INDIA’S TRAVEL LIVE BRINGS TOURIST GROUPS TO VICTORIA FALLS AND HWANGE
Zimbabwe is steadily emerging as a preferred African destination for Indian travellers, with a growing number now choosing the country over more traditional safari markets. The trend was underscored in May and June 2026, when Kolkata-based tour operator Travel Live brought two tour groups of 35 visitors each to Zimbabwe, marking one of the more notable recent examples of Indian outbound interest in the country’s tourism offering.
The travellers have been experiencing some of Zimbabwe’s leading attractions, with Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park forming the centrepiece of their itineraries. Both sites rank among the country’s two most visited destinations, drawing visitors with the raw power of the Zambezi River’s plunge at the Falls and the vast elephant and buffalo herds that roam Hwange, Zimbabwe’s largest national park.
The Indian groups’ Zimbabwean experience began even before they reached their first lodge. They arrived in the country through Victoria Falls International Airport and the Kazungula Border Post, where they were met with hospitality arrangements designed to welcome them. For many first-time visitors to Southern Africa, that initial point of entry often sets the tone for the rest of the trip, and tourism officials have pointed to these early interactions as a key part of Zimbabwe’s broader appeal.
Industry observers note that the visit reflects a wider shift in how Indian travellers are approaching long-haul holidays, with growing numbers gravitating toward nature-based and experiential travel rather than conventional sightseeing circuits. Victoria Falls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “the smoke that thunders,” continues to anchor most itineraries on the Zimbabwean side, offering activities ranging from white-water rafting and bungee jumping to scenic helicopter flights over the falls. From there, visitors typically transfer to Hwange, roughly two hours by road, for multi-day game drives focused on the park’s renowned elephant populations.
For Zimbabwe’s tourism sector, the arrival of larger Indian tour groups signals more than a one-off booking. It points to the potential of group travel from a market of over a billion people, many of whom are increasingly seeking longer, more immersive African holidays rather than short stopovers. Where earlier travel patterns from India often favoured destinations like South Africa or Kenya, operators such as Travel Live appear to be positioning Zimbabwe as a standalone, multi-attraction destination capable of anchoring an entire holiday itinerary on its own.
The development comes as Zimbabwe’s tourism authorities continue to court new source markets beyond traditional feeder countries in Europe and North America. With direct regional flight connections into Victoria Falls and well-established overland routes through neighbouring Botswana and Zambia, the country is increasingly positioning itself as an accessible, diverse, and authentic gateway into African travel, one that growing numbers of Indian tourists now appear eager to explore.
