Zimbabwe's beautiful natural wondersZimbabwe Trip 2019

Day OneVictoria Falls

Day one of my trip was a travel day. I started my morning at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and flew to Victoria Falls Airport.

Victoria Falls is a few hours north of Johannesburg on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. Botswana and Namibia are also nearby this country. If you're unfamiliar with this destination, this attraction is one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls.

It spans 5,604 feet and plummets into a series of gorges below. Many visitors enjoy its stunning natural infinity pool at the top.

When I arrived, I headed directly to my hotel. The airport was only 11 miles from the city of Victoria Falls, where my hotel was located. You can either drive or request hotel shuttle transportation if you visit, but I chose to drive.

During the first part of my trip, I stayed at the Victoria Falls Hotel. I was thoroughly impressed by this Edwardian-style, five-star hotel.

Constructed in 1904, this spectacular hotel first served as lodging for the Cape-to-Cairo Railway workers. Today, this magnificent property is Zimbabwe's oldest and grandest luxury hotel that combines traditional design with modern facilities. 

What I adored about this hotel is its colonial feel. Its magnificent facilities include an Edwardian pool, fitness center, and local artwork.

The rooms at this hotel are equally spectacular. I stayed in a standard room that had a bit of old-world charm and a lovely garden view. 

After settling in, I set out to discover the neighborhood.

It turns out the hotel isn't just named the Victoria Falls Hotel because it's in the general area. It is only a twenty-minute walk from the falls.

The road to get there is a bit bumpy, and there are some dusty sidewalks.

Batoka Gorge is the closest location at Victoria Falls that you can reach from the hotel. It is a dramatic and stunning gorge with 400-foot walls and excellent wildlife. Their indigenous birds, baboons, and rare plants are mesmerizing!

Something else I observed while walking around was the high levels of poverty and desperation in the surrounding area. This experience starkly contrasted the luxury of the hotel next to it. Before I left, I gave away some of the extra clothes I didn't need for the rest of the trip.

When I returned to the hotel, I enjoyed a pleasant dinner outdoors on the terrace. After a delicious meal, I indulged in a delightful gin and tonic at Stanley's bar. 

Day TwoThe Falls & Wildlife

I woke up before dawn at 5 am to get an early start. Victoria Falls Park opens at 6 am, so I wanted to get there as soon as it opened to beat the crowds.

It is a 20-minute stroll to reach the falls from the hotel, and I arrived at around 5:45 am. A friendly lady at the counter greeted me and sold me tickets. 

I had an action-packed day at the falls and ended up with some excellent photos.

Victoria Falls is more massive in person than you could ever imagine! The powerful water force spans 1.708 meters wide and 108 meters tall.

If you intend to see the falls at a prime time, you're going to have to plan your trip carefully. The rainy period stretches from late November to early April, and the rest of the year is a dry season. You don't want to go during flood season because the mist can make it difficult to see the falls.

One of the first sights I saw at the falls was "Devil's Pool." This naturally-formed pool can be shocking at first. It is very odd seeing groups of people casually swimming right to the edge of where the Zambezi River drops over the edge of a cliff. However, it is a naturally made infinity pool that is miraculously safe to swim in and take some unique photos.

The walk along the falls from the Zimbabwe side takes at least two hours. There is plenty of drizzle along the way, so you'll need to protect your photo gear from moisture. This trail has spectacular wildlife hidden along the way if you're patient and look for it.

While I didn't have enough time to get to everything, there are so many other adventures that you can have at Victoria Falls if you have time.

Some options include taking a helicopter flight over the falls, going on a boat tour at its base, or taking a tram or steam railway ride.

However, you'll need more time if you want to visit Hwange National Park or Mana Pools National Park because they are four and eight hours away, respectively.

The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge is also a great experience with excellent wilderness views and stunning horizons if you can stay there!

After my early morning at Victoria Falls, I headed back to the hotel for breakfast.

