Reviews of Camp Hwange
Wildlife sightings and reviews
87 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
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"Camp Hwange"
Extremely cold at night. Extra layers essential for early morning drives." See all these reviews: 13n in Zimbabwe
"Camp Hwange review"
Eating together with the whole team and guests was great fun and gave a really nice vibe to the whole stay. The food is absolutely great and all home cooked. The table always looked beautiful. You do not starve there so much food!
We learnt so much from the team and would love to return." See all these reviews: 7n in Zimbabwe; 5n in South Africa
"Great time at Camp Hwange"
Downsides: we were picked up by Stephen (who was a great guide) at the camp gate and taken on a fairly long and roundabout drive to get to the Camp; we saw loads of amazing wildlife immediately which was a great treat and a real surprise but by this stage we'd been travelling for over 24 hours and were exhausted; we'd had a bite to eat at Jo'burg airport but hardly anything on our connecting flight; it would've been good to be warned about this, or offered some food/options as we were very tired and quite hungry, and had assumed we'd be taken more or less straight to the camp! We were so keen to see stuff though that we weren't too bothered, but others might be.
We were also picked up with a large group of other people (possibly staff from the national park as they were mostly dropped off en route), but one of them got quite drunk and was being persistently over-friendly which wasn't ideal. The route through the coalfields from Vic Falls airport wasn't the best way to be introduced to the National Park. I wonder if there is an alternative if slightly longer route via Main Camp to Camp Hwange that would avoid this?
Also a couple of the game drives were quite long without seeing much; early starts also meant we really needed our siestas so possibly it would be good to make these shorter when there's not much to see." See all these reviews: 9n in Zimbabwe
"Camp Hwange review"
Our guide Dahmesh was excellent – good fun to be with and extremely knowledgable. We learnt a lot from him. He also had an interest in wildlife photography which was a bonus as he was always trying to get the best angle for us.
Hwange was a lovely park with diverse wildlife. We were lucky because one of the lion conservationists had come to the area to collar a dominant male, so we got to hear of the prides whereabouts. We witnessed the pride (including young lions) having recently killed a young elephant and feeding on it, which apparently that pride is quite notorious for but it is something we have never seen before.
We saw many, large elephants at close proximity, which was wonderful. I was delighted to have sightings of two males cheetahs and we also saw rarer things such as a honey badger during the day. Each evening whilst driving back in the dark, we saw interesting small animals such as serval, gennets, spring hares.
All in all we were very happy with our experience in Hwange." See all these reviews: 16n in Zimbabwe
"Very comfortable safari at Camp Hwange"
The guide was very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna and was very keen to share some of this knowledge with us. The guide was also keen to take us on walks into the bush which were a real treat, especially when we managed to get up close to a herd of zebra. The food and drink were both plentiful and of great further adding to the experience of staying in a new and very comfortable safari camp." See all these reviews: 5n in Zimbabwe
"I love this camp"
If you're looking for somewhere where it's all about the game, this camp could well be for you. Don't get me wrong though; it's also very comfortable and well run with all the basics (good food, comfortable beds, hot water, cold drinks) done well. But it's first and foremost a game viewing operation and they take this very seriously so if you just want a quick drive round the bush before breakfast or dinner you might want to choose somewhere different.
But if you want some serious guiding and full-on engagement with Hwange National Park, then this is an awesome camp. But expect to be out for loooong drives or walks; we would leave by 06h and not come back until 13h and then be out again for another 4 or 5 hours so it's intense. But the game was fantastic. Lots of lions if that's your thing (it's not mine especially!) and (when we were there just ahead of the rains) enormous herds of eles and buffalo. We also saw a lot of leopard (to my slight surprise as these aren't always easy to see in Hwange). We even had the dilemma of having to choose between leopard and serval sightings one evening (we chose serval which was wonderful)
So overall I really don't think you can go wrong but I'd say it's for the genuine safari enthusiast, not someone looking for a little safari between meals and down-time.
