This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more

Skip to main content

Talk to an expert 1-800-242-2434 Lines open now

User menu
Camp Hwange
Camp Hwange
Camp Hwange
Camp Hwange
Camp Hwange
Camp Hwange
Camp Hwange

Reviews of Camp Hwange

Wildlife sightings and reviews

83 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Camp Hwange and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in May-2018, 31 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Camp Hwange.
Lion

87% success

Leopard

35% success

Cheetah

59% success

Wild dog

33% success

Elephant

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Buffalo

90% success

Giraffe

90% success

Spotted Hyena

67% success

Eland

52% success

Roan antelope

52% success

Sable antelope

46% success

Wildebeest

32% success

Brown Hyena

15% success

Pangolin

4% success

Oryx

4% success

Aardvark

0% success

Black Rhino

0% success

Showing 31-40 of 83
Duration
Arrival date
Mrs M
Japan

"Beautiful camp with great view"

3 nights Arrived 28 Apr 2018
"Camp Hwange is a beautiful camp. I like the view of wide plain and waterhole with an elephant from my room.

Food was excellent, I think one of the best food experience I have ever had at the camps in Africa.

Julian, who has wealth of knowledge, was my guide throughout my stay and I really enjoyed walking. It was an exciting moment facing an elephant. We happened to find Bat-eared fox while walking. And walking up to buffaloes was another exciting moent as well.

All of camp staff are very friendly and helpful." See all these reviews: 6n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
E
Canada

"Camp Hwange"

4 nights Arrived 26 Mar 2018
"Our experience at Camp Hwange was phenomenal! The guest rooms are simple yet elegant, and completely met our needs. The setting is peaceful and a perfect escape from the bustle of everyday life, where we were serenaded to sleep by the grunts of hippos.

The staff were thoughtful, professional and approachable, and anticipated all our needs. The guides, in particular, were second to none. The information they provided and the efforts they made were truly the highlight of our trip.

The food was also fantastic, and without our even mentioning it, they noticed our preferences and made an effort to meet those.

Overall, I cannot praise Camp Hwange highly enough, and it will be our first choice should we make another trip to Zimbabwe." See all these reviews: 4n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Ms L
Queensland

"rough & tumble, guiding not up to expectation"

3 nights Arrived 22 Mar 2018
"Unfortunately this lodge did not live up to expectation. I was guided by Julienne the former manager twice, then a trainee twice, before Spike.

Julienne I truly didn't feel was very committed to or interested in guiding. He picked me up at the gate, and only pointed out a small number of animals we happened to come across along the road. I discovered later that there was a lake and hide half way to the camp that we could have gone to to see a good variety of birds and animals. Upon arrival I was given the closest room to the public area which could result in me hearing all the laughters and conversations in the dining room late at night when I want to go to bed early with my jetlag. I requested a move further away, and was told by him that I had requested the room closest to the dining area for mobility reasons. I never made such a request, and why would anyone come to a camp renowed for walking safaris if they can't walk from their room to the public area?

Expert Africa passed all the room requests to me to check, and the requests we ever made were for the quietest room possible, or the room with the best view for photography. He argued and argued about this non-existent request, and that all future guests coming were families and they want to keep them next to each other. I ended giving up and walked away. As it turned out the next guest was elderly and had mobility problems, and would have made such as request. So good the way they read their emails! As for keeping families together - all incoming guests were adults, and the cottages were spaced several meters apart. Do they expect guests to yell across that distance to have a family conversation? They did end up changing me to a different room but it wasn't a pleasant exchange. As for guiding, Julienne and the trainee Blyde (who is a nice bloke) drove up to the animals too fast, resulting in them running away. Their style of guiding was to drive up, tell you the name of the animal, give you a few moments to take photos, and then drive off to look for the next animal. As there had been alot of rain, game was very thin, and we spent alot more time driving around on bumpy roads than doing anything else. Blyde who was in training, was not in a position to give much information, but Julienne often truly seemed uninterested even when asked. I guesd it's no worse than guides I experienced in many other parts of Africa. But I was told the guides here were very knowledgeable and I was looking forward to much more.

I have read a review that some of their vehicles have seats (which are just old fashion benches) so high that nobody's feet could reach the floor. We made a request for the more comfortable type of vehicle as I have back problems. That didn't seem to be taken into account and I was given the back breaking vehicle. Even after using a tyre or a stool to raise the feet, after one and a half days my back flarred up very badly ( the worst in 20 years). I still wasn't offerred a different vehicle (they did have several vehicles), and given the disappointing safaris experience, I felt so depressed that I decided to give up the next 2 days of safaris, stay in my room to rest my back, and just go home to watch David Attenborough for a better experience. The next morning I went to breakfast when others are leaving for their safaris, and found Spike had a vehicle with proper seats same as the ones at the last lodge I stayed in.

