Zimbabwe

Ask safari professionals where the best guides in Africa come from and the answer is almost always Zimbabwe. The training here is legendary, and it changes everything about your trip: every drive, walk and canoe trip becomes a masterclass. The country gives those guides plenty to work with. Hwange's elephant herds number in the tens of thousands. Mana Pools is pure wilderness on the Zambezi, where you can canoe past hippos and walk among old bull elephants that have known people all their lives. And Victoria Falls needs no introduction, only time. Lodges are excellent value compared to neighbours, and the welcome is among the warmest anywhere. Zimbabwe rewards travellers who look past headlines. Those who do tend to become lifelong regulars.