Cool Dry Winter
High23°C
Rain0mm
Frosty early mornings, sunny clear days. Wildlife clusters at pumped waterholes.
Hwange National Park
Track giant elephant herds, lion prides, and the endangered painted wolf packs across Zimbabwe's largest national park.
- Region
- Matabeleland North, Southern Zimbabwe
- Getting there
- Light aircraft charter from Victoria Falls (35 mins) / Road transfer (~3.5 hours)
- Known for
- Vast Wilderness & Waterhole Hides
01Explorer Journal
Why travel to Hwange National Park
"The waterholes are the stage of Hwange. To sit in a sunken hide while a hundred elephants drink feet away is to feel the heartbeat of the bush."
Hwange is Zimbabwe's largest national park (roughly the size of Belgium) and one of the great elephant strongholds of Africa, with populations estimated in the tens of thousands during the dry season when they congregate around pumped waterholes. It's also home to large prides of lion, healthy populations of buffalo, giraffe, and one of the better chances on the continent to see African wild dog and the elusive painted wolf packs that roam its woodlands.
What sets Hwange apart for Zambezi Thunder is proximity: it's close enough to Victoria Falls to combine easily — either via a scenic light-aircraft transfer (around 30-45 minutes) or a road transfer — making it the natural "safari extension" for travellers who want falls plus a genuine bush experience without a long-haul repositioning flight. Camps here range from intimate owner-run tented camps to larger lodges, many built around their own private waterholes for exceptional sundowner game viewing.
What sets Hwange apart for Zambezi Thunder is proximity: it's close enough to Victoria Falls to combine easily — either via a scenic light-aircraft transfer (around 30-45 minutes) or a road transfer — making it the natural "safari extension" for travellers who want falls plus a genuine bush experience without a long-haul repositioning flight. Camps here range from intimate owner-run tented camps to larger lodges, many built around their own private waterholes for exceptional sundowner game viewing.
Base camp
Our operations desk in Victoria Falls handles transfers, permits and border crossings into Hwange National Park.
Talk to the desk02When to go
The seasons of Hwange National Park
Average daytime highs and monthly rainfall, so you can match the season to what you want to see.
Hot Dry Spring
High36°C
Rain2mm
Water shortages concentrate predator-prey action around ground hides.
Green Summer Rains
High31°C
Rain115mm
Lush green landscapes, bird migrations, summer storms, newborn calves.
Autumn Transition
High27°C
Rain10mm
Grasslands dry to gold. Cooling evenings, moderate visitor density.
03Highlights
Don't leave Hwange National Park without
The landmarks and experiences that define Hwange National Park.
04Accommodation
Camps & lodges in Hwange National Park
Properties we have stayed at and trust, chosen for their location, guiding and hosting.
Tented Camp
Camp Hwange
Set on a private concession in the northern part of Hwange National Park, Camp Hwange is a rustic, owner-run camp built for travellers who want a straightforward bush experience. It sits among a teak forest bordering a wide savannah, and it was founded by respected Zimbabwean guides. We recommend this spot because it focuses on authentic safaris rather than passing trends, so you can expect excellent food and a team that takes pride in taking you out into the wild. There are eight solar-powered chalets built with thatched roofs and walls made of canvas and gauze, which means you have clear views of the active waterhole right from your room. Each chalet includes an en-suite bathroom fitted with a walk-in shower. The main lodge is a large thatched space with open sides where you will find a dining area, a bar, and comfortable lounges for relaxing between game drives. Outside, there is a swimming pool and a traditional fire pit where guests gather to watch sable antelope, buffalo, and elephants drink at the waterhole nearby.
