Advice needed: Zimbabwe Trip August/September 2020

[Stefanie]

Hello everyone! Thank you very much for this amazing forum!

We're a couple from Switzerland, planning a 4-week trip to Zimbabwe in August/September 2020. This would be our 6th camping trip to Southern Africa. We have done 8 weeks Namibia, Botswana and South Africa last year. I've been to Victoria Falls about ten years ago, but haven't traveled through the rest of Zimbabwe.

Most probably we'll be travelling from Windhoek in a Landcruiser Bushcamper, entering Zimbabwe through Pandamatenga and finishing the trip in Jo'burg, SA. We plan on 'doing' Hwange, Mana Pools and Gonarezhou, maybe Chizarira and Matusadona as well.

Is it possible to travel without reservations at this time of year? Or possibly only make reservations in some places, but not everywhere? Attached is our temporary route plan...

What do you think about the route? Is it doable? What would you change?

We're a bit worried about provisions, fuel and road conditions...

We might skip Matusadona and add some nights at Hwange and/or Mana Pools. Would this be possible spontaneously?

Are the exclusive Campsites usually fully booked in August/September? Or do we have a chance as walk-in clients (which is much less expensive)? We checked that we miss the game counts - less people?

Was are your general recommendations?

Thank you very much for your advice.
Stefanie & Daniel

[LLG]

Hello everyone! Thank you very much for this amazing forum!We're a couple from Switzerland, planning a 4-week trip to Zimbabwe in August/September 2020. This would be our 6th camping trip to Southern Africa. We have done 8 weeks Namibia, Botswana and South Africa last year. I've been to Victoria Falls about ten years ago, but haven't traveled through the rest of Zimbabwe.Most probably we'll be travelling from Windhoek in a Landcruiser Bushcamper, entering Zimbabwe through Pandamatenga and finishing the trip in Jo'burg, SA. We plan on 'doing' Hwange, Mana Pools and Gonarezhou, maybe Chizarira and Matusadona as well.Is it possible to travel without reservations at this time of year? Or possibly only make reservations in some places, but not everywhere? Attached is our temporary route plan...What do you think about the route? Is it doable? What would you change?We're a bit worried about provisions, fuel and road conditions...We might skip Matusadona and add some nights at Hwange and/or Mana Pools. Would this be possible spontaneously?Are the exclusive Campsites usually fully booked in August/September? Or do we have a chance as walk-in clients (which is much less expensive)? We checked that we miss the game counts - less people?Was are your general recommendations?Thank you very much for your advice.Stefanie & Daniel

[LLG]

There is a nice selfdrive guide tour in Goranhoza the 21 till 27 Sept .Google "Blue Rhino tours" with Chris van Niekerk.Best

[TonyC]

Hi LLG,Have you made use of Blue Rhino Tours?Looking for reputable opertaor.Thanks Tony

[River Rat]

We were in Gonarezhou in September last year and all the exclusive camps were fully booked but there was space at Chipinda pools. The camps that I would recommend are Directors, Chilojo and Chimulavatu.

[MikevR]

Hi StephanieI suggest you confirm all your bookings ASAP. Bookings are already filling up. Remember Gonarezhou you must book directly with them

[Topi]

Hi Stefanie,
as we spent our holidays already 3 times in Zim I must say that MikevR's advice is right: If it is important for you to get some of the exclusive camps you should not loose more time and book. I can't speak for Gonarhezou as we haven't travel there yet, but last year we booked with walk-in-rates (25 US$) for Hwange NP at Robins Camp mid March and couldn't get all camps as we wanted. So for in the peak season I guess they are fully booked. Our favorites would be Masuma and Ngweshla, both in very different regions of the park. If you can't get any of these Camps you should not worry, because Tourism in Zim is so low in the Moment that the public campsites will not be crowded.
For Mana Pool booking is essential if you want to stay at Chitake but with some luck it might be possible to get an exclusive campsite on walk-in-base as the place is more remote in the northern part of the country. But the sites in Nyamepi are also mainly situated at the bank of the Zambezi.
For your estimated plan of your trip I must say there are some long driving days included and you must consider how to handle the fuel shortages in the country. On your way to the border of Pandamatenga you find a Fuelstation only 1 km away from the junction where you can finally fill up. Last year we drove into Hwange NP with 6 Jerrycans on the roof and they where all empty at our arrival in Vic Fall where we managed to buy 20 L at the black market (Diesel nowhere!) So driving to Mana could also be a risk.
Happy planning though and feel free to ask further questions!
Topi

[LLG]

Hi LLG,Have you made use of Blue Rhino Tours?Looking for reputable opertaor.Thanks Tony

Yes I did a trip with him 2014 to Botswana.Look at his Web on Google.Yes ,I like him,very very good and very nice.If touring Garongoza,I will do it with him.You can mail him as well. On his web youll see all his trips.

[bugsplatter]

Hi LLG,Have you made use of Blue Rhino Tours?Looking for reputable opertaor.Thanks Tony

We have been on two trips with Chris van Niekerk (Blue Rhino tours). Our first was to the Serengetti with him which was his first trip there in 2014.
Our second was to Central Kalahari (Botswana).

We can highly recommend Chris who is a reputable and knowledgeable tour operator.

Bugs & Marilyn Theunissen
Kloof (KZN) South Africa