Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe's largest park, covering around 14,600 square kilometres of dry woodland, grassland and Kalahari sand on the edge of the Kalahari. It is famed for its elephants, which gather in large herds at the waterholes in the dry season, and which have given the park a reputation as one of the best places in Africa to watch them.
The park has few natural rivers, so wildlife depends on pumped waterholes, and sitting at a hide beside one at sunset is a highlight. Lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, spotted hyena, giraffe, zebra, sable, roan, eland and a great variety of antelope live here, and the birding is good.
Hwange lies about an hour and a half from Victoria Falls, so it pairs naturally with the Falls. The best time is July to October, when the pans dry out and animals come to the waterholes.
Hwange has some of the largest elephant herds in Africa, as well as buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, sable, roan, eland, kudu, impala and gemsbok. Lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena, brown hyena and African wild dog live in the park. The dry-season waterholes are the best places to watch.
Chance of seeing
Our estimate for a stay of two or three nights with a good guide. Wildlife is wild, so nothing is promised.
The park is a mix of teak woodland, mopane scrub and open grassland, with salt pans and ancient fossil dunes. Sunsets at the waterholes are special.
Activities here
Hwange has hot, wet summers and dry, cooler winters. The rains fall from November to March, and winter nights from June to August can fall close to freezing.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 18 | 140 |
| Feb | 29 | 18 | 120 |
| Mar | 29 | 17 | 70 |
| Apr | 28 | 14 | 20 |
| May | 26 | 9 | 3 |
| Jun | 23 | 5 | 0 |
| Jul | 23 | 5 | 0 |
| Aug | 26 | 8 | 0 |
| Sep | 30 | 12 | 3 |
| Oct | 32 | 16 | 20 |
| Nov | 30 | 17 | 70 |
| Dec | 29 | 18 | 130 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
May to October is dry. Pans dry out, and animals concentrate at the pumped waterholes, which gives the best game viewing. Nights are cold in June and July, so bring a jacket.
November to April is hot and wet. The bush is green, birdlife is excellent, and animals disperse, so sightings are harder. Some roads are impassable.
July to October is the best time, with October the hottest and busiest month at the waterholes. The green season offers lower rates and good birding.
Best time to visit Jun to Oct
Hwange is about 200 kilometres from Victoria Falls, a drive of around two to three hours on tarred roads, or a short charter flight. Hwange Main Camp can be reached by road from Bulawayo in about four hours.
Park fees are included in our safaris. Please see the Zimbabwe page for visa details.
Hwange is a low to moderate malaria area, with the greatest risk in the rains, so please take advice. Nights are cold in winter, and days are hot in October.
Scenic AreaVictoria FallsThe smoke that thunders
National ParkMana Pools National ParkWalking and canoeing on the Zambezi
Lake & IslandsLake Kariba and MatusadonaSunsets over a drowned forestOur take
“Our take”
Hwange rewards time at a waterhole, so choose a camp that has one, and stay at least two nights.
Safaris from
US$2,256 per person
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