14 Days 13 Nights Start In Harare, Gentle Hike, Zimbabwe and Chimanimani Mountains Tour Package

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Start in Harare drive to the Eastern Highlands. In and around Harare Passengers not on the group flight can either be picked up at the pre-tour hotel or meet the group at Harare airport when the group flights land (normally late morning). We travel from Harare Airport approx. 5 hours (excluding stops) towards the Eastern Highlands near the town of Mutare where we will base ourselves for the next 3 days exploring the region. Lunch will be had en route and we aim to arrive late afternoon at our lodge.

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Gentle hike in the morning free afternoon to relax or go on a self-guided walk. Our first day walking is a gentle one as we spend the morning walking through valleys and up mountains. We pass by a small Zimbabwe ruin and a local Bushman painting site before getting to a viewpoint where we can see Mt. Nyangani, our challenge for tomorrow. We return to our lodge in time for a late lunch and have a free afternoon to either enjoy the self-guided trails through the surrounding woodland from the lodge or relax by the pool.

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Summit Zimbabwe’s highest peak, Mt. Nyangani. after approximately 2hrs transfer we reach the base of our goal: the summit of Zimbabwe’s highest peak, Mt. Nyangani (2,592m). This is a moderate hike up to the summit though there are some steep sections. The walk to the top should take about 3 hours and we aim to get there in time to enjoy our picnic lunch admiring the panoramic view.

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Transfer to the Chimanimani Mountains; afternoon hike to the top of Bridal Veil Falls. This morning we transfer south to the Chimanimani Mountains with their volcanic peaks, deep valleys and gorges. The Chimanimani National Park has preserved the mountains’ pristine wilderness with most of the park only accessible by footpaths. Our transfer should take around 3 hours and we aim to arrive at the lodge around lunch time. This afternoon we head out through the indigenous forest to the stunning Bridal Veil Falls which tumble 50m over a cliff into a tranquil glade. We hike up to the top of the falls before returning to the lodge.

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Full day hike through the Chimanimani Mountains. Following a short transfer we spend the whole day hiking through the Chimanimani National Park. Our hike, which involves some scrambling, takes us up the quartzite ridges of the Chimanimani Mountains and onto a large plateau. From here views stretch out over the highest peak, Mt Binga, towards the Mozambican border and beyond. We walk through valleys and ridges on a circuitous route taking us back to our starting point later in the afternoon.

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Transfer to Great Zimbabwe; afternoon informative walk around the ruins. Leaving the eastern highlands behind we head west into the heart of Zimbabwe and the Great Zimbabwe ruins (about 5hrs). This grand monument dates back to the 11th to 15th centuries and is the greatest ancient man-made site in Southern Africa. It has become a symbol for the country which took its name after independence. After a late lunch we explore the site on an informative walk around the ruins learning about their history and the people who built them and lived here.

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Drive to Matobo National Park; afternoon hike through grinet ridges to cave paintings. We continue on our journey via the cities of Masvingo and Bulawayo to the Matobo National Park and our lodge just outside the park (about 5hrs drive plus stops). The park (also known as Matopos National Park) is famous for its giant boulders precariously balanced on top of each other known as kopjes and for being the final resting place of coloniser, Cecil Rhodes. Upon arrival we go for a walk through granite ridges and domes to some caves with excellent examples of San Bushmen art. We enjoy a sundowner in the bush before returning to our lodge for the night.

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Full day exploring Matobo NP by vehicle and on foot in search of rhino and other wildlife. Matobo National Park is one of the best places in the world to spot both Black and White rhinos along with other emblematic African animals such as leopards. We set off on a game drive looking for wildlife before heading out on foot in the hope of spotting the local White rhino population. We should, hopefully, see a variety of other animals one foot as well, set amidst the granite backdrop of the park. Returning to our vehicle we continue to World’s View and the historical site of Cecil Rhodes’ grave. The colonizer picked this ancient Indelible site for his grave in large part due to the views it provides. We later return to our lodge with time to explore the local area independently or sit back and relax enjoying the surroundings. Walking and driving times are not fixed as it depends on what game we may come across.

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Rural walk through some of the local villages; afternoon time at a hide watching animals come to a water hole. Today we explore the cultural surroundings near the park as we go for a walk and visit local villages on foot. As we wander through these rural surroundings we get an insight into the local way of life. This afternoon we walk to a hide on the lodge property to watch animals come down to drink at a local watering hole.

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Drive to Hwange National Park; later sit by a water hole looking for wildlife or relax by the pool. In and around Hwange National Park The drive to our next destination, Hwange National Park, is about 5 hrs (plus stops). The largest national park in Zimbabwe, Hwange occupies roughly 14,650 square kilometers and is famed for its large elephant population. We will arrive at our lodge, located in the game management area that borders the park, in the afternoon. Once there we have a couple water-based options, one being going down to a watering hole to look out for animals coming to drink, the other being going to the pool for a refreshing dip.

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Full day safari by 4WD vehicle in Hwange NP. We spend the whole day exploring the park in an open 4WD game-viewing vehicle. As well as large populations of elephants, we will be looking for various other animals such as lions, giraffe, hippo, rhino, leopard, cheetah and even Wild dog amongst others. Whist we can’t guarantee seeing any specific animal, this is the best park in Zimbabwe for safaris.

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Transfer to Victoria Falls later we visit the mighty falls themselves. It’s a relatively short drive (about 3 hrs plus stops) to our final destination, the town of Victoria Falls, located just a short walk from the mighty falls themselves. After Dr. David Livingstone, the first European to see the falls, looked upon the natural wonder, he wrote “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.” Measuring 108 m in height and 1,708 m in width, Victoria Falls is known as the ‘largest’ falls in the world as, when in full flow, they have the largest single sheet of water tumbling over. At its peak, normally April, the spray typically rises 400 m into the air giving it its local Tonga name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning ‘the smoke that thunders.’ This afternoon we have a 2-3 hr guided walk of the falls from the Zimbabwean side giving a spectacular view of the tumbling Zambezi River rushing over basalt cliffs. We will also be able to book any optional activities for tomorrow.

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Free day for optional activities such as scenic flights, rafting or river cruise. Today is a free day to enjoy the many activities on offer in the area such as white-water rafting, taking a flight over the falls, going on a sunset cruise or crossing into neighboring Zambia to see the falls from that side (please note that you will need a Zambian visa for this and will need to get a new Zimbabwean visa as well).

Trip ends today, those on the group flights will depart this afternoon. The trip ends this morning. Those on group flights will be taken to the airport for their flight back to London.