Lastly we were lucky enough to be guided by Dave Carson again (this was our second visit) and he is great; super-enthusiastic about everything, especially lions (but willing to go and look at other game too with a little coaxing lol). I cannot recommend him highly enough" See all these reviews: 5n in Zambia; 4n in Zimbabwe
"Camp Hwange review"
The guides for our game drives (mainly Damesh) were extremely knowledgeable and we benefitted from (usually) being the only couple with him. Also we suspect that, through Steven's tactful networking with the relevant person at Masuma Pan, we were able to stay there for the extra crucial half hour after 'closing' which saw so many families of elephants arrive and depart from the Pan.
Damesh always stopped for long enough to observe animal behaviour and I found this coupled with his explanations very rewarding." See all these reviews: 15n in Zimbabwe
"Camp Hwange review"
The two other guides at the time George and Washington (yes really!) were always available to answer questions, between them they knew every bird, mammal, reptile, insect in Africa including the flat spiders in our room. This is a camp that we would go back to given the opportunity." See all these reviews: 10n in Zimbabwe; 2n in Zambia
"Wonderful Camp Hwange"
Evening sun downers were spent around some of the local pans watching elephants come and go. I don’t think we will ever forget the 100+ elephants that gathered around Masuma dam on our final evening.
Food was excellent, especially evening meals around the long table, where lively conversations ensued.
The guiding was first class. Our guide, George, was really enthusiastic and took us on a walk to take a look at a leopard kill that had been taken over by very noisy hyenas. We watched the hyenas from beyond some rocks until a lioness boldly came barging into the scene and it was time to retreat back to the vehicle. A very up close and personal encounter which was very exciting.
Night drives were extremely productive with serval and honey badger sightings on more than one occasion.
There was a lovely atmosphere to this camp, everyone was very friendly and helpful, i.e. we experienced a problem with a couple who were birders, we mentioned it to our guide and the problem was rectified immediately and without any bad feelings.
We really enjoyed our stay here." See all these reviews: 12n in Zimbabwe
"Camp Hwange review"
Travel to and from the camp by road was long and tedious compared to some of the excellent flights we had between other camps." See all these reviews: 11n in Zimbabwe
Holiday styles & special interests in Zimbabwe
From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Zimbabwe.
Other lodges in Hwange National Park
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Somalisa Camp
Somalisa is a luxurious, yet remote, safari camp in Hwange National Park, offering walking safaris and game drives.
The Hide
Located in a small, private concession, The Hide is a relaxed and comfortable camp offering submerged hides and great family accommodation.
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.
Little Makalolo Camp
Tucked away in Hwange National Park overlooking a waterhole, Little Makalolo Camp combines top guiding with excellent wildlife watching.
Somalisa Expeditions
A simple but stylish camp, Somalisa Expeditions sits in the heart of Hwange National Park, offering walking safaris and game drives.
Davison's Camp
Within the Linkwasha Concession, Davison's Camp offers superb value for money, morning walking safaris and spot-lit drives after dark.
Nehimba Lodge
Nehimba is a comfortable, good-value camp in a remote area of Hwange National Park, teeming with wildlife.
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.
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.
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.
Khulu Bush Camp
Just outside Hwange National Park, Khulu Bush Camp features a waterhole popular with wildlife, especially elephants and offers excellent value for money.
Somalisa Acacia
Somalisa Acacia is a family-friendly, yet remote and luxurious safari camp in Hwange National Park.
Linkwasha Camp
In its own private concession within Hwange National Park, Linkwasha offers excellent wildlife sightings and luxurious surroundings.
Camelthorn
Camelthorn is a stylish lodge with a range of activities in a remote region of western Zimbabwe, adjacent to Hwange National Park.
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.
Deteema Springs Camp
Nestled deep in Hwange National Parks rugged northern sector, Deteema Springs Camp promises visitors an authentic bush amp experience.
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.
Daka Camp
One of the more remote camps in Hwange National Park, Deka Camp sits almost on the border with Botswana.
Sable Valley Lodge
Set on the 12km Dete Vlei, the recently upgraded and family-friendly Sable Valley sits in a private reserve within easy reach of Hwange National Park.
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.
Elephant's Eye
In a private concession just outside Hwange National Park, the comfortable Elephant's Eye overlooks a pan and waterholes.
