Reviews of safaris to Hwange National Park
We have always listened to our travellers, and now you can learn from them also. Below are links to feedback from recent trips - these are their views, not ours! See what they think of us, and about our trips to Africa:
"Brilliant Zimbabwe Trip"
As regular safari travellers we accept not everything will go exactly as planned and you certainly can't guarantee what wildlife you will see but what you hope for is an overall experience that makes you think, yes that was a great holiday, and that is what we got.
Everyone from Imvelo Safaris that we encountered was a credit to the company and Zimbabwe is certainly a safari destination we can strongly recommend.
Expert Africa were again efficient and will be our first point of call for our next safari, thank you." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 9 on a Zimbabwe safari
"One of the best trips ever."
Light aircraft transfer was probably not necessary, provided no real advantage & caused restrictions on luggage.
Although there was a snafu in our transfer from Hwange Camp back to Vic Falls, the situation was satisfactorily remedied and the tour operator compensated us with free river cruise and Vic Falls walking tour. Essentially the pick-up was missed but with the help of staff from The Hide and a volunteer from a friend of the transfer company (?Wild Horizons) we were eventually (2.75 hrs late) driven back to VF & met about half-way by the tour company driver." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 4 on a Botswana safari
"Excellent trip"
"Excellent trip to Hwange"
Expert Africa is very efficient and Tom took into account everything we wanted from the outset, spending some time to juggle things around to fit in with timings, availability and budget.
We were looking for small basic bush camps and the 4 camps we stayed in ranged from the more basic to those with slightly more comfort. Each provided their own unique experience, and even the more basic camps were extremely comfortable.
In a country that is currently experiencing a food and fuel shortage, it is unbelievable how these camps still manage to keep providing such an excellent service. And how they manage to provide such good food and in such quantities. We have both come back several pounds heavier!!
In all the camps, the staff were efficient and friendly and the guiding was exceptional. It was great to see that people living and working in that environment all the time are still so passionate about the wildlife around them. The available activities such as game drives, walks, and using the hides, gave a good variety, and made for an excellent experience with some extremely close encounters with the wildlife!
With all wildlife you can never guarantee what you will see, and it is very much dependent on time of year and weather conditions. Overall we had an abundant and excellent wildlife experience to make for a really great safari, and one we will never forget!
Apart from the wildlife survey list of species, we did see several other species that we would count as notable ‘sightings’, such as: some magnificent kudu, tortoise, honey badger, reedbuck, tsessebe, waterbuck, bat-eared fox, wild cat." Read full review: 23 nights in Africa; 21 on a Zimbabwe safari
"Unbeatable Itinerary Even With the Road Trips"
I'm happy I returned to Zimbabwe and Zambia – two outstanding wildlife countries with exceptionally skilled guides – and I very much enjoyed my introduction to Malawi. The Majete Wildlife Reserve is still in its infancy but holds great promise, and I found Lake Malawi breathtaking to look at and fascinating to explore.
Working with the Expert Africa team – and particularly with Freddie Sutton – to plan my month-long itinerary was great fun and very rewarding. Freddie is experienced, knowledgeable, patient and, above all, flexible. He responded quickly to all of my requests for changes and updates, and he always found an attractive alternative where one was needed. Even when a slight glitch arose during my time away, he immediately resolved it and all went well." Read full review: 38 nights in Africa; 11 on a Zimbabwe safari
"My Oct 2018 trip"
"Our trip to Zimbabwe October 2018"
We are big fans of Zambia because of the excellent walking but we liked the combination of walk and drives we experienced in Zimbabwe.
Mana Pools was busier than Hwange, which was very quiet. In Mana Pools, it is strange to see people walking in the park without guides. In Hwange it was wonderful to be away from tsetses and mosquitos." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 15 on a Zimbabwe safari
"Our Hwange safari 2018"
An added bonus was that our guide, Andrew Dalziel, was with us from start to finish and for all of our days in the park, there was just him and us - which made it a very personal trip.
His knowledge and humour was fantastic, we enjoyed our daily bush walks probably covering around 25km in the six days, and we learnt new things everyday. We got very close to elephants on a number of occasions through Andrew’s skills and he was ably assisted by Felix, one of the very long serving camp staff.
Although the animals are skittish in this park, this did not detract from our overall enjoyment. We also spotted over 135 different birds in just six days, with the most varied number of raptors we have seen in an area for a long time. There has been a lot of work undertaken on renovating water pumps in the park, with lots of new solar pumps. This means that all animals have ready access to water in most areas, which does lead to it being harder to spot the animals but certainly didn’t make our experience any less enjoyable.
The camp staff were fantastic - both in the bush camp and during the fly camping. You did not feel that anything was too much trouble at any point, whether it be breakfast in the morning, hot water for a shower or coffee after dinner. Guides and camp staff worked well together and it almost felt like being part of a family for six days.
We did not expect a guide to ourselves for the trip - as we were the only guests for the first two nights, and the only guests going fly camping, this may well have been the reason why. We felt extremely lucky to have Andrew with us - albeit that we were surprised not to have the guides mentioned on Expert Africa’s pages - very much our gain, just not what we had expected.
In many respects, this has been one of our most enjoyable safaris - we may not have seen as many mammals as in other places but the variety of birds, ability to get so close to nature and quality of guiding, alongside the friendliness of the camp staff, all made for an excellent trip. We would strongly recommend this. We feel sure any site chosen for the new camp will be as good because the people will make it so." Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 8 on a Zimbabwe safari
"Sep 2018 trip to Zimbabwe "
Everything else was superb." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Zimbabwe safari
"Our Zimbabwe safari"
We were surprised at the high number of elephants in Hwange, but it was explained by the guides that there are very few permanent, natural water sources and those that are there are mainly man-made. They are maintained and water is pumped permanently which means the elephants do not need to migrate to Botswana during the dry season but can stay in Zimbabwe year round and are breeding very prolifically.
Seeing white rhinos in the wild was fantastic and the reason we chose to visit Zimbabwe so we weren't disappointed.
All 3 camps were very comfortable in their own ways and all very different from each other. it was a pleasure to stay at each of them. Ilala Lodge was a wonderful start to our holiday.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
It may be a good idea to recommend at least 3 nights at Amalinda if visitors would like to see cave paintings and visit World's End. We hadn't realised we wouldn't have time to do both." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 8 on a Zimbabwe safari
Where to stay in Hwange
Our suggestions for safari camps in Hwange National Park
Camp Hwange
Overlooking a waterhole in a remote part of Hwange National Park, Camp Hwange offers great guiding in a pristine wilderness at reasonable prices.
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.
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.
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.
Linkwasha Camp
In its own private concession within Hwange National Park, Linkwasha offers excellent wildlife sightings and luxurious surroundings.
Somalisa Acacia
Somalisa Acacia is a family-friendly, yet remote and luxurious safari camp in 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.
Camelthorn
Camelthorn is a stylish lodge with a range of activities in a remote region of western Zimbabwe, adjacent to Hwange National Park.
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.
Deteema Springs Camp
Nestled deep in Hwange National Parks rugged northern sector, Deteema Springs Camp promises visitors an authentic bush amp experience.
Daka Camp
One of the more remote camps in Hwange National Park, Deka Camp sits almost on the border with Botswana.
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.
Camp Chitubu
Camp Chitubu is a comfortable, unpretentious camp nestled in the rugged hills of northern Hwange. The focus here is on top-quality guiding.
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.