I joined them at the last minute and found in Spike the most considerate person towards guests and animals. He is one of a small number of guides who truly knows how to approach animals, and particularly birds which require alot of care. With him I had good sightings and was able to get many good bird photos. He had a true love of nature and was ready to impart his extensive knowledge to guests at all times. Even with the late turnaround, I cannot recommend this camp as there is no guarantee that one would get Spike for their stay. I actually preferred guides from Namibia to most of the ones here. They were more communicative and approachable. I cannot comment on the quality of walking safaris here as there wasn't really much game around to attempt that.

And for the accomodation, this place was set up and run on a shoe string. Lighting is the dimmest in all lodges I've stayed in for this trip. They could have mounted the lights lower and it would have been brighter. There's no light in the bathroom whatsoever. Basically one has to use a torch throughout the cottage, and in the dining room to see what food is being displayed, and to eat. Expect Africa made a couple of food requests on my behalf. Some weren't brought in until I was half way thru my stay. Even then they were of such low quality (rotten) that some had to be thrown out and recooked.

This place, unlike most lodges, made no attempt to cover their food. Virtually everything was consumed by insects of all kinds, before by humans. They could see I was bothered by flies, and made attempts to use a fly net to cover my food. But what about other guests? Even with their attempts, I still found a dead fly in my food and dead ants in my honey. Since such issues seemed insignificant compared to other things I had to deal with, I just scooped them out and continued the eat the rest of the meal. If insects in your room and food bothers you, definitely don't consider this place.

Kim who looked after guests' daily needs made a genuine attempt to accomodate my dietery needs. But as was the case across Africa in general, only half the instructions were followed as they got passed down the chain.

The best thing about this lodge was their meat was the tastiest I 've ever had anywhere (even with no favoring).

In summary, I experienced the lowest standard in accommodation and vehicle comfort at this lodge. Another lodge with the same uncomfortable vehicle had built metal footrests across to fix the problem. Here you are expected to rough everything. For me, it just wasn't worth it." See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia; 4n in Zimbabwe; 1n in South Africa
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor

Location:
Average
Service:
Average
Activities:
Average
Rooms:
Poor
Food:
Average
Ms L
Elma

"Camp Hwange review"

4 nights Arrived 19 Oct 2017
"This was an unbelievable experience for us.

It was OVER THE TOP." See all these reviews: 10n in Zimbabwe; 3n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr H
BloomfieldHills

"Camp Hwange review"

4 nights Arrived 26 Sep 2017
"We really enjoyed our time at Camp Hwange.

The staff was great and wonderful experience on safari.

We stayed 4 nights which we thought about right for starting our trip and the guiding was superb and very educational.

We were lucky enough to see a second leopard and a pride of lion staying the fourth night!" See all these reviews: 7n in Botswana; 6n in Zimbabwe; 1n in South Africa
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr A
Glasgow

"An unexpected wonder "

3 nights Arrived 25 Sep 2017
"The drive to Hwange through the Park was at first quite uninspiring, through an open cast coal mine, then mile after mile of quite burnt out scrub land. After a long drive through the park reaching the camp was a great reward and the warmth of the reception by staff was very welcoming. The chalets were very good but in the heat of the day, would really have benefited from some form of aircon.

Adam,our guide and host did a fantastic job. we had an amazing walking safari, tracking lion several unforgettable encounters with elephants, including a heart-stopping close encounter from behind some fallen tree stumps with an older bull and then a younger more nervous one. And our last night dinner in the bush (a birthday treat) lit by candles was a true highlight of our trip." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia; 5n in Zimbabwe; 2n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Mr T.
United Kingdom

"It's all about the Game"

4 nights Arrived 20 Sep 2017
"We had absolutely excellent game and bird viewing at Camp Hwange. Our guide, Washington, was one of the best we've had over several safari trips. A local man, he has come up through the ranks and is absolutely passionate about what he does. Ideally for us he was a mine of information about birds and keen on photography. Not yet 'Zim Pro' but he soon will be and we would always ask for him if we were to re-visit.

We were very appreciative that they set up a table on the small 'patio' in front of our room each evening and served our dinner there. Those doing the serving were delightful.

