9-Day Zimbabwe Safari Tour: Harare to Victoria Falls with Chobe

Nine days crossing Zimbabwe's parks and landmarks, from ancient ruins to river wildlife

A 9-day guided safari tour departing Harare that moves through Zimbabwe's major attractions (Great Zimbabwe ruins, Matobo National Park, Hwange and Victoria Falls) before crossing into Botswana for a full day in Chobe National Park. The itinerary includes 8 nights in hotels, all national park fees, an air-conditioned vehicle with a live English-speaking guide, and hotel pickup and drop-off. You choose between 4-star or 3-star accommodation at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Harare city tour

• Arrive at Harare international airport
• City tour including museum and market
• Overnight stay at Cresta Oasis or New Ambassador Hotel

Day 2: Transfer to Masvingo and Great Zimbabwe tour

• Breakfast
• Road transfer to Masvingo (approx 3 hours)
• Lunch at Masvingo Hotel
• Tour Great Zimbabwe and Lake Mutirikwi
• Overnight at Masvingo Hotel

Day 3: Transfer to Bulawayo and city tour

• Breakfast
• Road transfer to Bulawayo (approx 3.5 hours)
• Check in and lunch at hotel
• Bulawayo city tour and leisure
• Dinner and overnight at Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel

Day 4: Matobo National Park day trip

• Breakfast
• Matobo day trip tour including rock paintings and Rhodes grave
• Rhino tracking and visit World's View
• Lunch at Matobo Hills Hotel
• Return to Bulawayo and overnight at Rainbow Hotel

Day 5: Transfer to Hwange National Park and game drive

• Breakfast
• Transfer to Hwange National Park
• Lunch at arrival
• Late afternoon 3-hour game drive
• Dinner and overnight at Gwango Heritage Resort

Day 6: Morning game drive and transfer to Victoria Falls

• Early morning game drive in Hwange National Park
• Transfer to Victoria Falls (approx 4 hours)
• Check in and lunch at hotel
• Sunset dinner cruise on Zambezi River
• Overnight at Rainbow Hotel

Day 7: Victoria Falls guided tour and activities

• Breakfast
• Guided tour of Victoria Falls
• Visit souvenir market and crocodile farm
• Vulture feeding experience
• Lunch at Makuwakuwa Restaurant
• Optional afternoon activities
• Boma dinner in evening
• Overnight at Rainbow Hotel

Day 8: Full day Chobe National Park trip

• Depart hotel for Chobe National Park (Botswana)
• Morning game drive
• Buffet lunch
• Afternoon boat cruise
• Return to hotel and overnight at Rainbow Hotel

Day 9: Departure from Victoria Falls

• Breakfast
• Road transfer to Victoria Falls Airport
• Farewell and exit Zimbabwe

The experience

The tour opens in Harare with a city tour and museum visit, then heads south toward Masvingo for a 3-hour drive. You spend an afternoon at Great Zimbabwe, the UNESCO World Heritage ruins, and visit Lake Mutirikwi before moving on to Bulawayo. From there, a full day in Matobo National Park takes you to rock paintings, Rhodes' grave, and rhino tracking, with lunch included at Matobo Hills Hotel. The park is home to the world's highest concentration of black eagles and a mix of antelope, leopard and birdlife across terrain that ranges from desert-like hilltops to valley swamps.

The route then enters Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest and oldest park, where you get an afternoon game drive on arrival and an early morning drive the next day before heading to Victoria Falls. The drive to the falls takes about 4 hours. Once there, you board a sunset dinner cruise on the Zambezi River with a 3-course meal. The full Victoria Falls day includes a guided tour of the falls themselves, a visit to the crocodile farm with snake pit and lion viewing, a vulture feeding experience, lunch at Makuwakuwa Restaurant, and an evening Boma dinner. On day 8, you cross into Botswana for a full-day Chobe National Park trip: a morning game drive, buffet lunch and afternoon boat cruise, returning by mid-afternoon. The tour ends with a transfer to Victoria Falls Airport on the final morning.

All transport between cities is included in an air-conditioned vehicle with your guide. National park entry fees are covered. Bottled water is provided throughout. The 8 nights split across Harare, Masvingo, Bulawayo (two nights), Hwange, and Victoria Falls (two nights), with your choice of 4-star or 3-star hotels. A minimum of two people per booking is required, and a valid passport is essential for entry into Zimbabwe and Botswana.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your accommodation.
• 8 nights in either 4-star or 3-star hotels.
• all national park entry fees.
• an air-conditioned vehicle throughout.
• a live English-speaking guide.
• bottled water daily.
• breakfast at each hotel.
• most lunches including meals at Matobo Hills Hotel, Masvingo Hotel, and Makuwakuwa Restaurant.
• sunset dinner cruise on the Zambezi River with a 3-course meal.
• and the Boma dinner experience in Victoria Falls.

Options for this experience

2 options

Stays are arranged in 3-star hotelsGuide in English · 12:00Lodging in 3-star hotels is provided, and pickup is included

Stays are arranged in 4-star hotelsGuide in English · 12:00Lodging in 4-star hotels is provided, and pickup is included

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 12:00

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Maximum Adventure Trails

Is this one for you?Book the 4-star option if you want more comfort between long driving days and game drives. The 3-star option keeps costs lower while following the same route and itinerary. Either way, the 9-day length fits all of Zimbabwe's major parks and Chobe into one trip without rushing between sites.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5).

What is Great Zimbabwe and what will I see there?

Great Zimbabwe is a UNESCO World Heritage site near Masvingo featuring ancient stone ruins built between the 11th and 15th centuries. Your afternoon tour takes you through the ruins and includes a visit to Lake Mutirikwi, a large man-made lake created in 1960 that sits about 30 km from the town.

How much time do I spend on game drives in Hwange National Park?

You get an afternoon game drive from 3pm to 6pm on the day you arrive in Hwange, then an early morning drive the next day before transferring to Victoria Falls around 9:30am. The park is known for large mammal populations and diverse bird species.

What happens on the full day in Chobe National Park?

Chobe is a full-day excursion from Victoria Falls, departing around 7am and returning by 5:45pm. The day includes a morning game drive, a buffet lunch, and an afternoon boat cruise on the Chobe River, crossing into Botswana for wildlife viewing.

Are meals included throughout the tour?

Breakfast is included daily at your hotel. Lunch is provided on most days: at Masvingo Hotel, during the Matobo tour, in Hwange, at Chobe, and at Makuwakuwa Restaurant in Victoria Falls. Dinner cruises and the Boma dinner in Victoria Falls are included. Other dinners are at your hotel or arranged separately.

What is the difference between the 4-star and 3-star accommodation options?

Both options include 8 nights in hotels across the same cities and follow the same itinerary. The choice is between staying in 4-star properties (such as Cresta Oasis or New Ambassador in Harare, Rainbow Hotel in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls) or 3-star alternatives. All hotels include breakfast and overnight accommodation as part of the package.

Do I need a visa to enter Zimbabwe and Botswana?

Visa requirements depend on your nationality. You must carry a current valid passport with at least six months validity. Visa fees are not included in the tour price and must be arranged separately before travel. Provide your passport details (name, number, expiry and country) at the time of booking.