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Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park is located a short 45-minute flight south of Victoria Falls, making it Zimbabwe’s number one safari destination. This huge park sits on the edge of the vast Kalahari Desert taking in grasslands, woodlands and ancient riverbeds. Being on the edge of the Kalahari Desert means water is scarce, so the parks authority from back in the 1960s started pumping waterholes throughout the dry winter months to sustain the wildlife. The animals have come to rely on these waterholes and as a result the elephant numbers throughout the year are some of the highest in Africa. During the peak of the dry season, it is not uncommon to have over a thousand elephants coming down to one waterhole to drink over the course of 24 hours.
The rainy season in Hwange starts around mid-November and lasts until March. The rainy season brings with it new life in the form of baby antelope that are born after the first rains. Migrant birds fly in from Asia and Europe and are in their breeding plumage. Waterholes fill with water and the arid landscape turns a vivid green as grasses sprout. There is now an abundance of food and the animals look healthy and happy. Due to the abundance of food and surface water, the large herds of animals (elephants) spread out more and some of the bull elephants migrate to the Zambezi, Chobe and other parts of Zimbabwe. The older bulls and family herds remain in the park throughout the year. With less pressure from large herds of elephants at the waterholes, the smaller and shyer animals are bolder and more regularly seen whilst on game drives. This is a great time for photography as the skies are blue, vegetation bright green and the sky is clear of dust and smog. On top of this, the rates at the camps are at their lowest and tourist numbers are low, meaning a more private experience for guests.
From April through to May, the vegetation starts to dry up and the so do the seasonal waterholes meaning the animals start to move towards the permanent water of the park. May is the start of winter and nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing, so warm clothes are a must. Rates at the camps increase slightly as the shoulder season starts.
June is considered peak season at some camps and so rates increase to their highest. We are now in the peak of the dry season as most temporary waterholes have now dried up and the animals rely on the pumped waterholes to survive. The vegetation is starting to thin out and the later in the season you travel the more barren it starts to look. As the dry season intensifies, the herds of animals at the waterholes increase with family after family of elephants making their way down to drink. This time of year offers the best game viewing as food starts to dry up. The weak are preyed on by the large prides of lion who have learnt to hunt adolescent elephants as they come down to the waterholes to drink. During the peak of the dry season, in October, it can be quite a sad time to travel as many of the weaker animals do not make it as lack of food starves them. June, July and parts of August can get exceptionally cold at night and early mornings. Safari camps often provide hot water bottles and blankets for game drives, so it is advisable to take warm clothes if travelling at this time of the year. From September the temperatures start to rise with October being exceptionally hot and uncomfortable. As soon as the rains start the temperature drops to a much more comfortable level.
Our pick of safari camps in Hwange includes Somalisa Camp a premier camp in the heart of the national park with one of the most active waterholes in Africa. Somalisa Acacia Camp is the family friendly option, also with an extremely productive waterhole in front of the camp. Somalisa Expeditions is the adventure style camp offering some of the best guiding in Zimbabwe.
The rainy season in Hwange starts around mid-November and lasts until March. The rainy season brings with it new life in the form of baby antelope that are born after the first rains. Migrant birds fly in from Asia and Europe and are in their breeding plumage. Waterholes fill with water and the arid landscape turns a vivid green as grasses sprout. There is now an abundance of food and the animals look healthy and happy. Due to the abundance of food and surface water, the large herds of animals (elephants) spread out more and some of the bull elephants migrate to the Zambezi, Chobe and other parts of Zimbabwe. The older bulls and family herds remain in the park throughout the year. With less pressure from large herds of elephants at the waterholes, the smaller and shyer animals are bolder and more regularly seen whilst on game drives. This is a great time for photography as the skies are blue, vegetation bright green and the sky is clear of dust and smog. On top of this, the rates at the camps are at their lowest and tourist numbers are low, meaning a more private experience for guests.
From April through to May, the vegetation starts to dry up and the so do the seasonal waterholes meaning the animals start to move towards the permanent water of the park. May is the start of winter and nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing, so warm clothes are a must. Rates at the camps increase slightly as the shoulder season starts.
June is considered peak season at some camps and so rates increase to their highest. We are now in the peak of the dry season as most temporary waterholes have now dried up and the animals rely on the pumped waterholes to survive. The vegetation is starting to thin out and the later in the season you travel the more barren it starts to look. As the dry season intensifies, the herds of animals at the waterholes increase with family after family of elephants making their way down to drink. This time of year offers the best game viewing as food starts to dry up. The weak are preyed on by the large prides of lion who have learnt to hunt adolescent elephants as they come down to the waterholes to drink. During the peak of the dry season, in October, it can be quite a sad time to travel as many of the weaker animals do not make it as lack of food starves them. June, July and parts of August can get exceptionally cold at night and early mornings. Safari camps often provide hot water bottles and blankets for game drives, so it is advisable to take warm clothes if travelling at this time of the year. From September the temperatures start to rise with October being exceptionally hot and uncomfortable. As soon as the rains start the temperature drops to a much more comfortable level.
Our pick of safari camps in Hwange includes Somalisa Camp a premier camp in the heart of the national park with one of the most active waterholes in Africa. Somalisa Acacia Camp is the family friendly option, also with an extremely productive waterhole in front of the camp. Somalisa Expeditions is the adventure style camp offering some of the best guiding in Zimbabwe.
