Sports and leisure activities Zimbabwe

Budget & Tips

Victoria Falls is definitely a place where you can indulge in multiple activities, some of which are thrilling... Without being exhaustive, let's mention rafting, bungee jumping, mountain biking, cruises on the Zambezi River, helicopter flights over the falls, ziplining, abseiling, etc., or, in a more "classic" way, game drive, canoeing or horseback safari. There are a few small protected areas around the falls, both public and private, that allow for this.

The national park rangers sometimes organize activities, for much lower prices than those charged by private camps. Horseback safaris (especially in the Eastern Highlands and Matopos Mountains) can be arranged for $20 for two hours or $40 for a day. Many walking tours of varying duration (from 2 hours to several days) are also organized in most parks (Hwange, Mana Pools, Matusadona...). Their prices vary according to the number of participants (rarely more than six) and the chosen itinerary, but always remain very affordable. On the nights of the full moon, more atypical outings are sometimes organized by the rangers of certain parks: in Hwange, for example, it is exceptionally possible to go on night safaris to an observation platform overlooking a body of water.

Various outdoor activities are also offered by some tourist agencies and camps in the Eastern Highlands (Nyanga, Chimanimani and Bvumba): hiking and horseback riding, fly fishing, birdwatching or botanical outings... In Nyanga, you can also practice zip-lining or cross a suspension bridge.

There is the Moutain Club of Zimbabwe, which brings together hikers and climbers. The area around Harare is full of granite cliffs, while Chimanimani is a site of prodigious sandstone blocks.

To be booked

It is very easy to book activities from the various agencies in Victoria Falls. Their services are generally very professional and they will pick you up and return you to your hotel.

Park activities (especially multi-day walking tours) should be booked in advance at the Zimparks central office in Harare. For walking or horseback riding tours lasting a few hours, a reservation at the park's tourist office the day before is often sufficient.

Main events

Various sporting events are organized throughout Zimbabwe. They allow you to run in magnificent settings. For example, let's mention the Victoria Falls Marathon or the Mountains and Rivers Festival and the Sky Run, near the Nyanga National Park, or the Blue Cross, a raid over several days that brings together different activities (walking, running, enduro, quad, mountain biking ...).