Then, I spent the remainder of the day exploring the area. In town, there are few tourists and remarkable levels of poverty. Everyone wanted to sell a souvenir and asked for my used clothes. By the time I left Victoria Falls, I had fewer clothes and a few more souvenirs.

Other than that, Victoria Falls has a colonial atmosphere, a well-preserved old railway, and an enjoyable brewery.

To end my day, I had dinner at the hotel's finest restaurant, the Livingstone Room. The restaurant's elegant Edwardian-style dining room serves up fine global cuisine. While it no longer has a strict tie and jacket dress code, safari wear is absolutely a faux pas.

I washed my dinner down with a tasty gin and tonic at the small and cozy Stanley's Bar.

Day Three Mana Pools

I woke up early again on day two to take advantage of my last day at Victoria Falls. I spent a few hours exploring and capturing more pictures of the falls and the bridge before heading back to the hotel.

Once I returned to my hotel, I had an ample breakfast and tea in the lobby while waiting for the taxi. I had a wonderful stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the area. However, it was time for me to move on and photograph some more spectacular wildlife and see other amazing sights in Zimbabwe.

My cab dropped me off at the airport, and from there, the next stop on my journey was Mana Pools. From Victoria Falls, it takes a little over two hours to reach Mana Pools, with a layover at Lake Kariba. The plane that takes you there is tiny!

Lake Kariba is a unique destination if you have the time to see it because it's the world's largest human-made lake that spans over 140 miles in length. Water from the Zambezi River (the same river that feeds into Victoria Falls) fills up the lake. It is an impressive sight to see from the plane and an even more remarkable view close up. The lake has outstanding biodiversity, with several fish species, Nile crocodiles, and hippos living side-by-side. It is also a haven for all types of birds, cheetahs, antelopes, buffalos, lions, and elephants. If you have the time to visit, you'll see some fantastic sights.

Later that day, I finally reached Mana Pools. For those of you who are unacquainted with this spectacular destination, let me tell you, it is incredible.

In the Shona language, Mana means four, which references the four water pools along the Zambezi river. These aren't tiny lap pools; instead, they're extensive water landscapes with water even during the dry season. The pools form part of the roughly 956 square miles of well-preserved landscapes and wildlife at Mana Pools National Park. The landscapes and animals here are everything you would imagine an African safari to be and more.

On the drive from the airport to the campsite alone, I saw many wild animals. Outside, there were wild dogs and elephants. Seeing those animals was an exciting start to this part of my trip.

This lodging on this part of the trip was no five-star hotel, but it was far from roughing it in the wilderness. Campsites in these parts tend to be extremely comfortable and are right in the heart of the action.

I would highly recommend camping to immerse yourself into the safari experience fully. The campsites themselves are stunning, and the incredible wilderness will envelop you the moment you step out of your tent.

There are numerous campgrounds to pick from, but I decided to stay at the Zambezi Expeditions campsite in the park.

My stay at the campsite included accommodation, meals, beverages, laundry, and numerous activities.

After a long day of traveling to the campsite, it was time to retire and rest up for the jam-packed day to come.

Days Four and Five The first small routine

For the first time the entire trip, I had a small routine.

On both days four and five, I woke up for a quick coffee at 5:30 am before starting the morning game drive fifteen minutes later.

The morning game drive would last until lunch, with a short coffee break at 9 am. Highly qualified and enthusiastic guides familiar with the bush led the game drives in customized safari vehicles. There are so many natural wonders and diverse terrains to see in this park, so I would highly recommend this experience.

It is a fantastic bucket-list item for a wildlife photographer. You don't have to wait too long to find incredible wild animals. You are probably a more rare sighting than they are!

While exploring Mana Pools, one of my favorite sights was seeing two male elephants standing on two legs to reach the "second floor" of a tree. It was surreal seeing such majestic animals up close and personal in the wilderness.

Sights like these left an impression on me throughout my trip.

