Behind the scenes of The Grand Tour: One for the Road Final Episode in Zimbabwe
Written by Beth
The Grand Tour: One for the Road concluded its thrilling journey with a final episode set in the stunning landscapes of Zimbabwe. Launched in September 2024, this special episode gave fans an emotional farewell to the adventures of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. It is available exclusively worldwide on Amazon Prime Video. You can sign up here ¹.
To give you a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this unforgettable finale, we’ve curated a collection of photos from their last days of filming together. Discover the places they went, the incredible locations they explored, and the people who fuelled their journey through Zimbabwe. And if you haven’t seen it already, don’t miss the full list of Filming locations in The Grand Tour: One for the Road.
The filming of The Grand Tour: One for the Road was a massive undertaking involving numerous Zimbabwean travel businesses. After the strict secrecy during filming, some shared their experiences and photos after the episode aired. Here’s a collection of some of them …
Behind-the-scenes photos you might have missed on social media
A local safari guide legend chatting to Jeremy Clarkson on the banks of the Zambezi.
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A peek at the snacks for The Grand Tour crew while in the tea plantations of Nyanga, Zimbabwe.
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They certainly didn’t go hungry on One for the Road, as another celeb Zim chef shows.
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A Zimbabwean medical team was on hand too, and managed to get a few pics with Clarkson and May.
A pit stop on the road between Harare and Kariba Dam.
Another pic at Mana Pools National Park on the Zambezi river with some safari specialists.
You’ll remember the drone shot of Jezza and May sitting on this luxury balcony in the mountains. Here’s a photo taken from the other side.
The three cars pulling to a butchery & restaurant in for a break from their road trip in Zimbabwe. Perhaps they tried some biltong?
Great photo of Clarkson and May enjoying a laugh while looking for car parts (third pic in the post).
Clarkson enjoying a beverage while the safari guide keeps a lookout for crocodiles.
Chill time on the Zambezi.
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Apparently Clarkson loved the food in Zimbabwe as much as he loved the scenery.
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Runway alert! Scroll to the right for the second photo…
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One of the crew posted these beautiful photos from her time filming The Grand Tour in Zimbabwe.
Their three tents on the banks of the Zambezi river do look very cosy.
After shooting one of the most watched goodbyes of the year, what better than to wrap up with a cold beverage?
The following link won’t embed because it was posted on a (public) Facebook group, but some behind-the-scenes photos of the cars on their makeshift boats is on Facebook here.
The Grand Tour filming timeline: One for the Road
Let’s dive into the timeline for filming of The Grand Tour with information that was released before the episode aired …
8 December 2017: Clarkson expresses frustration at not being able to film in Zimbabwe for previous shows. About filming in southern Africa, Clarkson tells Entertainment Weekly: “You can do anything you like. Anything is possible. And it’s beautiful, the weather is lovely and you’re uninterrupted by any of the things that curse the western world. I love southern Africa, so filming there is a joy. Now, fingers crossed we’ll be able to go film in Zimbabwe next year now that that’s become available.” [Source]
13 April 2023: Jeremy Clarkson visits Zimbabwe on holiday in April 2023, where he is photographed in Victoria Falls gift shop The Orange Elephant buying a gift for his granddaughter. This is believed to have been a holiday and possibly a filming research trip for Clarkson, in anticipation of One for the Road.
20 September 2023: Jeremy Clarkson posts a photo of himself, Hammond and May on Instagram captioned “Good to be back”. They are standing in what we now know to be the Honde Valley near Nyanga National Park in Zimbabwe. Locals suggested that they are standing in front of a specific flamboyant tree (locally called ‘Pamufirimboyi’).
It’s believed that filming was taking place during this time.
Fun fact: If they had stuck around until October, this flamboyant tree would have looked even better, with vibrant red blooms on it.
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23 September 2023: Clarkson posts on Instagram with a caption stating: “The Grand Tour. Being grand”. Hammond and May are next to a tent at a riverside location. We now know this is in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe.
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30 September 2023: Zimbabwean newspaper Chronicle releases a statement that Victoria Falls Bridge would be closed between 10.30 am and 11.30 am “to facilitate a government-sanctioned filming project at the bridge.” By this time, Clarkson and the crew have been spotted at a number of locations around Zimbabwe. It is accepted that the filming project on the bridge is for The Grand Tour.
1 October 2023: The Three Monkeys restaurant in Victoria Falls post a photo of Clarkson, Hammond, May and staff to their socials, captioned “The Grand Tour at The Three Monkeys!
Welcome to Victoria Falls! ❤️”.
3 October 2023: Clarkson posts on Twitter “My profound thanks to the people and government of Zimbabwe for helping to make a very special Grand Tour special, very special. We absolutely adored everything about your country. Apart from the pot holes maybe.”.
My profound thanks to the people and government of Zimbabwe for helping to make a very special Grand Tour special, very special. We absolutely adored everything about your country. Apart from the pot holes maybe.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) October 3, 2023
3 October 2023: Clarkson posts on Instagram “BA have messed up our flight home so we are marooned here at a luxury camp in Botswana. With only 40 staff. It’s all about survival now.” It is clear that the crew have been filming in the neighbouring country of Botswana by this time.
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Would you like to go on your own Grand Tour across Zimbabwe?
You can follow the in the footsteps of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in a luxury expedition across Zimbabwe, guided by those who know this journey the best.
Mavros Safaris¹ is an African specialist safari operator with a particular passion for Zimbabwe. It was launched by the family behind the African luxury brand Patrick Mavros and represents the culmination of all the knowledge they have gained over five generations living on the African continent.
As the official itinerary creators for The Grand Tour¹, they offer three very special expeditions that take you on your very own tour where you can see the filming locations – and the wonders of Zimbabwe – for yourself:
- The Signature Expedition¹: private guided road trip expedition in the tracks of The Grand Tour
- The Grandest Tour¹: fly-in safari to the locations of The Grand Tour
- 4×4 The Tour¹: self-drive expedition in the tracks of The Grand Tour
Mavros Safaris¹ is one of our affiliates who I can highly recommend for bespoke luxury travel in Africa.
Great Zimbabwe Guide gives honest travel tips, information and inspiration about Zimbabwe, Africa. We share stories of Zimbabwe’s talented people, world-class wilderness & wildlife safari experiences, all wrapped up in an unmatched climate.
Do you have a question about visiting Zimbabwe? Start with the Quick-reference list of travel advice.
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PS – I found a version of Richard Hammond’s infamous safari suit on Amazon – check it out here¹!
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Also see the article: Quotes from The Grand Tour: One for the Road
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