Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park with a size of 14,651 sq km is the largest and most esteemed national park in Zimbabwe. It lies in the west along the main road between Bulawayo and the Victoria Falls; and one of the best venerated wildlife sanctuaries in the whole of Southern Africa. The park also lies close to the edge of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert.

Hwange Safari Zebra

Aside from the biodiversity, Hwange boasts an interesting variety of landscapes, with one part running alongside the North-eastern end of the Kalahari Desert.
Wild Animals
The factual asset of Hwange National Park is its wide variety of flora and fauna. The Park boasts a tremendous selection of wildlife. It is home to over 105 mammal species, including 19 large herbivores and eight large carnivores. The big five can all be found in Hwange, as well as many other predators. The population of wild dogs and elephants here are thought to be among the largest surviving groups in the world. The concentration of

Hwange Giraffes

Elephants are particularly enormous. Plenty of zebra and giraffe are easily seen wandering in the thick jungles of the park. Gemsbok and brown hyena also occur in sound numbers.

Bird life

Giraffe

400 species of birds are found here making it a bird watchers paradise, particularly in the wet season. Hwange remains the exclusive domain of the serious backpackers because of its good birding trails. Key species include the dwelling Kori Bustard and crowned cranes. Several are the seasonal birds. There are plenty more with long wispy tails, iridescent colours and loud squawking calls.
Things to See
Giant African Elephants – Thousands of elephants, over 100 different types animal species (All Zimbabwe’s specially protected animals are found in Hwange)
Exceptional Bird Life – Over 400 species of birds
Getting There
The park is situated strategically along the perfect Bulawayo – Victoria Falls tarmac main road. This enables self-drive visitors to the Park opportunity of easily accessing the park and game viewing from any perspective while on the drive.
Things to Do

• Horseback Safaris
• Night drives – from the private lodges deep into the thick jungles
• Bird Watching
• Over Night Camping at the waterholes

Visiting Seasons
Wet Season: Heavy rains peak during this time and the vegetation bursts into life. The area has a relatively low average rainfall of between 560-650 mm annually. Temperatures can reach over 38°C, while on average they range from 18-28°C. Bird tracking is spectacular during this time
Dry Season: Between June and October the temperature is hot during the day but drops to below freezing at night. This season presents best moment for game-viewing as animals congregate around the man-made waterholes for water.
Where to Stay
Hwange National Park has three permanent camps namely;
- Sinamatella –Set on an escarpment above a waterhole, overlooking miles of bush of the Park.
- Little Makalolo Camp: Lies within the Park
- Giraffe Springs Camp: It is situated in a private / secluded area overlooking one of the park’s large waterholes.
- Linkwasha Camp: The camp is set on a private area in the south-eastern zones of the Park. It overlooks the camp’s major waterhole.
- Little Linkwasha Camp: This 6-bedded camp is set in a private area in the south-eastern part the Park.
- Makalolo Plains Camp: One of the several Lodges situated in the neighbourhood of Hwange National Park
- The Main Camp – easily accessible by tarred road from the main Bulawayo–Victoria Falls road
- The Hide Camp: Situated within the Park, the Hide Camp boasts magnificent ambience to offer a luxury stay for visitors.
- Robins Camp – Remotely situated and may not have provisions or fuel.