Wild, vast and authentically African, immerse yourself in the abundance of Hwange National Park, where no two days are the same. Hwange National Park (formerly Wankie Game Reserve) is the largest natural reserve in Zimbabwe. Wild, vast Hwange Endless grassy plains dotted with waterholes and pans stretch into mopane woodland, where predators stalk wary prey. On a safari in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, you will explore iconic African landscapes, hosting an abundance of wildlife. Encounter iconic African wildlife in this pristine natural habitat all year round. It lies in the northwest of the country, just off the main road between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. A Zimbabwe safari is not complete without time spent in the country’s largest protected park, Hwange. Savour a sundowner as a fiery sky burns vivid orange, then quickly becomes a tapestry of stars, illuminating one of Africa’s most treasured parks. Thrill to hunting lions on an early evening game drive, then sleep out in a Star Bed as Hwange’s plains reverberate with their roars. Track wildlife on foot on a thrilling walk led by an experienced guide, or wait for the wildlife to come to you at a perfectly positioned hide.
Hwange is only a 2.5hr drive from Victoria Falls and is Zimbabwe’s biggest national park. About 100km south of Victoria Falls is Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's premier wildlife destination and largest national park. According to Victoria Falls author Ian Michler, the best game viewing is in the private concessions of Linkwasha and Makololo in southern Hwange.
Geography and Ecology
Hwange National Park is situated in Western Zimbabwe. The park is close to the edge of the Kalahari desert, a region with little water and very sparse, xerophile vegetation. All three Wilderness camps - Linkwasha, Davison’s and Little Makololo - are located in the south-eastern section of Hwange, with all providing access to our Linkwasha-Makalolo Private Wilderness Area. The north and north-west of the park are drained by the Deka and Lukosi rivers and their tributaries, and the far south of the park is drained by the Gwabadzabuya River, a tributary of the Nata River.
There are no rivers in the rest of the park, although there are fossil drainage channels in the main camp and Linkwasha areas, which form seasonal wetlands. In these areas without rivers, grassy pan depressions and pans have formed.
Flora and Fauna
The Park hosts over 100 mammal and 400 bird species, including 19 large herbivores and eight large carnivores. Elephants have been enormously successful in Hwange and the population has increased to far above that naturally supported by such an area. This population of elephants has put a lot of strain on the resources of the park.
Read also: Exploring Chad's Fauna
There has been a lot of debate on how to deal with this, with parks authorities implementing culling to reduce populations, especially during 1967 to 1986.
People have lived in the region for tens of thousands of years, as attested by numerous archaeological sites ranging from early Stone Age to the historic era. Stone age foragers hunted and gathered in the region, leaving numerous sites with stone tools throughout today's park.
Conservation Efforts and Challenges
In October 2013 it was discovered that poachers killed a large number of African elephants with cyanide after poisoning their waterhole. Conservationists have claimed the incident to be the largest illegal killing of animals in Southern Africa in 25 years. Two aerial surveys were carried to determine the extent of the deaths, and 19 carcasses were identified in the first survey and a further 84 carcasses in the second survey. Three of the poachers were caught, arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced.
Hwange National Park holds the largest Elephant population in the world
On or about 1 July 2015, Cecil, a lion who had lived on Hwange National Park for 13 years, was killed. This action spurred widespread social media coverage and a petition calling for Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe to outlaw big game hunting permits. Walter Palmer, the admitted killer of Cecil, had a permit and was not charged with any crime, as all his papers were in order. Authorities in Zimbabwe have said he is free to visit the country. Two years after Cecil's killing, his son Xanda met a similar fate.
Read also: History of Cameroon Soccer
Exploring Beyond Hwange National Park
Zimbabwe offers a diverse range of attractions beyond Hwange National Park. Here are a few notable destinations:
- Victoria Falls: Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means the smoke that thunders, just one glimpse of the spectacular Victoria Falls confirms why.
- Mana Pools: Down in the Lower Zambezi, Mana Pools is another really remote national park (a UNESCO-listed one no less) and what sets it apart from the others is that it has a riverfront attracting lots of great game and its unfenced too, so theres every chance of a family of elephants strolling past while youre having a snack. Safaris on foot are no longer allowed here, but better safe than stampeded.
- Great Zimbabwe Ruins: Dating back to 11th century, these are the Kingdom of Zimbabwes ancient capital ruins, rightly awarded UNESCO status. Covering 722 ha, this stone city is thought to have housed 18,000 people, and considered one of Southern Africas greatest archaeological monuments.
- Lake Kariba: Quite tricky to reach, Lake Kariba rewards your effort with its staggering remoteness.
- Chimanimani Mountains: Superb hiking territory with the Chimanimani Mountains at its heart, creating landscapes of volcanic peaks, deep valleys and gorges. Like so much of Zimbabwe this is tourist free, so there is still a great feeling of wilderness as you wander, the icing on the cake being the hike up to Bridal Veil Falls.
- Matobo National Park: Home to 3,500 ancient rock art sites and stony outcrops that you can sit above and gaze at, Matobo is a lesser-known national park with a really spiritual vibe. You can game drive, mountain bike and, unusually for Zimbabwe, take a walk with a ranger to see rhinos on foot there, and its hills are also the home of Cecil John Rhodes grave. A very atmospheric safari option for the thinkers out there.
Additional Activities
- Canoe Safari: Requiring neither previous experience, nor superhuman levels of fitness, a canoe safari is a really relaxing way to appreciate the incredible scenery and wildlife along the Zambezi River. Pick the right time of day to drift along the Lower Zambezi and youll see hippo, elephants, zebra and buffalo, all contentedly browsing the banks underneath the kind of spectacular sunset that only Africa affords.
- Hiking Mt. Nyangani: The wonderful thing about hiking Zimbabwe’s highest peak, Mt. Nyangani (2,592m), is that it is not a walk til you drop experience, but a relatively moderate climb. These are the eastern highlands, however, so there are some steep sections of course.
Geological Information
J.C.Ferguson (1938) provided a "Geological reconnaissance in the Wankie Game Reserve". B.Lightfoot (1912) wrote about "The Geology of the North-Western Part of the Wankie Coalfield, Southern Rhodesia". R.L.A. Watson (1960) described "The Geology and Coal Resources of the Country around Wankie, Southern Rhodesia". B. Lightfoot (1914) detailed "The Geology of the North-western part of the Wankie Coalfield". N.H. Lockett (1979) covered "The Geology of the Country Around Dett". D. Love (1999) discussed "Crystalline inliers to the south of Hwange".
Read also: Ghana Soccer Jersey
Popular articles:
tags:
