Zimbabwe is one of Southern Africa’s most enriching safari destinations, but it’s not defined by one single highlight. For Rhino Africa Travel Expert Jan Suhr, it is a country he keeps coming back to in conversation – one that has earned a permanent place in his recommendations. From the world's largest waterfall to the serene moments along the Zambezi River, each part of the journey offers something different, and together they create a safari that feels deeply connected to the landscape. Here's how Zimbabwe became one of Jan's favourite safari experiences.
Jan and fellow Rhino Africa colleagues en route to Zimbabwe, Image Credit: Jan Suhr
The Landmarks
Zimbabwe is home to some of Africa's largest national parks. And while they're well known, some destinations are easiest to understand through a few clear memories. For Jan, the following three moments defined Zimbabwe.
The Falls, Every Time
Jan has stood at Victoria Falls more than once, and he will be the first to tell you that it does not get smaller. The spray reaches you before you even get near the viewpoint, the sound arrives even before the spray, and then the curtain opens on the world's largest sheet of falling water – a powerful cascade that reverberates through the land.
But what he loves most about the falls is not only their scale but everything that surrounds them: the rainforest walkways, the rainbows forming and dissolving in the mist, the way the whole landscape has been shaped by their long presence. Victoria Falls River Lodge is Jan's chosen place to stay. It gives him somewhere to absorb all that wonder – close enough to feel the energy, private enough to step away from it.
On a Zimbabwe safari, this stop is an absolute must.
"No matter whether it's during the dry season, when parts of the Falls are dry, and the dramatic rock gorge becomes visible, or in full flood, they remain one of the most unique natural wonders in the world. Standing there is impressive every single time." – Jan
Witnessing a natural world wonder in all its glory, Image Credit: Jan Suhr
Why He Loves Mana Pools
Of all Zimbabwe's landscapes, Mana Pools is the one Jan finds hardest to describe to someone who has not been. Set along the banks of the Zambezi River, the park's channels and floodplains draw wildlife to the water's edge and open up a style of safari that feels nothing like a classic game drive.
Time on the river by canoe is where it crystallises. At water level, perspective flattens, and intimacy deepens. Wildlife is no longer framed through a windscreen but encountered eye to eye, in a space that feels shared rather than observed. The river moves around you. The animals move with it. You stop feeling like an audience.
"Canoeing on the Zambezi gives you a completely different perspective on the landscape and wildlife compared to classic game drives. You feel as though you're right in the middle of everything." – Jan
Experiencing Zimbabwe from a new perspective in Mana Pools, Image Credit: Savannah St Claire
Chikwenya Camp holds the tone of Mana Pools well – open, personal, positioned closely along the river. But the moments Jan still reaches for from this place happened after dark. Around the fire, guides talked about the bush, about animals they knew by name, about their own lives. The night sounds came in from every direction. It is the kind of evening, he says, that makes everything else on the trip feel worth it.
"One of my highlights was the evenings around the fire – the conversations, the laughter, and the sounds of the African night created an atmosphere that stayed with me long after leaving." – Jan
There's nothing quite like a sunset cruise along the Zambezi River, Image Credit: Jan Suhr
Hwange: An Ode to Classic Safari Life
Hwange National Park is where Jan's favourite Zimbabwe story lives. Zimbabwe's largest national park holds some of Africa's biggest elephant herds, and Wilderness Linkwasha – set above a waterhole that never really goes quiet – is the kind of place where good sightings arrive throughout the day without any sense of chase or hurry.
But the moment Jan comes back to most is smaller and stranger than any elephant herd. Sitting in the back of the vehicle toward dusk, something caught his eye – a shape that did not quite fit, a movement at the edge of the fading light. He asked to go back. They reversed slowly. And there it was: a pangolin.
It was a sighting so rare that many seasoned guides go years without one. Jan had simply been paying attention – not chasing, not expecting – and the bush handed him something extraordinary in return. That, he will tell you, is what Zimbabwe does. It rewards the traveller who is not in a hurry. The moments that last are rarely the ones you planned for.
The pangolin Jan spotted – a special encounter, Image Credit: Jan Suhr
The People, Above Everything
Ask Jan what he loves most about Zimbabwe, and he will not start with the wildlife. He will start with the people.
Across every camp and every landscape, what he experiences most consistently is the warmth – guides who talk about the bush the way you speak about something you genuinely love, camp teams whose welcome feels natural rather than rehearsed. The evenings around the fire, rangers sharing stories while the night sounds carry in from the dark – these are the moments, he says, where Zimbabwe stops feeling like a destination and starts feeling personal.
"What stands out most in Zimbabwe is the warmth and sincerity of the people. They made me feel at home very quickly. Throughout all the lodges we visited, guides and staff shared stories about the bush, local culture, and daily life in a way that created a real connection." – Jan
Campfire conversations are highlights of every classic safari experience, Image Credit: Jan Suhr
What Zimbabwe Actually Gives You
Falls, river, herds, a pangolin at dusk, fire, conversation. Jan's Zimbabwe is not a single story but several, held together by a country that does not try too hard and does not need to.
For travellers who want space, genuine wildness, and the kind of welcome that turns a long journey into something worth remembering, Zimbabwe rewards in ways that are difficult to anticipate and easy to underestimate.
Jan has seen a great deal of Africa. Zimbabwe is one of the countries he recommends first when the brief is right.
Wildlife sightings are nothing short of magic in Zimbabwe, Image Credit: Jan Suhr
Ready For Your Very Own Zimbabwe Safari?
If Zimbabwe sounds like the right fit for your next journey, Jan can help shape a route that matches your time, budget, and travel style. Reach out today, and let’s start planning!
