Zimbabwe'sHwange National Park
Help Me PlanHwange National Park Destination Guide
Hwange National Park is the largest reserve in Zimbabwe, covering 14,651 km² between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. Proclaimed a game reserve in 1928 and later established as a national park, it lies on Kalahari sands with teak and mopane woodland, open savanna, and seasonal pans that sustain wildlife through the dry months.
Getting to Hwange National Park
By Air: Some lodges have airstrips for light aircraft. Charter flights usually connect from Victoria Falls or Bulawayo, depending on your itinerary. The park is also accessible by tar road from Hwange town. A 4x4 is required for tougher sections, especially in the rainy season when muddy roads become challenging.
Weather & Best Time To Visit
The park is open year-round. Prime game viewing is from July to October in the dry season, when thinning vegetation and pumped waterholes concentrate wildlife. From late November to March the veld turns lush for excellent summer birding and dramatic afternoon storms. Expect very hot summer days and cold winter nights on Kalahari sands.
Seasonal rivers drain the north and far south, while most areas rely on natural seeps and pumped pans and dams—ideal for game viewing in the dry months. All-inclusive safari lodges like Somalisa and The Hide offer access to wilderness activities including guided bush walks, game drives, and night drives. Summer brings superb birding.
Experiences to Savor
What you'll undoubtedly savor most in Hwange National Park is the reserve's authentic wilderness and abundance of wildlife. Some unique experiences include walking safaris and fishing in the waterways.
Wild Immersion
Visitors can join guided walks through untouched landscapes, and many concessions offer moonlight game drives for night owls. Hwange has dozens of water sources, making wildlife sightings common around pans and waterholes.
Water World
In the late 1920s, first warden Ted Davison established over 60 artificial pans across the park, boosting wildlife numbers and producing spectacular dry-season viewing around waterholes. Many waterholes are near camps, supporting superb camp-based game viewing as well.
