Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest and most legendary wildlife reserve, a vast landscape of teak forests and open grasslands that borders the Kalahari Desert. The park is world-famous for its massive elephant population, with herds of several hundred often seen congregating around the park’s man-made waterholes during the dry season. These waterholes are the heart of the park, creating incredible drama as lions, wild dogs, and hyenas wait for prey to come for a drink. The safari experience here is one of vast scale and predictable abundance, especially if you spend time at the ‘hide’ spots overlooking the water. As the sun sets, the sky over Hwange turns a deep, dusty orange, providing a perfect end to a day of world-class wildlife viewing.

• Where it is: Northwestern Zimbabwe.
• What you can expect to see: Massive elephant herds, wild dogs, and lions at waterholes.
• How much it is to get in: ~$20 USD for non-residents.
• What people say: The waterholes provide ‘incredible game viewing’ because the animals come to you.
• Interesting fact: Hwange has over 100 species of mammals and 400 species of birds.