We were undecided due to the cost of crossing borders about doing both sides. However in the end we were very pleased we did both. The view is much different on the other side. Also our guide Del was lovely. The immigration and park costs make this tour very expensive. However the views I believe were better on the Zambian side. And you wouldn’t cross the border without a guide either. So overall our experience was good and made better buy having a guide to make the crossing quicker and easier for us.

A safari trip is no easy task to plan, and I'm glad I chose Cuckoo to help! I honestly had no clue where to start, but came across Cuckoo, and appreciated that they had clear itineraries and prices listed right from the get-go instead of having to inquire, so that I was able to use that as a benchmark as I looked at other options. Once I reached out, communications were quick and Tatenda was able to address all the questions I had, including around customizing the tour. The deposit was easy and can be paid with card. I ended up with the 8-day trip that includes visits to Vic Falls, Chobe, the Nwetwe Pan, and the Okavango Delta including a helicopter ride, which was amazing. The pickups and transfers were mostly seamless and clear, and everyone I interacted with from Cuckoo were lovely (Louis, Shelton, and a different Tatenda). The lodging started out strong at the Shongwe in Vic Falls, but did slowly go downhill as the trip went on. I would ask to swap out Cresta in Maun if I were to do this tour again. In terms of the itinerary and the activities, I think it is generally well planned with a good balance between early starts and more relaxed days, but would recommend an extra night at Planet Baobab to avoid a very long day (5 hours on bumpy roads in an open air Land Cruiser, then another 2 to Maun, then the helicopter ride) and having some time to actually enjoy the facilities there (I'd swap it too but I don't think there are other options in that area). When I come back to this region of Africa, I would definitely work with Cuckoo again and would recommend them to anyone!

We had an excellent experience with Cuckoo Safaris who arranged an 8-day Safari across Zimbabwe and Botswana. We were a group of 10 (two families with kids ranging age 11 to 15 years old) and we traveled in August 2024. We experienced spectacular game drives across several major parks where we saw an amazing array of animals, including a plethora of elephants, lions, leopard, zebra, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, wildebeest, cape buffalo, impala, warthogs, plus lots of interesting birds. Interspersed with the game drives were really fun activities like an evening dinner cruise down the Zambezi river, a feast fit for a king during a cookout under the stars at one of the game parks, and a helicopter flight over the Okavanka Delta. What really made the trip fabulous was our guide, Simon, who regaled us with fascinating stories about the animals, as well as educating us about the local customs and culture of the people. He made the whole experience come to life – we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. We highly recommend Cuckoo Safaris, both for overall experience and value for money. They were responsive throughout our trip and flexible if we wanted to make tweaks to the itinerary. The only issue we had was in the Okavango Delta after Simon was no longer with us - the tour guide person who was supposed to meet us, Veronica, did not show up. Another person came the next day (Lwe) and he was very good.

I went with Cuckoo for all three of our activities because they got great reviews and am so happy we did! They give you a quality experience and it’s so much more personable! We’ve traveled to over 60 countries and the three tours we booked with Cuckoo Safaris are at the top of our list of incredible experiences. The morning of this tour our driver picked us up and advised us that it would be around a 60 minute drive to get to the boarder. Along the way we were treated with a mini safari of giraffes, kudu and elephants! The driver would stop so we could take photos and never made us feel rushed. Once at the boarder he walked us into the immigration and the whole process was quick and easy! Make sure to get a multiple entry visa!! We walked 10 steps and our guide and driver in Botswana was there to collect us and drive us to the immigration office on that side. Easy process! We were taken to a gorgeous resort where we boarded a small boat that seats 16 max. I think we were lucky going during a slower season as it was just us and a family of three on the boat. There were many boats on the water and some really big ones but the small boats got you so much closer to the wildlife. We spent 3 hours on the water and the time flew by! Lunch was back at this gorgeous resort. Buffet but lots of selection and yummy. I forgot my iPhone charger and the front desk will charge your phone for you. The land tour through Chobe was also just as great! We had a safari vehicle with a top and it was a life saver under the hot sun. So much wildlife and our driver was not only funny but truly got us the best angles to see the animals and we never felt rushed. We were also really lucky and were the only two people in the safari vehicle that day. Crazy!! Incredible day tour to Botswana!! Highly recommend

Great trip from start to finish. Our driver, Luwis, was amazing. He went out of his way to make sure our trip was enjoyable. The tour guides in Victoria Falls and Zambia, Sheldon, and Martha were very informative and friendly. The safari in Chobi National Park was great, seeing the wildlife up close and the river safari also great. Accommodation was comfortable with very friendly staff. Highly recommend.

Cuckoo Safaris were fantastic from the time we landed until the time we departed. We were delayed in arrivals for more than 2 hours and worried our driver might not wait, but head office replied immediately and changed our program to ensure we arrived on time for our river cruise. We were so happy to see our driver Lewis waiting for us. For our entire stay Lewis was wonderful and couldn’t do enough to make our time in Victoria Falls special. Gift was our driver in Chobe and showed us some great sights. Sheldon took us through Victoria falls and was fun and very interesting and informative. Martha took us on the Zambia side, and was great, very friendly with us. Simon drove us to Boma for dinner and he was very entertaining and friendly. I highly recommend this company and all of their staff.