A few constructive comments - the 'back of house' was not as strong as the front. Our time of departure from the Victoria Falls Hotel was never confirmed and we spent too much of our all-too-short stay there running around during the evening and early morning trying to get the phone answered to find out. Comparing the housekeeping and laundry service with other equally remote camps, it left a lot to be desired. They have a known problem with dormice seeking food during the night. If we had been advised we could have avoided a luggage bag and a flight bag having holes eaten through them and the contents shredded." See all these reviews: 10n in Zimbabwe; 8n in Botswana; 2n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Average
Ms N
California

"Beautiful camp with incredible amenities"

3 nights Arrived 25 Aug 2017
"We visited Camp Hwange for a 3 night safari and enjoyed our stay. Our decision to visit Camp Hwange was based on their solid reputation and ability to do walking tours. During our stay, a good amount of their guides were on leave which made for a crowded first day. The 2nd day improved significantly when we had a very long and full day of walking and saw a lot of great game with less people in the vehicle.

The facilities are beautiful. Of all the camps we visited, Camp Hwange had the most beautiful rooms and the best food. It was all delicious!

We did find some of the staff a bit stuffy and awkward. Maybe it's because their dining table is very wide and long that meals can feel uncomfortable. During one interaction, a manager gave me the wifi details and told me if too many people are using it in the common area they will "shut it down" because they want their guests to be social. The social aspect felt a bit forced at Camp Hwange and not natural as a result of their staff.

Overall, I'd recommend Camp Hwange because Julian is an excellent guide with an incredible amount of knowledge and the facilities are beautiful." See all these reviews: 9n in Zimbabwe; 5n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
BJB
Los Angeles

"Camp Hwange Hidden Gem"

3 nights Arrived 29 Jun 2017
"While not easy to reach, Camp Hwange is a hidden gem. It is small and intimate with an outstanding staff.

The rooms are large and comfortable with great views of the game gathering at the watering hole. In addition to game drives in a jeep, there are many opportunities for walking.

During the day, we tracked lions, followed a cheetah, and experienced outstanding night drives.

For easier access, an airstrip is being built in the vicinity and should be completed in the near future.

Expert Africa arranged for Julian Brookstein as a private guide here; these travellers commented:

We had the privilege of being guided by Julian Brookstein. In addition to his vast knowledge of the animals in the bush, Julian has a particular interest in lion conservation. As we sat observing two lionesses and their two year old cubs, Julian shared the most fascinating lineage and history of the lions in the area. We also had the opportunity to track lions on a seven mile walking safari. Hwange offers the opportunity for night drives and Julian did not disappoint. His ability to spot small game was remarkable.

On our final day, we tracked a cheetah who cavorted and "posed" for us for over an hour." See all these reviews: 6n in Zimbabwe; 4n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Miss A
Dubai

"True African wildlife experience "

3 nights Arrived 10 Jun 2017
"For our first African safari we couldn't have asked for more. Camp Hwange was exceptional. Right from the moment our transfer began from the airport, the game drive also began. Washington was the driver cum guide for us who was very patient and made the drive exciting talking about the flora, fauna and showing us wildlife all along the route to the camp. Once we arrived at the camp, we were greeted by extremely friendly staff that eventually enhanced our experience during the stay.

The best thing about Camp Hwange is Adam, a highly knowledgeable, enthusiastic and engaging pro guide with a great sense of humor. We chose Zimbabwe specifically for walking safari. We wanted to experience not just the big game but everything about the African wilderness. Adam made sure that we got more than what we expected. With the help of Changa, the tracker and Adam, we were able to see over 25 species of animals, 80 species of birds, learn about the vegetation of Hwange and truly appreciate the unique ecology of Africa.

Some of the things we really enjoyed was having meals with the other guests at the camp and the staff, sharing our exciting experiences. Tracy, Lana, McKenzie and the entire kitchen staff were amazing. The fellow travelers also made a big difference and the credit goes to the Camp Hwange staff for making it happen. Camp Hwange took note of our dietary requirements, in that we are vegetarians and served us the choicest of veg delights including freshly baked pastries and cookies.

There is so much to do at Camp Hwange that we thought 3 days was too short a stay and we wish to go back for more." See all these reviews: 8n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Showing 31-40 of 83
96%
83 reviews of Camp Hwange by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
73
6
3
1
0
Filter by month

Holiday styles & special interests in Zimbabwe

From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Zimbabwe.


Birdwatching

Birdwatching

Diverse habitats, discreet hides and superb guiding.

Cultural experiences

Cultural experiences

Get an insight into Africa's cultures and history.

Family holidays

Family holidays

Hand-picked camps for an incredible family safari.

Honeymoons

Honeymoons

Romantic safaris and castaway island retreats.

Luxury

Luxury

First-class service, scenic vistas and unparalleled comfort await you during these carefully selected luxury holidays. 

Photography holidays

Photography holidays

Great holidays to suit the keen photographer.

Private villas & houses

Private villas & houses

Enjoy Africa with just your friends & family

Riding holidays

Riding holidays

Explore Africa's wilderness on horseback.

Solo Travel

Solo Travel

Trip ideas ideally suited for a solo traveller.

