A Luxury Zimbabwe Family Safari

Cape Town has dramatic natural beauty at every turn. One of the three capital cities in South Africa, it occupies a peninsula jutting into the ocean. Alabaster-hued beaches and rocky outcrops share the Atlantic coastline while diverse districts sprawl out in the shadow of Table Mountain. 

During your time in here, you’ll ride in a cable car to reach Table Mountain’s flat top for sunrise views stretching in all directions. Children of all ages will love exploring Cape Peninsula, guided by a local expert who’ll take you to lesser-known beaches and observe African penguin colonies away from the crowded boardwalks of Boulder Beach. At Cape of Good Hope, your guides will help you to look for the ‘Cape Five’: baboons, bonteboks, mountain zebras, ostriches and tortoises.

The culinary scene is equally exciting, and a family-friendly food tour will guide you through the highlights. Street food vendors sell bunny chow (curry in bread bowls) and magwinya or ‘fat cakes’, deep-fried dough balls stuffed with sweet or savoury fillings. Taste a range at V&A Waterfront Food Market, where stalls sell specialities like bobotie, a Cape Malay speciality of curried mince topped with savoury custard, and silky, creamy melkterks (milk tarts).

Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and the largest sheet of falling water. Zimbabwe’s side is on the southern bank of the Zambezi River. It’s known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya – ‘the Smoke that Thunders’.

Staying in luxury family-friendly accommodation built thoughtfully into its surroundings, you’ll be immersed in the area’s incredible nature. Explore the Zambezi River with sunset boat trips, and spend time at the falls and its surrounding rainforest. Your personal guide will share their rich knowledge of Victoria Falls’ history, geological significance and flora and fauna. Gain a different perspective of the falls’ scale on a helicopter ride, dubbed the ‘flight of the angels’.

The falls are surrounded by national parkland and preserves, home to free-roaming African elephants and other wildlife including hippos, baboons and monkeys. Take slow safari walks and rides to spot them, or head out with an experienced tracker to track endangered white and black rhinos.

Zimbabwe’s largest national park provides important habitat for more than 100 mammals and 400 bird species. More than 20,000 African elephants roam this land of dense forest, grassy plains, palm islands and Kalahari sandveld. Hwange National Park is also home to the Big Five – and what’s believed to be among the largest populations of African wild or painted dogs.

Over three incredible days in Hwange National Park, you’ll enjoy a luxury Zimbabwe safari. Go on private game drives by day and night for the best wildlife-spotting opportunities, or take in the landscape at a slower pace, heading out on foot with experienced safari guides. All ages can join child-certified guides to learn about animal tracks, native plants and smaller creatures often missed when exploring by vehicle. Hotels also have dedicated kids’ clubs offering bespoke activities including cooking classes, storytelling and arts and crafts. 

For a truly unforgettable experience, sleep on star beds at Madison Pan, one of the park’s wildlife-rich waterholes. You’ll spend the night on a raised platform, drifting off under a canopy of stars to a soundtrack provided by the bush.