FAMILY BREAKS IN ZIMBABWE
5 unique game reserves in Zimbabwe
What could be better than a weekend away nestled amongst nature and wildlife? I have put together a list of my top 5 kid friendly Game Reserves within 30–40kms of Harare. There are, of course many more beautiful locations around Zimbabwe although I love the fact that these are within an hour’s drive away.
Many of the places listed below consist of authentic African style lodges for overnight stays and they all usually serve warm, delicious home-made meals & teas throughout the day. Daily & all inclusive rates are offered at each lodge. The reserves are all involved in incredible wildlife conservation projects for the well-being of wildlife and local community.
1) IMIRE RHINO & WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
My personal favourite has definitely been Imire. Their day-trips include a generous spread of scones, brownies, teas & coffees before a 3 hour safari drive (every mum loves having something baked for them☺️).
After an hour into the game-drive, which includes seeing a (caged) lion and free roaming giraffes/zebras/elephants and rhino, the safari truck is then parked in a beautiful, scenic rocky area and a hearty lunch is served in the bush.
Our hot meal included local sadza, meat curries, breads, exotic salads and desserts served with a wine and beers depending on your preference! However, it doesn’t end there…whilst you munch away on your food, you have beautiful majestic elephants standing nearby. You are allowed to feed and pet them too (didn’t think ‘pet’ and elephant would ever really be in the same sentence!).
On the drive back to the main lodge, we met a herd of buffalo who are “lead” by a feisty female elephant (nope this isn’t a typo!) & if I have my facts correct, she grew up with the buffalo herd as there were no other elephants in the reserve at one point. At a later stage she found it extremely traumatic trying to transition over to her fellow elephants, hence she continues her life as a “buffalo”! There are stranger things that have happened (I suppose!!).
All in all it was a fantastic full day out as a family (we dragged the grandparents, uncle & aunty too)! I continue to recommend Imire to anyone looking for a quick family getaway.
Here is a link to their website for further information: http://www.imire.co.zw/
Here is a link to the Imire wildlife conservation programme:http://www.imire.co.zw/support/
THETFORD GAME RESERVE
As a family with a one year old at the time, this was an ideal location. Thetford Game Reserve is only 30 minutes away & we had booked a beautiful self-catering, four bedroom lodge with a large lounge, kitchen, dining area and our own swimming pool. Perfect living for a few nights with family and children.
The self-catering aspect is a bit tiresome in preparing the food/snacks for 3 days beforehand however it is worth its while as it creates fabulous family bonding sessions having drinks and late afternoon braais (braai=barbecue). To keep things simple during the day, we made large batch scrambled eggs & beans for breakfast & light sandwiches for lunch.
With limited access to internet we really focused on family activities, like kicking around a ball in the large garden, swimming and for the adults sipping on wine and absorbing nature. We even had four beautiful giraffes peek over our fence for a little nose around!
On our final day we took a 1 hour drive around the reserve & our guide gave some interesting history & information on the wildlife there. The only animal that I recall as being “fenced off” was an enormous buffalo! He was a real happy fella & my son was so excited that we were allowed to feed him too 😊
The rates here are extremely reasonable & it really is a fantastic place to go as a group of friends with kids or as a large family!
Here is a link to their website for further information: http://thetfordgamereserve.com/
WILD IS LIFE
This is a stunning experience – although unlike the rest, bookings are only for a 3 hour late afternoon experience and no overnight stay.
We booked our Wild Is Life experience as an anniversary date, however it is completely relevant for children. We will definitely be taking our son in the future. It is usually 3–3.5 hours long & includes an interactive guided walking tour through the park. You have a chance to interact with the elephants and feed the giraffe, however the most exciting moment for me was seeing a pangolin. They are the humblest of creatures and look like tiny dinosaurs! Sadly they are an endangered species & this particular one had a guard for him 24/7 as he was the only one in the reserve.
In between the tour there is a fantastic spread of teas/cakes and coffees and a lovely session of champagne and canapés at sunset once the tour is complete – I would suggest to add on the sundowners session as it’s worth the extra few dollars just to relax and enjoy the views of giraffe, zebra and buck a few metres away.
Here is a link to their website for further information: http://www.wildislife.com/
PAMUZINDA & CHENGETA LODGES
These two lodges are part of the same parent group and run a similar style of day trips and overnight stays. We only selected to do a lion tour day trip & lunch. Beats sitting at home clearing the shed ! 😆
I believe these lodges are a fabulous day out for the family at affordable rates. The staff at Pamuzinda go above and beyond to make the day special for you. If you plan your timings then aim to try out the full on buffet style lunch once your morning activities are complete.
Here is a link to their website for further information: http://dunhuramambo.com/lodges/pamuzinda/