Check availabilityTented Camp
Bomani Tented Lodge
Bomani Tented Lodge is situated on a 5,000-acre private wildlife concession within the Ngamo Forest Area, bordering the remote southeastern part of Hwange National Park. Its location and several waterholes ensure year-round game viewing, attracting diverse wildlife including large herds of elephants, lions, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, and sable. Accommodation consists of 10 comfortable tented units and one stone and thatched bungalow, all with en-suite bathrooms and electricity. The central thatched area, including a bar, dining area, and lounge, overlooks a waterhole, and there is also a plunge pool. Activities are flexible and tailored to guests' interests, including morning and afternoon game drives, game walks with professional guides, and night drives within the private concession. Unique experiences include observing wildlife from sunken hides and full-day excursions into Hwange National Park to resupply boreholes. Bomani is operated by Imvelo Safari Lodges, known for their genuine community and conservation programs, which guests can experience first-hand through village visits and support for local initiatives.
Check availabilityTented Camp
Davison's Camp
Named after Hwange's first warden, Ted Davison, this classic tented camp is operated by Wilderness Safaris and sits on a private concession in the game-rich southeastern part of Hwange National Park. It overlooks a busy waterhole and open plains, attracting abundant wildlife year-round. Nine comfortable safari tents, including one family unit, deliver an authentic, relaxed bush experience at a more accessible price than the top-tier Wilderness camps, while sharing access to the same outstanding wildlife area. Fully inclusive rates cover game drives, walking safaris, and night drives, as well as meals and drinks. The camp also features a swimming pool and an upper viewing deck.
Check availabilitySafari Lodge
Hwange Safari Lodge
Hwange Safari Lodge is a classic and accessible lodge situated just outside the main entrance of Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. It offers a reliable base for game drives and has been welcoming safari guests since the 1960s, providing a classic "Big Five" experience for diverse travelers.
Check availabilityTented Camp
Linkwasha Camp
Linkwasha Camp, operated by Wilderness, is widely regarded as one of the finest camps in Zimbabwe. It is set on a private concession in the south-east of Hwange National Park, offering exclusive access to a wildlife-rich region and ensuring fewer other vehicles during game viewing. The camp overlooks a celebrated permanent waterhole, attracting diverse wildlife year-round. Nine stylish, contemporary tents combine high design with classic safari atmosphere, featuring floor-to-ceiling views and private decks. Fully inclusive rates cover game drives, walking safaris, meals, and drinks at the top tier of Hwange's offering. The camp also provides multi-level communal areas, including a lounge, dining room, bar, library, and a swimming pool, along with unique experiences like an underground hide for photography and a star bed sleep-out.
Check availabilityTented Camp
Little Makalolo
Little Makalolo is an intimate, six-tented safari camp nestled deep in a private concession within the central-southern part of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Overlooking the active Makalolo Pan, the camp offers superb year-round game viewing directly from camp, especially during the dry season. Its remote location ensures a genuine wilderness experience with very few other vehicles, providing an exclusive and personal safari for a maximum of twelve guests. Activities include morning and afternoon game drives, walking safaris with professional guides, and night drives. Guests can also enjoy a unique ground-level log-pile hide at the water's edge, offering up-close photographic opportunities. Fully inclusive rates cover game drives, walking safaris, meals, and drinks.
Check availabilitySafari Lodge
Nehimba Lodge
Nehimba Lodge, part of the Imvelo Safari Lodges collection, is a luxury lodge centrally positioned in a remote, game-rich private concession in the northern part of Hwange National Park. Nine spacious, thatched cabins are built on raised teak decks, all overlooking a waterhole frequently visited by elephants. The diverse surrounding terrain — mopane woodlands, Kalahari sandveld, pans, and open grassland — supports excellent game viewing on morning, full-day, and night drives, as well as walking safaris. Guests can also visit the historic Nehimba Seeps, where elephants have dug for water for generations, Mandavu Dam, and Mtoa Ruins. The lodge is fully solar-powered and offers complimentary Wi-Fi in the main guest area. Fully inclusive rates cover all activities, meals, and drinks.
