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Hwange National Park
Zimbabwe’s largest park and one of Africa’s great elephant refuges
Zimbabwe’s largest park and one of Africa’s great elephant refuges
From July to October, when rain-fed pools dry up, breeding herds of up to a hundred elephants come to drink and bathe at the pans. Watching them arrive in the late afternoon is the defining Hwange experience.
Stay at a pan-side hide or platform for an hour; the action comes to you.
Photo: Jürgen Kehrberger, CC BY-SA 3.0
A short drive from Main Camp, this pan has a raised viewing platform overlooking the water, one of the best places in the park for self-drivers to watch elephant, buffalo, zebra and occasionally lion.
Bring a picnic and binoculars; it is busiest in the afternoon.
Photo: Babakathy, CC0
Hwange has a healthy lion population, studied for decades by researchers here. Sightings are most likely near the waterholes early in the morning and at dusk.
Night drives, allowed only in private concessions, add a lot.
Photo: Laura (cardamom), CC BY 2.0
The open grasslands around Main Camp support zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, kudu and the striking sable antelope. The Painted Dog Conservation centre near the park entrance is well worth a visit.
Main Camp has fuel, a shop and the park office.
Photo: Faypearse, CC BY-SA 4.0
Almost everyone eats at their lodge or camp, where full-board rates include meals and often drinks; bush breakfasts and dinners around the fire are part of the experience. Self-caterers at Main Camp should stock up in Victoria Falls or Bulawayo, as supplies in the park are limited.
Try sadza (maize porridge) with stew, and Zambezi lager.
Most visitors fly into Victoria Falls Airport and drive or transfer to Hwange (about two hours to Main Camp); some lodges have airstrips served by light aircraft. Hwange National Park Airport also has limited flights.
Self-driving is possible in the Main Camp and Sinamatella areas with a 4×4 and good preparation; in the more remote south, a guided safari is far better. Gates close at dusk and driving at night is not allowed in the public areas.
Hwange ranges from good-value self-drive camping to luxury concession lodges; a daily park conservation fee applies.
Park conservation fees are charged per person per day on top.
Shoulder months (May, June, November) are cheaper.
All-inclusive rates usually cover drinks and activities.
A classic three-night safari, often combined with Victoria Falls.
Drive from Victoria Falls, arriving for lunch. Afternoon game drive ending at a pan as the elephants come in to drink.
Leave Victoria Falls early to arrive before the afternoon heat.
Early morning drive for predators, rest at midday, then an afternoon at Nyamandhlovu Pan or a hide. Night drive if your lodge offers one.
Mornings are cold from May to August; bring a warm layer.
A guided bush walk to read tracks and see smaller wildlife, then visit the Painted Dog Conservation centre on the way out.
Walking safaris must be with a licensed professional guide.
US dollars are widely used; bring small notes, as change is often scarce.
Hwange is a malaria area, especially in the rainy season; get medical advice before travelling.
July to October gives the best game viewing at the pans; October is very hot.
Roads are sandy and slow; do not plan to drive after dark.
Quick answers for planning time in Hwange National Park.
July to October, the dry season, when animals gather at the waterholes. May and June are also good and cooler. The rainy season (November to March) is green and good for birds, but game disperses.
About two hours by road to Main Camp, making it easy to combine with the falls. See our Victoria Falls guide.
Yes, in the Main Camp and Sinamatella areas with a suitable vehicle, but guided safaris see far more, especially in remote areas.
Hwange is a well-established safari destination. Follow your guide’s instructions, never leave your vehicle except at designated sites, and check your government’s travel advice for Zimbabwe.
Elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra, sable and roan antelope, African wild dog, hyena and over 400 bird species.
Download Zimbabwe offline; there is no signal in most of the park.
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