Tailormade Holidays in Zimbabwe

In a private concession bordering the north-west corner of the park, Ruckomechi Camp sits on a sweeping bend of the Zambezi river. The camp was completely refurbished in 2016 and each of the ten large en suite tents offer magnificent views of the river and surrounding bush and are tastefully decorated with local crafts. The camp is one of only a few in the Mana Pools area to offer a swimming pool, from which visitors can admire the dramatic Zambezi escarpment in the distance. All wildlife activities are taken in the private Ruckomechi Concession bordering the main part of the reserve, meaning motor-boat cruises are permitted as well as canoe-based activities, walking safaris and game drives. This is one of the areas more luxurious lodges, although still manages to retain an authentic bush feel.

Chikwenya Camp is situated in a scenically beautiful area, in a private concession on the northern boundary of the Mana Pools National Park. With spectacular views across the Zambezi River, surrounding floodplain and distant escarpment, the lodge is especially popular with photographers. Each of the seven tents stand on low wooden decks with a pine walkway running between them. The tents themselves are fresh and minimal with careful touches of local influence. The area is particularly well known for its large herds of Cape Buffalo and Elephant, as well as healthy populations of Hippo, Lion and African Wild Dog. Birding highlights include Black-throated Wattle-eye, Red-necked Falcon, Eastern Nicator, Red-throated Twinspot and Livingstone’s Flycatcher.

Nestled in a remote 5000-acre private reserve on community land just outside the Hwange National Park, this lovely camp offers comfortable safari-style accommodation with spectacular views. The camp’s dining room, bar and lounge perch atop a wonderful viewing platform, offering far-reaching views across the Bomani Pan. Accommodation comprises a combination of raised Saddlebill tents overlooking the Ngamo Plain, and ground-level Spurwing suites with views of the waterhole, alongside a wonderful thatched family suite. All rooms enjoy cooling fans, en-suite facilities with hot running water and generator-based electricity.

Throughout the year, close encounters with local Elephants are a particularly popular draw, but it is the green season between January and March when the land bursts into a plethora of vibrant hues and the birding is at its most remarkable. At this time of year one can even explore by canoe, offering a unique perspective of the wildlife of this spectacular area.

Activities include walking safaris, both day and night game drives (within the private concession), access to an exciting hide just metres from a waterhole, and horse riding. ‘Pump Runs’ can also be made, visiting a series of maintained boreholes in and alongside Hwange National Park, which provide essential water to wildlife during the dry season and attract an abundance of wildlife. Supporting the community is at the heart of Bomani’s ethos, meaning that time spent here results in far-spanning benefits. One can visit the supremely welcoming village and school nearby, offering a wonderful insight into the daily lives of the locals.

Bomani is accessed via a short charter flight from Victoria Falls or Bulawayo, by road or, for an exciting and unique twist – by rail!

Found within a 278 square kilometre private concession between the mopane woodlands of Hwange National Park’s remote northern region and the Kalahari sandveld to the south and west, Nehimba Lodge offers a truly enthralling African safari experience. Here, one can anticipate some wonderful wildlife sightings, including Hwange’s famed vast Elephant herds. As the camp is unfenced, these magnificent animals can often-times be watched ambling through the camp itself and even draining the swimming pool dry! The camp also lies close to the natural phenomenon known as the ‘Nehimba Seeps’ – one of Hwange’s only year-round natural water sources. The seep offers a vital water and mineral supply for the park’s vast Elephant herds during the dry season. The Elephants dig wells in the sand to hydrate, covering themselves in white mineral residue in the process; a fascinating and unique spectacle.

Accommodation is offered in nine luxury stilted thatched tents, each with elegant furnishings and en-suite facilities, with private balconies overlooking the breath-taking Nehimba Pan and the plethora of wildlife it attracts, including over 100 species of mammal and just shy of 400 species of bird. Nehimba Is a seasonal lodge which can be accessed via a four-to-five-hour game drive from Victoria Falls, or by charter plane to a nearby airstrip.