After a few hours out on the game drive, I returned to camp for lunch and some downtime. This break was the perfect occasion to do an equipment check and exchange impressions before heading out again for the afternoon.

The action didn't stop while we were on our lunch break. While I was cleaning out my lenses, I would see elephants and baboons passing by the campsite less than three meters away. I couldn't believe how close they were to my tent! That's when it hit me that I was in the middle of the wilderness. I was in their territory, not the other way around.

After another cake and coffee, it was time to head back out into the park.

The afternoon game drive was just as exciting as the one in the morning. While most of the ride was in the jeep, they would let us get out for a short walking safari whenever possible. I was able to get some impeccable wildlife photos.

Mana Pools is a photographer's paradise, with spectacular mahogany or fig tree-lined backdrops, bush, and of course, the pools. Guides will typically help you get as close to the animals as safe as possible.

It is everything you could ever imagine the perfect wildlife photography trip being and more.

Once we finished the game drive, we had a sundowner on the banks of the Zambezi River.

A sundowner, quite simply put, is an alcoholic drink at sundown. Sunset was around 6 pm when I was at Mana Pools. My drink of choice for this relaxing gathering was a beer or a gin and tonic, which was the perfect way to end the long game drive.

After the sundowner, we returned to camp. I took a quick shower before having dinner and drinks around the campfire. Sitting outside under the stars was a remarkable way to end each day at Mana Pools.

Once the day was over, I had a short sleep before another morning adventure.

Day SixMana Pools Canoeing

The sixth day started much like days four and five, with a 5:30 am wake-up call and a game drive. Despite having been in Mana Pools for three days, there were still new sights to see and wild animals to experience.

As usual, I captured some spectacular wildlife shots while on the game drive.

No matter how many days you spend there, there is no way that you can see all of the animal species in the park. There are over 350 different bird species in Mana Pools alone! Other animals that roam freely are hippopotami, crocodiles, zebra, elephants, and Cape buffalo. You can also find endangered species such as lions, Cape wild dogs, and cheetahs. It feels like you are in a real-life Lion King scene.

Additionally, it is nearly impossible to see all of the diverse terrains in the park. While the pools are one of the most famous natural wonders here, there are also impressive sandbanks, islands, and forests.

Each day we saw new parts of the park.

After spending the morning wrapping up the game drive, it was back to camp for a lunch break and some rest. The midday break was even more crucial on day six because of the jam-packed afternoon plans to come.

Once we finished lunch and rested, it was time to go on an afternoon canoe trip on the Zambezi River.

While almost every experience in the park allows you to see wildlife up close and personal, canoeing lets you do so in an even more immersive way.

Experienced guides lead the canoe tours in the pools. You may be canoeing side-by-side with birds and other wild animals out on the water. Even the minor hiccups along the way, including encountering angry hippos and getting stuck in the shallow water, were memorable parts of my experience.

The canoe tour was also a one-of-a-kind photography opportunity. You can seize some incredible low-angle photography opportunities while out in the wetlands. I had a great time out on the water and would recommend this experience to anyone visiting Mana Pools.

When our time on the water concluded, we returned to the camp to spend the evening there and prepare for our return trip the next day.

Day SevenBorder Crossing

The trip at Mana Pools ended as quickly as it began. However, more adventures were waiting in the upcoming days. Day seven was a travel day back to Victoria Falls.

Once we reached Victoria Falls city, we hopped in a car and drove to the border, crossing into Botswana.

Our next destination was Kasane, which is a little over an hour away from Victoria Falls.

In Kasane, we stayed at the Pangolin Lodge, an award-winning hotel with outstanding Chobe river views. I'll have to say, staying in a hotel felt comfortable after spending some time in the wilderness. However, I did miss seeing wildlife right outside my tent!

The Pangolin lodge in Kasane was the base camp for the next part of our African adventure, which included discovering the Chobe River and Okavango Delta area.

Adventure to be continued…