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.
Zimbabwe safaris
An expert guide to the best safari camps in Zimbabwe
I first came on safari in Zimbabwe in 2003 and I’ve been coming back as often as I can, in my role as a travel journalist and guidebook author. When it comes to Zimbabwe, the question people most often ask me is: why? In a region of safari big-hitters, what makes Zimbabwe stand out from neighbouring South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana?For me, safari in Zimbabwe has always felt like a double-concentrated version of the Southern African experience. The country is considerably smaller than its neighbours, with a small but elite portfolio of national parks...read more