The stylish Camelthorn Lodge is located along the southern edge of the Ngamo Plain, tucked away within unspoilt ancient acacia woodlands and only an hour’s charter flight from Victoria Falls. This is a truly exclusive lodge, and those looking for luxury need search no further. Accommodation comprises eight elegantly furnished forest villas, each offering a cosy fireplace for the cooler winter nights, as well as a mezzanine terrace - some complete with refreshing plunge pools – and a private ground level deck. En-suite bathrooms offer glorious woodland views, and in-house spa treatments offer an extra layer of luxury. A nearby hide sits adjacent to a waterhole; here, local wildlife can be viewed up close, particularly Hwange’s famous Elephant herds, making for some superb opportunities for photography. Evening meals can be enjoyed beneath an ancient camelthorn tree; the camp’s namesake, and the surrounding woodlands are dotted with waterholes popular with some of the more secretive local wildlife.

Located in one of the most southern and untouched wilderness areas of Hwange National Park, the exclusive Jozibanini Camp is as remote as it is spectacular. Unlike other areas of the park, the landscape here is uniquely semi-desert, offering an entirely different experience. The camp can be accessed by charter flight from Victoria Falls, however for those visiting the likes of Bomani, Nehimba or Camelthorn can arrive via a ‘Pump Run’, making the journey a wonderful adventure in itself, following a line of maintained waterholes teeming with wildlife, finally reaching the region’s Kalahari-style ancient windblown fossil dunes in about six hours.

The camp itself is informal and relatively basic compared to its Hwange neighbours, but certainly comfortable, with a key draw being its location within a private concession - the next nearest tourism facility is over four hours’ drive away! Accommodation comprises three furnished tents sitting atop raised wooden platforms beneath the cooling shade of Shepherds Bush and Camelthorn trees, each with en-suite facilities (bucket showers and flushing toilets). A wonderful addition here is the tents’ large verandas – beds can be wheeled outside of an evening for those who wish to sleep beneath a vast carpet of stars. We recommend a stay of at least two nights at Jozibanini to fully enjoy all that this superb camp represents.

Linkwasha Camp is perhaps the most luxurious accommodation within Hwange National Park. Each of the eight tents have been tastefully decorated and include a large living area with sofa and writing desk. The glass and mesh sliding doors providing panoramic views of the surrounding bush, whilst the main area also includes multi-level decks where guests can enjoy looking out over the permanent waterhole. The sparkling pool is also a wonderful place to cool off during the hottest part of the day. The camp is located in the private Linkwasha Concession, one of the most wildlife-rich areas of the park, clothed largely in dry savannah and acacia woodland, although the varied landscape also includes teak forests and a few palm-dotted islands. Within the private concession guests can enjoy walking safaris and night drives as well as traditional game drives and visits to a local village. This area is also popular with birders, and Arnot’s Chat, Dickinson’s Kestrel and Bradfield’s Hornbill are just a few of the star species to be found nearby.

Situated in the Linkwasha Concession in the south-eastern corner of Hwange, Davison’s Camp occupies an enviable position in one of the most wildlife-rich areas of the park. Each of the light and airy tents overlooks an artificial waterhole that is regularly frequented by herds of Cape Buffalo and Elephant, offering wonderful photographic opportunities throughout the year. The pool offers relief during the hotter summer months, whilst the open fire pit is a great place to relax and reminisce the days sightings whilst stargazing in the evenings. The eight traditional-style safari tents are nestled beneath a grove of False Mopane and offer private comfortable accommodation in one of the park’s most exciting wildlife havens. The majority of activities take place within the Linkwasha Concession where guests can enjoy a range of activities including night drives and guided walks.

Originally built as accommodation for workers, labouring on the Cape to Cairo railway, this luxury hotel is steeped in history and colonial charm. The hotel’s position is key to its success with stunning views across the Victoria Falls Bridge and Bakota Gorge, and a private entrance to the Falls themselves. The opulence and service to be enjoyed at the Victoria Falls Hotel is second-to-none and the elegant Edwardian style signature restaurant ‘the Livingstone Room’ is widely regarded as one of the best in all of Africa. The hotel also boasts two more bars, and a beautifully decorated afternoon tea room.  Guests might enjoy spending time exploring the beautifully landscaped gardens or visiting the delightful swimming pool.

Ilala Lodge is the closest hotel to the Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side. Just a few minutes’ walk away, the hotel is perfectly positioned to explore the Falls themselves, as well as the bustling town which shares its name. Each of the 56 rooms is tastefully designed in a colonial style, with French doors leading to a small patio. The hotel also boasts two wonderful restaurants, extensive gardens and a lovely swimming pool.