Where Wonder Still Exists: Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls, Ancient Baobabs & Life in the Wild

Coming down from the emotional high of celebrating my 45th birthday in Botswana, I headed to Zimbabwe for what I originally thought would be a quick stop to see the Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

I had only planned two nights in Zimbabwe. Looking back now, it feels far too short.

After crossing from Botswana into Zimbabwe, I arrived at The Wallow Lodge tucked inside Victoria Falls National Park. I stayed in one of their luxury tents overlooking a quiet stream where elephants and water buffalo wandered freely throughout the day. It was technically camping, but in the most glamorous way possible, high-luxury glamping with beautiful interiors, incredible hospitality, and a feeling of being completely immersed in nature all at once.

The staff casually mentioned that we were also in leopard territory, which somehow made the experience feel even wilder and more magical.

That first evening, I boarded a sunset cruise along the Zambezi River, sipping wine and chatting with fellow travelers as we watched the sky turn gold while wildlife moved quietly along the shoreline.

Later that night, I fell asleep to the sounds of the bush around me.

No traffic. No city noise.
Just Africa.

The following morning, I visited Victoria Falls, and nothing could have prepared me for the sheer scale of it. The mist was so intense in some areas that it felt like standing in a rainstorm. By the end, I was completely soaked and honestly didn’t care at all. It was breathtaking in every possible way.

As we walked through the rainforest surrounding the falls, my guide laughed because I kept stopping to photograph the trees instead of the waterfalls. I joked that I’m basically a tree-hugging hippie and could happily spend hours admiring giant trees.

That comment must have stayed with him because later that day, he surprised me with something incredible: a 1,200-year-old baobab tree. Standing beneath something that ancient felt emotional in a way I can’t fully explain. Africa has a way of making you feel both incredibly small and deeply connected to the world at the same time.

Before leaving Zimbabwe, I told my guide there was still one animal I hoped to see in the wild: spotted hyenas. So we spent hours driving through Zambezi National Park searching for them. Along the way, we watched elephants slowly make their way to a watering hole, spotted zebras grazing in the distance, and came across a massive herd of water buffalo resting beneath the trees, seemingly unbothered by the afternoon heat.

But despite hours of searching, we never found the hyenas.

And somehow, that felt fitting too.

Safari isn’t always about checking animals off a list. Sometimes it’s about the search itself. The anticipation. The stillness. The feeling that anything could appear around the next corner.

And honestly, maybe not seeing hyenas simply gave me the perfect excuse to return to Africa someday.

Zimbabwe left its mark on me in a way I never expected.

The wildlife. The people. The ancient baobabs. The thunderous power of Victoria Falls. The quiet moments in nature that somehow stay with you long after you leave.

My time there was brief, but the feeling it left behind feels lasting.