Zimbawe travel

[tutantomb]

Hey I'm interested to travel to Zimbawe, getting a wildlife ranger to bring me around seeking the wild side of Africa. Anyone has been to this part of the world to advise which is the best way to go there?

[jpatokal]

Zimbabwe is a violently collapsing basketcase, I'd suggest Zambia (South Luangwa is spectacular) or Malawi instead.

Your two basic choices of route to get to any of these are via Johannesburg or via Dubai. Although I think Air Zim still flies to Bangkok if you want to trust your life to them...

[tutantomb]

Wow cool thanks dude! Can I pm u if I have any more questions? Dunno if my posts are enuff to pm though...

[tangerika]

I'm also surprised that you've chosen Zimbabwe, though I don't follow the situation there anymore, so maybe it has improved (but I very much doubt it).

Why not Botswana or South Africa?
Have you been on safari before? There are many options on how to do safari... (individually - with a ranger, in a group, walking safaris...).

If you do not mind 'touristy', go Kenya or Tanzania (I only heard it's touristy, haven't been there).
If you are seeking 'true' wilderness, go Botswana (be ready to pay very high prices for their lodges or get somebody to drive you around in a 4WD with a rooftop tent - highly recommended!).
If you are looking for something in between, go South Africa (you can easily find anything from luxurious lodges to tent camps).
I have only been to Vic Falls in Zambia, so cannot comment much on their NPs and wildlife (except that we had elephants and hippos in our camp).

Like with almost any other place, beware of seasonality (e.g. good time to visit Botswana is a/o Sep - Dec as it is a dry period and your chances to see wildlife are much higher and chances of your vehicle to get stuck in mud are much lower But then, the Okavango delta is dried out, too...

If you have any questions on South Africa and Botswana, I'll happily answer if I can. I LOVE Africa!

[Barczar]

Zimbabwe is great fun...but typically only if you have a local connection. I was in Zimbabwe over Xmas and New Years hunting and believe me, if it's a Safari you are after, the HUNTING and fishing is unbelievable and it is still a natural hunt, unlike most of the rest of Africa which specialise in the can hunts. I was fortunate enough to go there with a very good mate of mine born and raised in Zim and stayed with his family at various locations across Zim. Zim as a tourist there is only one place to go and it's Vic Falls, there are a couple of great hotels, bed and breakfasts and restaurants and a casino. And the Falls (Dr. Livingston I presume) is truly an experience I'd say everyone should experience once in their life before they die...truly inspirational. That being said, Zim is at the bottom of the pit when it comes to poverty, corruption and disease, Mugabe has taken what was once, the most beautiful and proserous land on Earth and has ravaged the land and sent "his" past the brink of despair. Your best bet (speaking from experience of travelling, hunting, fishing and working accross Africa) is to get over to Zambia, Botswana or South Africa, which are set up more for tourists, it is comparitively "safer" than Zim and even when you are at the fall there is a bridge to cross over to Zimbabwe so you can see them in action (the spray created will be an everlasting impression on your memories and senses). So you can have a day or two in Zim at Vic Falls and then head back across the bridge to the touristy areas, which specialise in Photograph Safaris and such. Bear in mind that the fuel crisis and currency inflation crisis has hit levels that we cannot even imagine. (We had a land rover and had to carry jerry cans of fuel in the back becuase we never knew where we could get fuel from - there are fuel stations, but no fuel in the country.) Even out plane Air Zimbabwe coming back to Singapore had to stop in Malawi to refuel before continuing onto Singapore because there was not enough fuel at the airport to fuel its own planes!

That being said, I have full plans to head back to Zimbabwe for another hunt and fishing down the might Zambizi River for the elusive Tiger Fish sometime in the near future and would encourage anyone that can do it to do so! As a tourist though....stay elsewhere and only go to Vic Falls! You won't be disappointed!

[Barczar]

Oh yeah forgot to mention that there is a direct flight from Singapore to Harare - the flight back is almost never direct - need to find fuel first!

[Bonbon]

Would think it's better to take a safari camping tour, way to see Africa......

Doesn't have to be Zimbabwe right? plenty others, zambia, tanzania, zanzibar, south africa, malawi, kenya...etc...

Have a blast anyway , doesn't matter which country you go in Africa, think you'll enjoy it!

[jpatokal]

Wow cool thanks dude! Can I pm u if I have any more questions? Dunno if my posts are enuff to pm though...

No, you can't PM me, but you can post 'em right here. This is a forum, so let's share the info with everybody.

[tutantomb]

Wow datz hella of lots of info in here.... Barczar you sure are lucky to hav a Zim fren to bring you around... I'm not for hunting but to experience the African air and the amazing land there.

How much is it typically for a 2-3weeks tour if I only take the South Africa route and not to forget visit the Vic falls as well?

[Barczar]

You can make the trip as expensive or as cheap as you want. There are loads of backpackers trying to "find themselves" in Africa as well as the Big Game hunters and fishermen (who spend a F load of money) and the in-betweens who are your typical family vacations...it's all really what you want to make out of it! I would suggest more of the in-betweens as it looks like it would be a lot of fun! I've noticed a few adds in the Straits Jacket over the past few weeks with lots of travel options and deals...just get down to a travel agent and start figuring it out! Enjoy! Nothing on earth compares to waking up in a tent at 4AM to the Hippos yelling and the lions roaring...can't really put a price tag on fun like that!

[tutantomb]

Appreciate lots Barczar!! Yeah I'd agree it shd be a die-die must see once in a lifetime place.

Well need to plan my finances and see how then!!

Will update if I finally make the move yeah

[MusicFever]

If you do not mind 'touristy', go Kenya or Tanzania

My father was in Kenya before and stayed there for some time. At that time, the society was with military violence all over. He brought back many souvenirs that I was so curious about, of course, many photos about the beautiful wild natures too. It's worthy of visiting there sometime when the safety issues are reduced, not sure the situations there now.