From the time we touched down at the airport we were treated professionally. Our driver - Luwis was absolutely amazing and he could not do enough to ensure our trip was special. His car was spotlessly clean and he was always on time. Luwis provided us with amazing information about his country and the experiences we were having. The trip to Chobe was fantastic with us seeing many of the big 5- being up close with the lions was incredible and the river Safari did not disappoint. Our trip the Victoria falls with Sheldon was spectacular with Sheldon providing us with information to educate us about both the flora and fauna and the history of the falls. Martha then took over our tour on the Zambia side of the falls and was equally amazing. The visit to the local village and the drum and dance night was brilliant. It was so wonderful to have Luwis as our driver for the whole trip. He was truly amazing - his driving skills were excellent and he constantly tried to make our trip special. Our accommodation at Dzimbabwe lodge was perfect with wonderful staff and facilities.

Martha was very knowledgeable and friendly about the falls on the Zambia side . I can’t remember the driver’s name. He was wonderful as well. Due to the unexpected cost of immigration each time you cross the boarder, we decided not to see the falls on the Zimbabwe side. $30 USD/ person from Zambia to Zimbabwe each time you cross. It is more affordable to get multiple entry. Separate admission entry fees to enter the falls. Zimbabwe cost $50 USD/person.

We had a fabulous trip to Zimbabwe and Botswana with Simon and Tatenda. From the moment we were picked up at the airport until we said goodbye, we were treated kindly and professionally. This was not our first safari, so we knew what to expect and were never disappointed. The air-conditioned car was a pleasant, comfortable surprise, and the open air safari vehicles were what we expected. Highlights were tracking rhinos on foot at Matobo, seeing a leopard at Chobe, and chilling with meekcats at the Pans. A few days lunch was just a bag of chips and a drink, but this is Africa, with limited fast food on long drives. On actual safari game drives, we had local guides from subcontracted companies; all were excellent. Thanks for a wonderful trip. I highly recommend Cuckoo Safari!

Incredible company and service!! I researched tour companies and things to do and this unique tour option appeared. From the beginning they were quick to respond to all my questions and I ended up booking 3 tours with them and this was the first and our introduction to Zimbabwe. We were picked up at our lodge by Shelton on time and taken to the Zambia border which is a short 10 minute drive, he explained what was needed and the whole process was quick and easy just make sure you get a multiple entry visa when you arrive!! Once out of immigration Shelton handed us off to Martha our Zambian guide with two bottles of water (so thoughtful) and off we drove to the entrance of Victoria Falls Zambia. It’s $20 per person to enter on the Zambia side. Martha has so much knowledge, she took us to every stop where she talked about the falls and we took a million photos and after we were able to walk back across the bridge to Zimbabwe and watch the bungee jumpers. Shelton met us again at immigration, there was a short line but it moved quickly. Once at the entrance of Victoria Falls Zimbabwe we had to pay $50 per person entry. Shelton was just as great and so knowledgeable. My husband is a big fan of birds and Africa does not disappoint and Shelton knew so many different bird species! The falls are much more intense on the Zimbabwe side but when it’s 5,600 ft long we felt it was incredible to see it from all sides! Thank you Cuckoo Safaris for an amazing start to our stay in Victoria Falls. Worth every penny!

Very well organized tour, which gives you the chance to see and enjoy the main highlights of the region! Special mention for my driver Simon, who was arranging everything perfectly!

Great tour and very well explained on both sides. We had Martha and John explaining the Zambia/livingstone side. Very detailed, knew the history, knew the facts and were great. For Zimbabwe we had Simon, what a legend. Great character, easily contactable, knew all the details and made the tour very enjoyable.

We found our 7 day trip with Cuckoo Safaris to be an incredible value. Traveling to this area is not cheap however Cuckoo gives you a very competitive price while also providing excellent service. Prior to traveling Cuckoo answered all our questions in a very timely fashion. The trip itself was well organized. We visited Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, Hwange National Park, and Matobo National Park. Each park has it's own character and was a different experience from the previous spot. The hotels and lodges that we stayed at were excellent. Luxurious with great food. Finally, our guide Simon made sure that our trip went as smoothly as possible He was in constant commnication with us via WhatsApp and was able to accomodate all of our last minute whims while still keeping us on schedule. All in all, I would definately recommend Cuckoo Safaris to anyone who wants an individual tour at a reasonable price.

Excellent value for money with great experiences. You're in good hands with them, everything ran smoothly from arrangement, payment to execution and communication. Tatenda and Simon handled everything wonderfully. Highly recommended!

A wonderful experience. No wonder that people from all over the world come to see the big fall. You feel a heartbeat of the earth.