Zimbabwe is a great place to go on safari and travel. And it’s just as fun even though it’s not as busy as it was during its tourist heyday in the mid-1990s. Many of Zimbabwe’s most popular tourist destinations, such as Lake Kariba, Mana Pools, and Victoria Falls, are connected to the Zambezi River, which flows east along the Zambian border.

The Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino) habitat of Hwange National Park and the evocative ruins of Great Zimbabwe National Monument are also worthwhile destinations. Zimbabwe ought to be toward the top of everyone’s list of African destinations.

1. The Falls of Victoria

Nearly everyone’s list of must-see destinations in Zimbabwe is the distinctive Victoria Falls. This amazing monument, which is 1.6 km/1 mi broad and the largest sheet of falling water in the world, is created when the powerful Zambezi River plunges over a 100-meter (328-foot) cliff into the Batoka Gorge. A number of amazing vantage locations from Zimbabwe provide stunning frontal and side-on views of the jungle-framed falls.

There are lots of other things to do in the area after you’ve finished viewing Victoria Falls, which is recognized as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Top attractions include day safaris to search for lions and elephants in Zambezi National Park, tranquil sunset cruises just upriver of the Falls, and white-water rafting in Batoka Gorge.

2. The National Park of Hwange

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest national park and one of the top safari locations on the continent, is conveniently accessible from Victoria Falls. Hwange has an abundance of wildlife all year long, but during the Dry season (April to October), when up to 50,000 elephants congregate there, the park can be absolutely astounding.

The African wild dog, lion, cheetah, spotted hyena, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and wildebeest are among the other often sighted creatures. All five of the Big Five can be found in the park, however rhinos are extremely rare and leopards are difficult to spot.

A major feature of Hwange is the variety of safari experiences it provides. Although there aren’t many parks in Africa that are ideal for self-drive tourists, there are a number of isolated private concessions that provide all-inclusive luxury packages.

3. The National Park of Mana Pools

Mana Pools National Park, located on a captivating section of the Zambezi River downstream of Lake Kariba, is regarded as Zimbabwe’s most renowned safari destination, second only to Hwange. Similar to Hwange, this park is well-known for its massive herds of buffalo and elephants. It also has healthy populations of lions, leopards, and African wild dogs, but no rhinos.

Hwange and Mana Pools are two quite different safari locations in other ways. The more subdued Mana Pools mostly offers professionally led fly-in walking and canoe safaris, while Hwange provides a wide range of traditional safaris departing from Victoria Falls. Another significant distinction is that, while Mana Pools is only fully functioning during the dry winter months of May through October, Hwange is easily accessible throughout the year.

4.Matobo National Park

A bizarre panorama of granite domes and balancing rock formations is preserved in Matobo National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site. The grave of Cecil John Rhodes, the British imperialist who founded the colony that would later become Zimbabwe, is the park’s most well-known feature. The breathtaking location of Rhodes’ burial on a massive rounded granite outcrop that the local Ndebele people have long revered makes it well worth a visit.

Because of its abundance of prehistoric rock, Matobo is also of great interest. While White Rhino Shelter features a rare representation of the animal for which it is named, a big panel at Nswatugi Cave is dominated by two depictions of running giraffes. As it happens, Matobo is currently the only location in Zimbabwe where it is safe to track white rhinos on foot.

5. The National Monument of Great Zimbabwe

After Rhodesia attained complete independence in 1980, it was renamed Zimbabwe in honor of the most renowned archaeological site in southern Africa. This is Great Zimbabwe, a Unesco World Heritage Site located south of Harare in the picturesque hills midlands.

Archaeological evidence indicates that various areas of the now-ruinous stone city were constructed between the 10th and 14th centuries, despite the lack of written documents. At its height, Great Zimbabwe was home to over 10,000 people and prospered as a mining settlement that shipped gold all over the world via the Swahili Coast in East Africa.

The Great Enclosure, with its distinctive conical tower and patterned drystone walls, as well as the fortified platforms and corridors of the expansive Hill Ruins, are highlights of Great Zimbabwe. Visit the site museum to see a variety of priceless objects discovered by archaeologists and to put the destroyed city in historical context.

6. Bulawayo

Compared to the capital Harare, Zimbabwe’s second city is much easier to handle because of its broad, green streets and relaxed provincial atmosphere. On the fringes of the town, visitors can visit the partially reconstructed capital of the Ndebele monarch Lobengula, who founded it. The charming suburban Hillside Dams Conservancy, the well-run Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, and the out-of-town Khami Ruins are further attractions.

7. Highlands in the East

In the Eastern Highlands, there won’t be many other tourists. However, this stunning area is among the top destinations in Zimbabwe for those who love to wander, observe birds, or just escape the crowds. Top tourist destinations? There is Nyanga National Park, which has magnificent suspended skywalks overlooking Mutarazi Falls (Africa’s second-tallest waterfall) and enormous granite domes.

Hardy hikers will enjoy exploring the hills and valleys of Chimanimani National Park, and birdwatchers can seek out native forest specialties in the Chirinda Forest Reserve (Africa’s southernmost real rainforest) or Vumba Botanical Gardens.

8. Kariba Lake

Lake Kariba is the largest artificial reservoir in the world by volume of water. It was built in the late 1950s after a double-arch hydroelectric dam of 128 meters (420 feet) in height was built to control the Zambezi River as it flows through Kariba Gorge.

You may take in breathtaking views of the dam wall and some gratifying animal viewing from the little town of Kariba, which is situated on a verdant slope near the eastern end of the lake. Even better, take an off-the-beaten-path safari in lakefront Matusadona National Park with lions, elephants, and hippos, or hire a houseboat to spend a few days exploring Lake Kariba at your leisure.

9. The National Park of Gonarezhou

The ideal safari destination for self-drive tourists with a reliable 4×4 vehicle is Gonarezhou National Park. It’s also the greatest destination in Zimbabwe for people looking for a high-end guided safari that puts the wilderness experience ahead of opulent amenities. Under the collaborative management of the Frankfurt Zoological Society, which runs an extensive network of rustic bush lodges and campgrounds, this isolated park is thriving after years of neglect.

The Chilojo Cliffs, whose cliffs of yellow sandstone rise 200 meters (650 feet) above the Runde River, are the beautiful focal point of Gonarezhou. With the reintroduction of the black rhino in 2021, all five of the Big Five are present, although only the elephant could be considered common.

10. The Caves of Chinhoyi

Located along the main road between Harare and Mana Pools, this dolomite sinkhole serves as the focal point of a tiny national park. A brief walking path here leads to a vantage point overlooking the clear cobalt “sleeping pool” that fills the main cavern. Local divers love this lovely 90-meter (295-foot) deep pool, but you may only dive in if you go with a dive club that is registered in Zimbabwe.