16 days in Zimbabwe, Zambia & Malawi Itinerary

Tourism in Zimbabwe experienced a boost after the country's turbulent recent history seemed to settle down. Waterfalls, "Big Five" national parks, and the Eastern Highlands provide contrasting but complementary images of southern Africa, with the growing tourism infrastructure helping visitors see the best of what the country offers. Though corruption and unemployment remain everyday problems, the vast majority of Zimbabweans are a welcoming bunch, proud of the natural riches and culture of their hopeful country.

Landlocked Zambia remains best known, a little counter intuitively perhaps, for its bodies of water. Three large rivers run through the country, with most of the big urban areas and smaller settlements sticking close to waterways and the valleys they've cut over millennia. Holidays in Zambia are adventurous affairs, with real planning required to get the most out of the country--foreign visitors find the infrastructure lacking and familiar comforts practically nonexistent. Traditional villages remain the most culturally rewarding places to visit in Zambia, while superlative natural features include animal-rich national parks and picturesque waterfalls.

To find out how Malawi earned its nickname the "Warm Heart of Africa," just head to one of the country's little villages and ask for a place to stay. The reintroduction of lions in 2012 gave a much-needed boost to Malawi tourism sector, with safaris across the diverse natural landscape increasingly more popular and varied. The Great Rift topography gives the country some of its main scenic features, including one of the continent's largest lakes, a focus of many adventurous Malawi holidays.