Zimbabwe offers extraordinary natural wonders including Victoria Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls, and Hwange National Park with its massive elephant population. Experience ancient ruins at Great Zimbabwe, vibrant cities, and some of Africa's best safari experiences.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Zambezi National Park
This is a riverine park running along the Zambezi upstream of Victoria Falls, so the appeal is the river frontage rather than dramatic terrain. Game drives follow tracks close to the water where elephant, buffalo and hippo concentrate, and the falls' spray line is often visible in the distance on the drive in. It suits visitors who want a half-day safari without leaving the Victoria Falls area.
Highlights: Game drives with elephant, buffalo, lion, and sable antelope · Zambezi River fishing for tiger fish · Guided walking safaris along the river bank · Stunning Zambezi riverfront scenery
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Chobe is a cross-border day trip from Victoria Falls, built around the Chobe River and the park's reputation for one of Africa's largest concentrations of elephant. Most day visitors do a late-morning game drive followed by a sunset boat cruise on the river, since the animals come down to drink in the afternoon heat. The border crossing and immigration formalities on both sides are part of the day, not an incidental detail.
Highlights: Largest elephant concentration in Africa (120,000+ elephants) · Chobe River sunset boat cruise · Lion, leopard, and wild dog sightings · Hippo and crocodile river viewing from boats
Matobo National Park (Matopos)
Matobo is a landscape of granite kopjes and balancing rock formations south of Bulawayo, combined with San rock art sites and Cecil Rhodes' grave at World's View. It is one of the more reliable places in Zimbabwe to track white rhino on foot with a guide, since the park's rhino population is monitored and habituated to controlled approaches. The mix of geology, wildlife and colonial-era history makes it a fuller day than a typical game park.
Highlights: Cecil Rhodes' grave atop World's View ridge · Largest concentration of San rock art in Africa · White rhino tracking on foot · Extraordinary balancing granite rock formations
Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba is one of the world's largest reservoirs, formed by damming the Zambezi, and a day trip here from Harare is really a day built around the dam wall and the lake itself rather than a single attraction. Because it is a full day's drive each way from Harare, most visitors either treat it as an overnight rather than a true day trip, or fly into Kariba town. The lake town of Kariba itself is small, with the appeal being the water, the dam engineering, and the wildlife along the shoreline.
Highlights: Sunset houseboat cruises on the world's largest man-made lake by volume · Game viewing along shoreline (elephant, hippo, lion) · Kariba Dam wall and visitor center · Tiger fishing — among the best in the world
Great Zimbabwe Ruins
Great Zimbabwe is the stone-built royal city that gave the country its name, and the ruins are the largest pre-colonial stone structures in sub-Saharan Africa. The site is really three parts - the Hill Complex, the Great Enclosure and the Valley Ruins - built from dry-stone granite blocks without mortar, and walking between them gives a sense of the scale of the settlement that once housed thousands of people. A small on-site museum holds artefacts including the soapstone birds the ruins are known for.
Highlights: Great Enclosure — largest ancient stone structure in sub-Saharan Africa · Hill Complex with panoramic views and royal residence ruins · Valley Ruins and the archaeological museum · UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to 11th century CE
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized day tours from Victoria Falls to Chobe NP and Zambezi NP from $130-180/person including border fees and lunch
- Private
- Private vehicle hire with driver from $80-150/day — best for Great Zimbabwe or Matobo Hills
- Public
- Kombi minibuses and intercity coaches serve most towns. Bulawayo-Matobo by taxi ($20-30 return)
- Rental
- Car rental from $40-80/day at Harare or Victoria Falls airport for self-drive to Domboshawa, Chivero, and similar sites
Multi-day tours from Zimbabwe
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from ZimbabweWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Start early — heat becomes intense by noon in October and November, and wildlife viewing is best at dawn
Book Chobe day trips from Victoria Falls at least the evening before — good operators fill quickly in peak season
Carry cash USD for park entry fees, guide tips, and roadside purchases
Bring a packed lunch for self-drive day trips — food is scarce at most parks and historical sites