Zimbabwe28See us on the web at www.wildlifeworldwide.com for reservations call us on 0845 130 6982Hwange National Park is home to 100 different mammal species and over 400 species of birds. Elephant, buffalo, sable, roan, giraffe, wildebeest, impala and even gemsbok can be seen here in good numbers. The park is among the best for predators with lion, leopard, wild dog and cheetah regularly seen, along with the smaller African wildcat, serval, honey badger, civet and hyena. It is a rich and diverse park with interesting landscapes, teak forests, palm islands, savannah and acacia woodland, and it is this variety that makes for such a rewarding and enjoyable safari. The Hide MIDThe Hide is situated on a private concession bordering Hwange in a prime wildlife area with quick and simple access to the park itself. The lodge has ten large tented rooms overlooking a beautiful waterhole and accommodates a maximum of 16 people. It has a large thatched dining area and two comfortable underground hides (hence the name of the camp!).Makalolo Plains HIGHMakalolo Plains is operated by Wilderness Safaris and situated on a private concession in the remote southern section of the park. Makalolo Plains is built on raised wooden decking and offers wonderful views across Somavundla Pan with its superb wildlife concentrations. It has ten comfortable tented rooms, all with en-suite facilities. Little Makalolo HIGHLittle Makalolo, also a Wilderness property, has only six tented rooms, is built among teak trees and looks towards a waterhole which is about 100 metres away from the camp. The camp is built on the ground and there is a hide in front of the camp offering great views onto the waterhole and some good photographic opportunities. After some years of not offering Zimbabwe we have decided to bring it back into our Africa programme. Zimbabwe is as beautiful and as full of wildlife as it ever was; the wildlife is rich, the people are welcoming, and the camps and lodges have a distinctly 'new' feel to them. Matusadona, Mana Pools and Matobo Hills are all names that, for those who know Africa, conjure up images of a great and varied wildlife, but which have become, over the past few years, both remote and little visited. We are being especially picky about what we are offering in Zimbabwe since it is essential in our view that whatever we are offering is benefi tting the local economy, local communities and helping to provide employment at a grass-roots level. At the moment, for obvious reasons, Zimbabwe feels like a brand new safari destination, with prices to match, but it won't feel like that for long.Hwange National Park

Matusadona National ParkMatusadona has been a protected area since 1958 and comprises some 1,400 square kilometres of wilderness bordering Lake Kariba. Elephant, impala, buffalo, lion, leopard and cheetah are plentiful here, with black rhino a specialty (though seen increasingly rarely). Birdlife in the park is exceptional due to its varied habitats, with over 400 species having been recorded. It is still a relatively unknown park and a great place to enjoy a safari. Bumi Hills Safari Lodge MIDSet on a hill with commanding vistas of the magnifi cent Lake Kariba, Bumi Hills Safari Lodge is a wonderful 'r and r' stop. It has a stunning infi nity pool and 20 lake-facing rooms, all with modern conveniences and many with spacious balconies. The food here is spectacular and the welcome is warm and friendly. Elephant and buffalo graze on the shoreline below the lodge with zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck and impala. Activities here include game-viewing and sunset watching.Mana Pools National ParkMana Pools, a World Heritage Site, is a beautiful national park in the Zambezi Valley largely opposite Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park and has great views towards the mountainous escarpment on the Zambian side of the river. It is a park with rich riverine woodland, open plains and a great variety of wildlife including a good elephant population that especially enjoys feasting on the winterthorn trees that are so populous here. The area is renowned as one of the best destinations in southern Africa for walking safaris and canoe safaris. Mana Pools offers visitors a private and secluded safari experience with spectacular views of the river, the sunsets and the endless fl oodplains. Ruckomechi HIGHRuckomechi Camp is on the western boundary of Mana Pools National Park, 100 kilometres below Lake Kariba. The camp, which is right on the bank of the mighty Zambezi, is nestled in a beautiful grove of trees, and has superb views of the mountains of Africa's Great Rift Valley in Zambia. The camp accommodates 20 guests in ten en-suite tented chalets. Wildlife-viewing in the area is excellent and Ruckomechi offers a good range of game-viewing activities including day and night-time safaris in open 4-wheel drives, boat safaris and canoeing.Matobo National ParkThis is an internationally acclaimed park in the south-western region of the country. Established in 1953, the park was awarded World Heritage status in 2003. Matobo National Park is an Intensive Protection Zone for endangered black and white rhinos. Its beautiful and unusual rock formations have inspired the cultural beliefs and have particular associations with particular wildlife including klipspringer and rock hyrax which occur here in large numbers and black eagles which are plentiful in the area too. Amalinda Lodge HIGHThe charming Camp Amalinda is located just outside Bulawayo, within Matobo National Park. It is an exclusive safari lodge tucked away in an ancient Bushman's shelter consisting of nine individually thatched rooms set amongst the massive granite boulders and accommodating 20 people. The granite domes and castle kopjes of the Matobo Hills echo the essence of tranquility and the majesty of untamed Africa.See us on the web at www.wildlifeworldwide.com for reservations call us on 0845 130 698229AFRICA | ZIMBABWETHE MANA CANOE TRAIL This is the ultimate in exciting safaris! It gives you the closest possible encounters with wildlife, some of the very best photographic opportunities, and an amazing 'below eye-level' view of almost everything you come across from elephant and buffalo, to kudu and impala. It is a truly thrilling experience!Our three night safari traverses the Mana Pools National Park, through the heart of Mana Pools and along the Zambezi shoreline, canoeing past countless hippos and crocs on the way. Nights are spent camping on the banks of the Zambezi and the trip ends 65 kilometres downstream. Encounters with animals, whether on canoe or on foot, are up close and awe-inspiring. You need to be reasonably fi t to enjoy this safari, which is led by an experienced guide, but there are support vehicles and staff to assist with setting up camp each day.TAILOR-MADESUGGESTED ITINERARYDay 1 Arrival at Ruckomechi airfi eld. Safety briefi ng then begin canoeing Day 2 Full day canoeing and walking in Mana Pools National Park Day 3 Full day canoeing and walking through the Wilderness area of Mana Pools Day 4 End canoeing, arrive Chikwenya airfi eld for your fl ight outDeparture dates Monday and Thursday, May to NovemberCost per person Please contact us for detailsWhat's included Transfers, three nights camping, guided activities