Pamushana Lodge: Our full report

Pamushana Lodge is located within the private Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in southeastern Zimbabwe, which shares its southern boundary with Gonarezhou National Park.

Pamushana is owned by The Malilangwe Trust, a Non-profit Zimbabwean trust set up to conserve the wildlife and habitat of the region and develop the neighbouring communities. Paul Tudor-Jones, a Wall Street fund manager, who is also behind the camps on Grumeti Reserve in the Serengeti, is a substantial contributor to the trust. (See also Sasakwa Lodge, Sabora Tented Camp and Faru Faru Lodge!) Pamushana is managed and marketed by the team behind the exclusive Singita Reserve in South Africa and is certainly the smartest lodge in Zimbabwe. It's also notable for running some very impressive community and wildlife-support programmes in this area.

The reserve is home to a variety of wildlife, including rare and endangered species such as roan, sable antelope and black rhino. The landscape of the area is made up of mopane forests and baobab trees, with the Chiredzi River to the west and the Runde River to the southwest, near to Gonarezhou National Park.

Pamushana Lodge is built under a canopy of trees and surrounded by leafy gardens, allowing it to blend naturally into its surroundings. The lodge consists of six luxury suites and one villa which sleeps up to 10 people, all with views of Lake Malilangwe. The cosy and spacious suites all have en-suite bathrooms with panoramic views over the lake and indoor and outdoor showers. The rooms also have their own a private plunge pools and game viewing decks. Rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with bathrobes, slippers and hairdryers.

The villa offers panoramic views over the lake and Malilangwe Dam, and has its own kitchen, dining room, living room, nanny flat, private infinity plunge pool and a game viewing deck.

The communal area of Pamushana Lodge consists of an indoor dining room, a teak deck dining area, a bar, a library, an open-air lounge, a wine cellar, two heated pools, and a jacuzzi all overlooking Mililangwe dam and the nearby sandstone hills. Meals are served either in the outdoor dining room, on the teak deck outside, or in the bush. The lodge is equipped with high speed wireless internet, satellite tv, fax machines, and telephones.

Pamushana Lodge has a bush spa and yoga room which offers a range of massages, as well as feet and hand treatments. The lodge also has two tennis courts and there is a golf course nearby.

There is a wide range of activities offered from Pamushana Lodge, including morning and afternoon-into-evening spotlight-lit game drives with an experienced guide, black rhino tracking, trips to see the local rock art sites, boat cruise safaris, birdwatching and fishing trips for tigerfish, bass, bream and catfish.

Guests can participate in a variety of guided bush walks, including trips to see the Malilangwe sandstone features or along the riverine forests of the Chiredzi or Runde Rivers. Visitors can use the hides and waterholes that allow them to get even closer to the wildlife. Guests may spend the night in a private hide in the bush and can also visit the local community outreach programme and irrigation scheme.

Geographics

Location: Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

Directions: Transfer to and from the lodge and Buffalo Range Airport included.

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board

Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Cost of meal e.g. lunch: Included

Drinks included: House wines spirits, liqueurs and soft drinks, but not champagnes.

Children

Attitude towards children: Pamushana Lodge only accepts children under the age of 6 if the camp is booked exclusively.

Central communications

TV & radio: Satellite TV

Health & safety

Malarial area: Yes

Dangerous animals: High Risk

Extras

Laundry facilities: Full Laundry Service - No Extra Charge