in terms of facilities, but we absolutely loved it. We were the only guests there! Anyone we spoke to about this camp, sung it’s praises. The elephant hide is such an exceptional experience and is really the camp’s main “attraction.”

We were a little worried that the next camp would feel too crowded after the first, but that wasn’t the case. Again, the camp wasn’t full. And again, the staff were so friendly, happy and helpful. Our family suite by the way, was something special. Couldn’t believe it when we saw it for the first time. A real extravagance! The Rhino Sanctuary is an eye opener and the Community Village visit is something a bit different. These trips can sometimes feel a bit false but this wasn’t the case at all. The Elephant Express was a crazy experience!! Didn’t see much wildlife but still worth doing.

Zimbabwe in August is still quiet in terms of visitor numbers. We liked the fact there were so few other people around! Weather wise, its not too hot during the day, 25-30°c, but it gets pretty chilly at night/first thing in the morning, 5-10°c. We weren’t bothered by mosquitoes or bugs (we were told it’s too cold for mosquitoes at this time of the year). The hottest time of year is end of August to November but that means you have a greater chance of seeing a great variety and greater numbers, of animals.

You get fed extremely well at all the camps! Breakfast, mid morning, lunch, mid afternoon and dinner!! Highlights include freshly made pancakes, mid morning, overlooking a watering hole. All camps set up a firepit in the evening so you can catch up with fellow guests (if there are any!) and guides. The guides are world renowned and for a reason. Shaun explained the processes he has to go through to qualify. It involves countless exams (with low pass rates) and many years of study and practical assessments. This results in incredibly knowledgeable and experienced guides for sure. Other African countries look at Zimbabwean guides as the elite.

Our children are 16 and 13 and Safari was the perfect holiday for them. It kept them interested, they were able to cope with all the travel and only the odd moan about the early morning Safari trips! There was always enough time for chilling at some point during the day.

Overall, thank you Stephanie, Sinead and Stubborn Mule for a truly wonderful holiday. You were recommended by two separate sources and we will definitely pass on those, plus our recommendations, to anyone thinking of using a specialist travel agent. I felt that nothing was too much trouble when it came to changing the itinerary, your advice and recommendations were spot on. Thank you so much for giving us that once in a lifetime trip.

The Falls themselves were spectacular, and the Zambezi cruise was serene and a good start to African wildlife with crocodiles and hippos. Our day white water rafting was adrenaline fuelled fun, particularly since our boat shot up vertically at the Grade 5 rapid called The Mother, tipping us all out! We however survived both the water and the steep climb up the gorge to the BBQ lunch area!

Our treehouse rooms were amazing, food and staff were great and there were some very nice touches like fleecy ponchos for the morning game drive, warm face flannels when we arrived back and your drink of choice pre ordered for the sundowners on the afternoon drives.

The tented safari was everyone’s highlight of the trip. It was so special being in the middle of the game reserve, hearing the noise of hippos and other wildlife just behind our tents at night and elephants walking through the camp during the day! The staff were all brilliant, the food was superb and our guide, Kabelo, was fantastic and very knowledgeable. He really strived to ensure that we had the best experience and his rally driving on and off road was a lot of fun (our jeep got stuck in an elephant hole while tracking a lion just ahead!). We saw some amazing wildlife including the critically endangered African dogs. Although the mobile safari option was pricey it was worth the memorable experience and we would do it again in a heartbeat!

Our last two nights at the water based camp were good. The location was idyllic and it was lovely to cruise through the papyrus lined waterways. The mokoro canoe boat trip was a very relaxing meditative experience.

Overall a truly amazing and memorable holiday. Thank you!

See Charlottes’s photos and review of her trip to Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park.