Walking

Walking

Explore Africa's most scenic trails on foot.

Walking safaris

Walking safaris

Explore Africa's untouched wildernesses on foot.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing

Wellness escapes in stunning locations

Wildlife safaris

Wildlife safaris

These trips include hard-hitting game and fascinatingly elusive species alike, as well as superb guiding and a variety of diverse ecosystems.

Other lodges in Hwange National Park

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Somalisa Camp

Somalisa Camp

Somalisa is a luxurious, yet remote, safari camp in Hwange National Park, offering walking safaris and game drives.


92% (36 reviews)
The Hide

The Hide

Located in a small, private concession, The Hide is a relaxed and comfortable camp offering submerged hides and great family accommodation.


94% (32 reviews)
Hwange Bush Camp

Hwange Bush Camp

Hwange Bush Camp is a small seasonal camp offering comfortable tents, great food, and superb guiding, and is often used by exclusive groups.


96% (25 reviews)
Little Makalolo Camp

Little Makalolo Camp

Tucked away in Hwange National Park overlooking a waterhole, Little Makalolo Camp combines top guiding with excellent wildlife watching.


99% (19 reviews)
Somalisa Expeditions

Somalisa Expeditions

A simple but stylish camp, Somalisa Expeditions sits in the heart of Hwange National Park, offering walking safaris and game drives.


100% (15 reviews)
Davison's Camp

Davison's Camp

Within the Linkwasha Concession, Davison's Camp offers superb value for money, morning walking safaris and spot-lit drives after dark.


89% (9 reviews)
Bomani Tented Lodge

Bomani Tented Lodge

Bomani is a down-to-earth lodge with a range of activities in a remote region of western Zimbabwe, adjacent to Hwange National Park.


95% (8 reviews)
Nehimba Lodge

Nehimba Lodge

Nehimba is a comfortable, good-value camp in a remote area of Hwange National Park, teeming with wildlife.


97% (7 reviews)
Somalisa Acacia

Somalisa Acacia

Somalisa Acacia is a family-friendly, yet remote and luxurious safari camp in Hwange National Park.


100% (4 reviews)
Verney's Camp

Verney's Camp

Verney's Camp is one of the newest offerings in Hwange, located in the wildlife rich, open landscape in the south-eastern section of the park.


85% (4 reviews)
Jozibanini Camp

Jozibanini Camp

Remote and rugged, Jozibanini is one of the most remote camps in Zimabwe's largest National Park. Stay here for a real wilderness experience.


95% (4 reviews)
Camelthorn

Camelthorn

Camelthorn is a stylish lodge with a range of activities in a remote region of western Zimbabwe, adjacent to Hwange National Park.


93% (3 reviews)
Khulu Bush Camp

Khulu Bush Camp

Just outside Hwange National Park, Khulu Bush Camp offers excellent value for money and a waterhole popular with wildlife, especially elephants.


100% (3 reviews)
Ivory Lodge

Ivory Lodge

Just outside Hwange National Park, the small Ivory Lodge is a great place to see large herds of elephant as well as smaller plains game.


80% (2 reviews)
Linkwasha Camp

Linkwasha Camp

In its own private concession within Hwange National Park, Linkwasha offers excellent wildlife sightings and luxurious surroundings.


100% (2 reviews)
Stimela Star

Stimela Star

The Stimela Star is a luxury overnight train that starts in Victoria Falls before making it's way down to Hwange National Park where you can start your safari.


60% (1 review)
Daka Plains Camp

Daka Camp

One of the more remote camps in Hwange National Park, Deka Camp sits almost on the border with Botswana.


100% (1 review)
Deteema Springs Camp

Deteema Springs Camp

Nestled deep in Hwange National Parks rugged northern sector, Deteema Springs Camp promises visitors an authentic bush amp experience.


100% (1 review)
Khulu's Retreat

Khulu's Retreat

Just outside Hwange National Park, Khulu's Retreat is an exclusive private villa and is a great place to spoil yourself on a safari in Zimbabwe.


No reviews yet
Elephant's Eye

Elephant's Eye

In a private concession just outside Hwange National Park, the comfortable Elephant's Eye overlooks a pan and waterholes.


No reviews yet
Sable Valley Lodge

Sable Valley Lodge

Set on the 11km Dete Vlei, the recently refurbished Sable Valley is in a private reserve with its own entrance into Hwange National Park.


No reviews yet

Login to Expert Africa

Sign in with password

Sign in with email link


New to Expert Africa? Create an account

Forgotten your details?

It's free & quick to set up

  • Save your wish-list
  • Send us an enquiry
  • Pay online for your trip
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Give us feedback on your trip
  • Full site benefits of the site

Need some help? Talk to our team

Africa