Check availabilityBush Camp
Robins Camp
Robins Camp is a revitalized historic camp located in the rugged, wildlife-rich northern Basalt area of Hwange National Park. Offering an affordable, family-friendly base, it features 36 en-suite chalets and a large campsite with modern facilities. The diverse surrounding terrain, characterized by natural water sources, bouldered hills, and woodlands, is renowned for its abundant wildlife, including large buffalo herds, high concentrations of lion, and African wild dogs. Approximately two hours' drive from Victoria Falls, or a short flight to its airstrip, Robins Camp provides a good-value, adventurous option for self-drivers and families seeking an authentic national park experience, complete with a restaurant, swimming pool, and the historic Robins Tower.
Check availabilityTented Camp
Somalisa Camp
Somalisa Camp is an award-winning luxury tented camp operated by African Bush Camps, set on a private concession in the heart of Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park. Nestled under an acacia grove on the edge of an ancient seasonal floodplain, the camp features seven elegant, solar-powered tented suites equipped with wood-burning fireplaces, copper slipper-style baths, indoor and outdoor showers, and private viewing decks. Guests can enjoy exceptional game drives, walking safaris, and night drives, or watch massive elephant herds gather to drink from the famous 'elephant pool' directly beside the main pool deck. Fully inclusive rates cover all activities, meals, and drinks.
Check availabilityTented Camp
The Hide
The Hide is one of Hwange's most established and best-loved camps, consistently voted "Best Tented Safari Camp in Zimbabwe" multiple times since 1995. Ten classic luxury tents are arranged around a productive waterhole on the park's eastern boundary, within its own 5-square-kilometer private concession. The camp features a sunken photographic hide (its namesake) for eye-level game viewing and offers a unique treehouse sleep-out, The Dove's Nest, for stays of three nights or longer. Renowned for phenomenal game viewing, outstanding birdlife, and excellent guiding, it offers game drives, walking safaris, and night drives. Fully inclusive rates cover all activities, meals, and drinks — a quality, value-conscious classic.
Check availabilitySafari Lodge
Camelthorn Lodge
Camelthorn Lodge offers one of Hwange's most distinctive safari experiences, swapping traditional canvas for eight magnificent stone-and-thatch Forest Villas. Tucked beneath a canopy of ancient camelthorn trees on the private Ngamo concession, the lodge blends a unique 'Mediterranean-meets-bush' style with deep-rooted community partnership and conservation. The main lodge wraps around a giant namesake acacia, providing a shaded heart for al fresco dining and fireside stories. Each expansive villa is a private sanctuary, featuring a fireplace, a deep sunken bathtub with woodland views, and a private upstairs maisonette with hammocks for siestas or sleeping under the stars. Four villas also boast their own private plunge pools. Beyond the architectural charm, Camelthorn is a hub for Imvelo's signature experiences. Guests can track reintroduced white rhino on foot, photograph elephants from an underground hide, or join the vital 'Pump Run' that sustains Hwange's wildlife. This is a lodge for those seeking comfort, character, and a safari that directly contributes to the wildlife and people of this special corner of Hwange.
Check availability05Good to know
Questions, answered
Planning a trip to Hwange National Park?
Tell us your dates and travel style. Our team in Victoria Falls will put together a route, camps and transfers that work for you.
A minimum of two nights (three preferred) is recommended to allow for at least four to five game drives/activities and a realistic chance at the park's signature sightings, including wild dog.
Yes — this is one of Zambezi Thunder's most popular combinations, typically starting with Victoria Falls (2-3 nights) and Hwange (2-3 nights), with Chobe added as a day trip from the falls leg.
Very much so. The camps are typically small and intimate (8-16 guests), guiding standards are exceptionally high, and the fully-inclusive model makes budgeting straightforward.
Not guaranteed on any single visit, but Hwange holds one of the highest densities of African wild dogs in Africa. Lodges partnered with conservation units offer the best odds.
Lodges in Hwange actively fund and maintain solar-pumped waterholes during the dry season, providing a critical lifeline for thousands of elephants. Zambezi Thunder strictly partners with operators dedicated to community empowerment, low-impact carbon footprinting, and long-term wildlife protection.