By The UNCHARTED® editors · 3 min readAfrica’s most underrated safari country is also a great deal, especially for families. Lodge rates run as much as 50 percent lower than other top safari destinations. Here are some other reasons to plan a Zimbabwe safari.
The sheer numbers of big animals and birdlife.
Hwange National Park is home to some 45,000 elephants, along with massive buffalo herds and all the predators they attract. Still more elephants, buffalo, wild dogs, hippos, and big cats gather at the Zambezi River and waterholes in Mana Pools. As many as 450 to 500 bird species have been recorded at each park, including some 50 raptor species and a variety of waterbirds at Mana Pools.
Meet the Herds
It's uncrowded.
You won't find crowds of minibuses in Hwange and Mana Pools national parks, which can be an issue in major national parks in other countries. By comparison, Kenya's Maasai Mara reserve hosted more than 200,000 visitors in 2025; Hwange had one fifth as many in a park ten times the size, and a mere 7,000 visited Mana Pools, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wildlife conservancies are well run, and private concessions ensure rare levels of privacy and exclusive access.
Have It Yourself
The best guides.
The Zimbabwean population is among Africa's best-educated, and its guides are trained through the most rigorous certification process on the continent. They're funny, reverent, and deeply knowledgeable. They can handle firearms should the need arise.
Meet Our Guides
The walking safaris.
Walking makes you really feel a part of the bush, and Zimbabwe excels in walking excursions. The guides ensure your safety even in situations that may seem risky. So if you want to get quite close to an elephant or a herd of buffalo on foot, Zimbabwe is the place to do it.
Go On Foot
There's lots of big water.
Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and one of the most epic, historic sites in all of safari Africa. Downriver, the Zambezi River and Mana Pools park provide endless opportunities for adventurous wildlife spotting while walking, canoeing, and fishing.
See the Zambezi
Ancient culture.
The Matobo Hills contain over 3,000 San Bushmen rock art sites dating back as long as 13,000 years. That boulder-strewn landscape is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and a visit adds an experience both spiritual and world-historical to a wildlife safari. At the unique Amalinda Lodge, you can even stay in a cave-like room with rock art on the walls.
Into the Matobos
Your safari has a positive impact.
Zimbabwe still needs all the help it can get, and every safari actively supports the people, the wildlife, and the wilderness. For example, Phil and Sharon Stead of the Amalinda Safari Collection run the Mother Africa Trust, which does everything from building lion-proof bomas and funding anti-poaching units to hosting dental clinics and empowering women through basket weaving and beekeeping enterprises. Other UNCHARTED partners — the Wilderness Collection, African Bush Camps, and Great Plains — also provide support and livelihoods for communities and families.
How We Give Back
It's a good deal, especially for families.
Compared to other top safari destinations, Zimbabwe offers good value for money. Lodge rates are as much as 50 percent lower than in neighboring Botswana, and 30 to 40 percent lower than in South Africa, Tanzania, or Kenya. That makes it particularly attractive for bigger parties of multi-generational friends-and-family travel.
Bring Everyone
