Exploring without guides

The Falls have a park around them. You don't need a guide, as its basically the edge of teh falls.

The town of Vic Falls is where the peddlars probably are.

Yes - there are predators with sharp teeth in the parks. Stay at a lodge that caters for backpackers, and provides guided tours for groups.

Hi generally you are not permitted to hike alone in wildlife parks, for obvious reasons, it would be extremely foolish to attempt to hike in a wildlife park without the knowledge of the area and of wildlife that a guide has, when walking a guide will always be armed, and there may be more than one, depending on the regulations. Some parks allow you to drive yourself. Guides are not expensive, and by not using a guide you are depriving a local of income. Even experienced guides get it wrong some times, sadly a guide in Majete NP in Malawi was killed by an ele last year during an on foot tracking safari when he bravely distracted a charging ele that they unexpectedly came across in the bush, despite their size eles can be almost invisible in thick bush and he didn’t have time to shoot before the ele got to him. Because of this, on foot tracking safaris have been discontinued in this park until at least a safer procedure can be developed. Only the park rangers are currently allowed to track on foot. There are no predators in this park, but eles turned out to be just as deadly.
There are several parks in Malawi where there are no large predators where unaccompanied hiking is allowed; there may be some in Zambia/Zimbabwe, but that I don’t know.
Ivan.

Thanks so much for your replies, Peter and Ivan. This is very helpful.

Yes, I understand that in the wildlife parks it's not safe or sensible to go without a guide. Besides wildlife areas, though, is there anywhere else besides Victoria Falls where one can hike independently? Or is Victoria Falls the main place?

Thank you again!

Hi,

Victoria Falls you can see without a guide. There are three clearly marked paths that essentially take you to different viewpoints - but it is not really "hiking".

As others have said in National Parks that have game e.g. South Luangwa, Kafue, Lower Zambezi you cannot walk alone and indeed are not supposed to get out of your vehicle at all.

You can do multiday hikes (with rangers/guides) in some parks (eg South Luangwa) but these are run by top end safari companies and are ferociously expensive (ie $500 a day). You can also do a guided walk as an alternative to a guided game drive (again with a ranger and guide). Lots of the camps in and around parks offer these These would usually last 3 or 4 hours and cost about $40 plus park fees.

You can very easily drive into any of these parks and explore without a guide. That would be the norm in fact.

If you want to do some walking for walkings sake rather than to view game you could look at somewhere like Mutinondo Wilderness in the north for example. You can hike there without a guide and it is a lovely spot (though even if you are allowed to walk alone stay aware - a lion passing through Mutinondo polished off one of their horses last year...)

If you do the walking safaris or hike with a guide, you will learn more about the surrounding area through your guide that you would on your own. It is also safer to have a trained guide to protect you in case of a dangerous situation. I did a walking safari on my recent trip to Zambia and would suggest you use a guide. There is a lot of possible great guided hikes/walking safaris round the Vic Falls area including the rhino walk were you get up to a few metres away from these incredible animals.

Hi there!
Basically yes it is very foolish to try any hiking in big game areas without an experienced and armed guide. Outside of the National parks though there are wonderful areas along the banks of the Upper Zambezi. Tiger Fishing lodges surrounded by cultural land with no threat of big game, only snakes and spiders etc.
If you want I will gladly name a few places where this is possible within a safe distance of a lodge but far removed from civilisation.

Hi there, when i was 16 and the first time I was away from the UK without parents i was in Zambia, we stayed in a hotel very close to the Falls and explored the Falls extensivly without guides, use your commen sense and dont climb close/into the water or go anywhere marked danger and be careful, the grass can be very slippy although I was there in rainy season. :)
We even climbed over the fence to get INTO the park with the falls in it before it opened to see the sunrise over the falls.

Many of the parks in Zimbabwe do not require a guide or park ranger to walk with you. However, if you don't have the experience, be sure your will is updated and your insurance is paid. It takes years of training for a Zimbabwe guide to be licensed, for good reason.