Delicious Cuisine
Safari Foods and sundowners
Wherever you eat in Zimbabwe, the food will perfectly complement your surroundings. Whether you’re sitting under the stars by a roaring fire, after a day of safari or you’re on a dinner cruise along the Zambezi River, your taste buds shall be pleased. Generally, wildlife and safari activities are the main attraction for travelers visiting Africa. Sensational five-star dining in Zimbwean hotels and safari camps in the middle of nowhere is what we do very well.
In the luxurious safari camps, the quality of the dining will blow you away.
To start your day on safari, you’ll have an early morning wake up to beat the sun and catch wildlife when they’re the most active. When you’re ready, you’ll meet your group in the main lodge for coffee, biscuits, fruit, teas, and more before jumping into a Land Rover and heading out for safari. You can expect aromatic African coffees and a variety of rooibos teas to enjoy.- After a few hours of game drive exploring, you’ll take a mid-morning break to stretch your legs and grab a quick snack. Your ranger will pick a safe location to stop so that you can get out and explore a little on foot, while they set up the most wonderful spread of snacks (similar to the morning options mentioned) on a small table or on the front of the vehicle.
- Following your game drive, you’ll return to the lodge for a full breakfast: eggs, farm-fresh vegetables and fruit, incredible baked goods and more. For breakfast and brunch, you can expect anything from omelets to quiches with a variety of salads. Continental breakfast is also typically served with toast, sausage, pastries, charcuterie, cold meat, coffee, and tea. Cereals, fruits, bread, eggs, and cheese are also very common.
- A late lunch is the perfect preparation for the evening game drive. Expect international cuisine with African twists, such as beef sliders on roosterkoek or venison pies.
- After a late lunch guests usually have sundowners during their game drive. It is during the sundowner that your safari ranger quickly transforms into your bartender, offering delicious Gin & Tonics, assortments of beers (some great local choices include Savannah Dry Cider, Tusker, Castle Light and Kilimanjaro), or any wine, champagne or cocktail you’d like. You’ll watch the sunset, down your beverages/snacks, and then head back to the lodge.
- Dinner is when we really let the richness of safari cuisine shine through with warm, hearty dishes such as ostrich steak and sherry jus, or lamb curry with parsley rice, and sticky poached pears for dessert. You’ll enjoy dinner before you have a nightcap at the bar with your fellow safari-goers, and then it’s off to bed. In the morning you’ll repeat it all again.
A sundowner is a refreshing (alcoholic) drink taken at sunset in the African bush to end your afternoon in style: a so-called safari-inspired happy hour while enjoying the sunset in Africa. Many camps have their own unique and exclusive African sundowner places to see this magical occasion. Guests are encouraged to simply sit back, relax, and soak in the ambiance while listening to and watching the savanna’s wildlife during a sundowner. The majority of sundowner sites also provide fantastic photo opportunities.
When you are miles away from civilization and you’re closer to lions than other humans, you might not expect to find carefully crafted cocktails.
The perfect toast to the perfect day on safari is to indulge in a sparkling gin and tonic garnished with a sweet, zingy wedge of lime, swirled together with lots of ice.