Hwange National Park
At the eastern edge of the six-country Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area which is known for having the highest concentration of elephants in Africa, Hwange is very much a part of that heritage: elephants are everywhere.
It’s also known for its lions – it was just outside Hwange that Cecil the Lion was shot by a hunter in 2015, resulting in a firestorm of international publicity. And late in the dry season, especially around October when water is scarce, these two giants – lions and elephants – very often do battle. It’s one of the greatest spectacles I’ve ever witnessed.
It's a vast park with so many different areas to explore; the park’s east is busiest but there are waterholes and sweeping savannah plains all across the park. Wildlife also includes leopard, cheetah and African wild dog, with plenty of plains game, too, such as giraffe, zebra, buffalo and wildebeest. Watch also for greater kudu, gemsbok (oryx), sable and roan antelope.
Hidden gems in Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park
Hwange (pronounced wang-ee) is a fabulous park, and is one of my favourites anywhere in Africa. At the eastern edge of the six-country Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area which is known for having the highest concentration of elephants in Africa, Hwange is very much a part of that heritage: elephants are everywhere. It’s also known for its lions – it was just outside Hwange that Cecil the Lion was shot by a hunter in 2015, resulting in a firestorm of international publicity. And late in the dry season, especially around October when water is scarce, these two giants – lions and elephants – very often do battle. It’s one of the greatest spectacles I’ve ever witnessed. It's a vast park with so many different areas to explore; the park’s east is busiest but there are waterholes and sweeping savannah plains all across the park. Wildlife also includes leopard, cheetah and African wild dog, with plenty of plains game, too, such as giraffe, zebra, buffalo and wildebeest. Watch also for greater kudu, gemsbok (oryx), sable and roan antelope.
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Hwange National Park
Nantwich Lodge
Bestselling thriller writer Tony Park owns this lodge out in the park’s west. It’s an excellent place to stay, the safari trails in this part of the park only see a fraction of those elsewhere but with much the same wildlife, and if Tony’s in residence, he’s a fine host and raconteur. He’s also a good friend – ask him about the first time he met and threatened to report me to the park’s authorities…
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Hwange National Park
Camping at Main Camp
The bungalows here are fine, but the campsites have shade and acceptable ablutions blocks. But the real treat of camping here alongside the park headquarters are the honey badgers that roam around the camping area after dark. Ask at the park office about reserving one of the mobile campsites out in the remote wilds of the park.
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Hwange National Park
Linkwasha Camp
Close to Ngamo Plains, one of the most wildlife-dense areas of Hwange National Park, this uber-luxurious camp faces out onto the surrounding savannah; I’ve seen lions walking along (and sleeping under) the camp’s boardwalks. Elephants often pass by really close, and it’s a good area for African wild dogs. It’s a wonderful place to immerse yourself in Hwange’s special surroundings.
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Hwange National Park
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Camping at Main Camp
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Linkwasha Camp
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