Best hotels in Zimbabwe

This privately owned gem lies within a UNESCO World Heritage site and Zimbabwe's oldest National Park, Matobo Hills. The lodge is one of a kind with its world class facilities built right into huge granite boulders. The area is steeped in history, both ancient and modern and boasts one of the highest concentrations of San rock art anywhere in Africa. The park is also home to variety of wildlife, most notably rhinos, leopards and a healthy population of the endangered black eagle.

This back-to-basics camp relies on skilled and passionate guides and warm Zimbabwean hospitality, rather than hotel luxuries and chic decor. Rhino Safari Camp offers an intimate, rustic experience on the edge of Lake Kariba, within Matusadona National Park. It is defined by unique geography - when water levels are low, the island links to the mainland via a narrow bridge of land which enables the free-flow of game to and fro; when levels are high it’s cut off by a narrow channel. This camp rewards the adventurous with a more personalized, truly authentic safari experience - something of an endangered species these days.

When "new beginnings" is both the meaning of your name and your daily reality, you're onto something special. Tucked on a pristine island in the mighty Zambezi, this intimate eight-tent camp offers that rarest of safari experiences: complete isolation but still with a good dose of luxury. Reached only by boat after a game drive through Zambezi National Park, the lodge is sheltered by centuries-old baobabs where elephants occasionally pop by for breakfast. Between sundowner cruises, guided canoeing adventures, and game drives teeming with elephant herds, you'll discover why it can boast about having David Attenborough-level guides...

Just five kilometres from the thundering Victoria Falls, Insika Lodge is beautifully situated in a safari-style wilderness of mopane woodland where warthogs and antelope casually wander past the infinity pool. The lodge's elevated wooden walkways and expansive decks maximise the woodland views, whilst the on-site spa, fine dining, and complimentary shuttles to the Falls ensure you're never far from either relaxation or adventure. With its own waterhole viewing deck and prolific birdlife, plus easy access to Victoria Falls' famous adrenaline-fuelled activities, it's perfectly positioned for those who want their creature comforts without sacrificing an authentic African experience.

Tucked away on a ridgeline in Hwange’s remote Sinamatella region, Camp Chitubu is the kind of place you find when you’re truly searching for wilderness. Overlooking a natural spring and open salt pan, the camp sits at the heart of prime big-game territory and offers access to the walking safaris that Zimbabwe is renowned for — slow, immersive journeys where every track and birdsong tells a story. It’s intimate, unfussy and wonderfully wild; mornings drift in with the dawn chorus, and evenings end under star-splashed skies with lions calling from somewhere out in the dark.

There's something deliciously rebellious about Muddy Teak in Hwange National Park... In fact, this exclusive-use camp throws out the safari rulebook entirely! Fancy dropping your fork mid-dinner to chase lions? Go right ahead. With just four tents bookable only as a complete takeover, you'll have your own guide, vehicle and the freedom to follow wildlife whenever you like. The waterhole that gives the camp its name acts as your own personal wildlife arena, drawing enormous elephant herds, sable and the odd lion pride throughout the day. Operating from May through to November, this is the kind of safari life that is unscripted and deeply, deeply authentic.

Named after the leader of Operation Noah, the bold rescue mission that relocated over 6,000 animals after the construction of Kariba Dam, Fothergill is instilled with a passion for protecting Zimbabwe's wild spaces and its inhabitants. Set amongst lush trees on the shores of Lake Kariba, the camp is well-positioned for fantastic water and land safaris led by world-class guides. Fothergill is 95% solar-powered and their entire team is trained in-house, which ensures superb service. During certain months, Fothergill becomes an island, but its private concession welcomes huge herds of elephant and buffalo, and an incredible variety of birdlife all year round.

Tucked into a cluster of old teak trees and overlooking a busy waterhole, Verney's Camp is the newest addition to the Machaba Safaris collection. Set in a 10,000-hectare private reserve in an extremely remote region of Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, the camp offers access to one of the area's most productive game regions. Verney's is intimate and smartly designed, classic in its simplicity, with modern touches that give it a fresh feel. Here you have every benefit of an expansive national park, with the added bonuses of a private concession – guided walks, night drives and exclusive access.

Changa sits in its own private concession with 4kms of frontage onto Lake Kariba, just east of Matusadona National Park. This area is wild and remote, well known for its big game (especially elephants, buffalo and hippos) and is perhaps the best tiger fishing destination in Africa. The lodge opened in 2012 and is amongst the most luxurious in this region - from the top level of service and exceptional food, to the intimacy that an eight-roomed camp affords. Here the staff make a special effort to enhance every moment of your stay.