Back To Zim

Back To Zim

One of our senior sales advisors, Julia, has just returned from a fact-finding mission to one of her favourite destinations – Zimbabwe. Here’s a brief look at what she got up to.

I flew from the UK via Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, (probably the easiest way to get there), and on arrival, having obtained my e-visa and completed the online declaration form in advance, I was through customs and immigration in record time.

I was greeted warmly by my driver, (Zimbabweans are renowned for their hospitality and welcome), and, accompanied by historical titbits of information, I was in Victoria Falls town in less than 30 minutes. First impressions were that the town was impressively clean, with the verges neatly cut and the roads well swept, and there was a continuation of friendly people who waved at and greeted me wherever I looked.

My first night was spent at the Elephant Hills Resort, a fairly large hotel perched on the bluff, overlooking its own 18-hole championship golf course, designed no less by the legendary Gary Player, and the only golf course in Victoria Falls.

My room had spectacular views from my private balcony, which was where I spent time having both my morning coffee and my evening G&T sundowner!

The hotel has a good selection of facilities, including a good spa and hair salon, and large swimming pool and tennis courts, and the town and Falls themselves are easily accessible by the hotel’s complimentary shuttle service.



The next morning after breakfast I transferred the short distance to The Victoria Falls Hotel, the “Grand Old Lady of the Falls”, whose moniker is well deserved.

Steeped in history and one of the oldest hotels in Africa, (it was built in 1904), this Edwardian-style five-star hotel is situated in the Victoria Falls National Park, a World Heritage site, and the view from the veranda, looking onto the famous bridge was simply breath-taking. That afternoon I headed down to the jetty for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, with another G&T in hand and some delicious snacks, and watched the sunset - the first of many “pinch me” moments I was to have on the trip.

During my time in Vic Falls, (nobody locally gives them their full title), I also enjoyed a trip on the Bamba Tram to view the sunrise over Batoka Gorge from the iconic Victoria Falls suspension bridge. The views, but above all, the noise from the mighty Falls were extraordinary, and I also had the chance to swot up on my local knowledge by crossing the border into Zambia, (highly recommended for a totally different perspective of the Falls), to visit the bridge museum, which has some fascinating info on how it was built. I was also lucky to have lunch on one of my days at a local restaurant called Dusty Road, which served exceptional local cuisine in a quirky and gorgeous setting.

I also enjoyed an almost obligatory guided tour of the Falls through the rainforest in the company of my excellent guide Su, who seemed to know everything about everything - the flora, fauna, birdlife, wildlife & history.

The Falls were in full flood and even with ponchos on we got absolutely drenched. It was completely worth it though - they are a spectacular sight.



All too soon it was time to bid farewell to Vic Falls, but I wasn’t too downhearted as I knew what lay ahead – the Hwange National Park. Although the two destinations can be connected by a short flight I chose to travel by road, a journey that took just under 3 hours on roads which were tarred the majority of the way. The advantage of travelling by road was that I could stop en-route and visit the Painted Dog Conservation Centre. This is a place that works with the local populations of both humans and dogs via conservation, education and outreach programmes to help painted dogs, (more commonly known as wild or hunting dogs), to not only survive, but to thrive. They may not be as famous as their trunked, horned or maned neighbours, but these creatures are beautiful, unique and fascinating social animals. They are native to Africa and aren’t found in the wild anywhere else on the planet, and I was chuffed to bits that I was able to visit such an important and interesting place.

My base in the National Park was the Hwange Safari Lodge, which is located within its own private concession. A fenced lodge, it has been recently refurbished, and has lovely lawns, a good size swimming pool and a choice of dining options. The rooms have wide windows that look out onto views of an active watering hole, where I spent a good amount of time just sitting and watching the African wildlife go by.

My days in Hwange were filled by early morning game drives, late afternoon game drives and, with picnic in hand, full day game drives. The long summer grass did make spotting those elusive Big Cats a little tricky, but I was rewarded by seeing numerous herds of elephants with their lively young calves. Plus giraffe, hippos, zebras and plenty more.

One evening, as I sat at the lodge’s waterhole bar, located on an elevated viewing platform overlooking the waterhole – an ideal location for sundowners - I reminisced about my time in Zim.



A country that has been through so much adversity but which still shines so brightly as a must-visit destination. I have visited the country numerous times and it never fails to disappoint.

Sadly it was then time to pack up and head home – back to reality. I had absolutely loved my time in Zimbabwe; it’s a beautiful and safe country with wonderful people who have a great sense of pride in their country. Before I left I vowed that I would definitely be back, and that I wouldn’t leave it so long between visits.

If you want to follow in my footsteps, perhaps consider travelling to Zimbabwe like I did off-season between April and June. It is generally a quieter, better value time to travel - although I should stress that Zim is remarkable value anyway compared to neighbouring Botswana & Zambia. The Zambezi River is also in flood at this time, making the Victoria Falls even more magnificent to view!