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DESTINATION DOWNTIME

DESTINATIONS EXPERIENCE

HWANGE NATIONAL PARK

Bordering Botswana, Hwange is Zimbabwe’s biggest reserve, with terrain ranging from semi-desert scrub and salt-pans in the south, to forests, savannah, granite hills and Mopane woodlands in the north.Named after a local Nhanzwa chief, Hwange National Park is the largest Park in Zimbabwe occupying roughly 14 650 square kilometers. It is located in the northwest corner of the country about one hour south of the Mighty Victoria Falls.

It became the royal hunting grounds to the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi in the early 19 th Century and was set aside as a National Park in 1929. Hwange boasts a tremendous selection of wildlife with over 100 species of mammals and nearly 400 bird species recorded. The elephants of Hwange are world famous and the Park's elephant population is one of the largest in the world. The Park has three distinctive Camps and administrative offices at Robins, Sinamatella and the largest one at Main Camp.

Hwange National Park is a prolific Big Five destination, said to have the highest diversity of mammals of any national park in the world, not to mention one of the biggest elephant populations anywhere. Over 400 species of birds (including some 50 varieties of raptor) have been recorded here. Best viewings happen during the August – October dry season, when the wildlife congregates around the shrunken water holes.

In a large, game-rich private concession within Hwange, Makalolo Plains Camp (www.wilderness-safaris.com) consists of ten very comfortable tented rooms overlooking the Somavundla Pan, where elephant herds and predators are easily spotted. A touch more exclusive is the six-tented chalets at newer, smaller, smarter Little Makalolo, in a teak forest 20 minutes away.

Also facing a busy watering hole, it’s arguably Hwange’s most comfortable safari camp, with the benefit of exceptional guiding, either by vehicle or on foot. Elevated hides with only mosquito nets between you and the stars are also available for sleep-out adventures.

Within a camelthorn acacia grove at the edge of the long dry Sumamalisa Vlei to the east of Hwange, Somalisa (www.africanbushcamps.com) is an intimate bush camp of six tents spaciously laid out in a horseshoe pattern. Instead of electricity, at night it’s lit up with paraffin lamps to romantic effect.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE FROM OUR OCTOBER ISSUE