​Overview – Hwange NP

Hwange National Park is the largest and most popular park in Zimbabwe. It offers excellent wildlife viewing, and most big safari animals can be seen, including the Big Five. Hwange is most known for the impressive concentration of elephant that are attracted to the park's waterholes during the Dry season.

 
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Best Time to Go July to October (Dry season)
High Season June to October (Some areas can become busy)
Size 14,650km² / 5,656mi²
Altitude 850-1,133m / 2,789-3,717ft
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Pros & Cons

  • • Top wildlife viewing with all of the Big Five present
  • Wide variety of animals
  • Night drives and walking safaris are available at most camps
  • Proximity to the popular Victoria Falls
  • Accommodation options for all budgets
  • Excellent self-drive and self-catering facilities
  • Roads which were previously tarred, and in good condition, have mostly disintegrated

Hwange NP Safari Reviews

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Wildlife

With over 100 species present, Hwange has the widest variety of mammals of any national park in the world. It also has one of the largest elephant populations. There are 20,000 to 70,000 individuals that congregate around the waterholes toward the end of the Dry season. The park has an impressive variety of antelope, including some of the unusual species such as sable antelope and greater kudu.

Scenery

The park is situated on the eastern edge of the vast Kalahari sands and scrublands. Habitats include teak forest, thornveld and mopane woodland. There is little natural water in the park and animals are dependent on artificial waterholes.

Weather & Climate

Hwange has two clear-cut seasons. The Dry season (April to October) starts off warm before temperatures dip in the middle of the year. Then the heat quickly gets turned up, culminating in the blazing heat of October. The Wet season (November to March) cools things off at first with its stormy weather before settling into a pattern of hot, humid days.

Best Time to Visit

Hwange is at its best in the dry months (July to October), when animals crowd the waterholes. You pretty much have Hwange to yourself in the Wet season (November to April), but animals are more scattered at that time.

Want to Visit Hwange NP?

Hwange NP Safari Reviews

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  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
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  • Birding
Most Helpful Expert Review
Expert
Paul Murray  –  
United Kingdom UK

Paul is a travel writer, author of the Bradt guidebook to Zimbabwe and is closely involved in promoting tourism to Zimbabwe.

Big Game Metropolis
5/5

Hwange, the size of Belgium, is Zimbabwe’s premier park, one of Africa’s finest. And these days with Zimbabwe’s low tourism figures, you’ll have the park to yourself giving an excellent, uncrowded, wildlife experience. And with 108...

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Latest User Review
Michelle Welch  –  
New Zealand NZ
Reviewed: Dec 28, 2019
4/5

Hwange is a vast area and requires patience and travel over great distances to see the wildlife. There is no fencing so the animals wonder over large areas. We prefer to get away from volumes of commercial tourism so Hwange is the ideal...

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