Linkwasha Camp is distinguished by its winning formula, combining luxury, service and exclusivity with the best wildlife viewing in Hwange National Park. As well as being a luxury Zimbabwean safari lodge, Linkwasha Camp is clearly a place that means a great deal to everyone who experiences it. With a perfect 5 star rating from 137 reviews, guests consistently praise Linkwasha's exceptional wildlife viewing, dedicated guides, and luxurious accommodations.
Unparalleled Wildlife Viewing
Linkwasha is positioned in one of Hwange National Park’s most wildlife-rich regions. Here, a supremely diverse environment, coupled with year-round water provided at Wilderness-pumped waterholes, means the area heaves with elephant, and antelope and their predators. Over one hundred mammal species have been recorded in the Linkwasha area, and we’re soon finding this easy to believe.
Our drive from the airstrip to the lodge is held up by a herd of several hundred buffalo taking their time to pass by, while their attendant cattle egrets and oxpeckers squawk in indignation. Many of the features of the landscape are in motion - groups of elephant and zebra making beelines for some of the waterholes, which are pumped as part of the water supply project that Linkwasha supports. The waterhole immediately in front of the lodge is already busy, even though the day is still cool. Bathing seems to be higher on the agenda for the elephant gathered there than drinking, for now.
Being in a private concession means that we’ll be sharing the animals and birds with very few other people, and we know that they’ll be like-minded safari enthusiasts. Linkwasha is, after all, hard to get to by accident. With access to the Linkwasha-Makololo Private Wilderness Area, our guests have over 34 000 ha of wild Zimbabwe to explore. In Hwange, you’ll be able to see the safari ‘Big Five’ which are elephants, lions, buffalos, wildebeest and hippos. Lucky for us - all Big Five were in abundance during our drives.
Hwange National Park - An unforgettable WILDLIFE SAFARI experience!
Luxurious Accommodations and Amenities
Sink into a classic, comfortable safari stay at contemporary Wilderness Linkwasha. An airy, open safari lodge with nine tented suites (one of them a family tent) overlooking the plains while the main areas and a shared swimming pool have views of a busy waterhole.
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The floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors of our tent (well, it does have a stretched canvas roof) mean that we needn’t miss a moment of the almost continuous activity on the plains, and our eyes light up as we discover that we can sit on the rather comfortable sofas and view wildlife without going anywhere. The view from our room is of an almost endless savannah vista. Other than the lodge buildings (whose open-plan style doesn’t intrude) there are no traces of humans for kilometres around, and this is something we’re both grateful for.
Wilderness Linkwasha is one of the more upscale camps Wilderness has to offer and boasts incredible luxury surroundings, five-star service and fabulous (air-conditioned) glamping tents that would rival even the bougiest five-star hotels. Wilderness Linkwasha’s sprawling main camp is painted in chic greys, neutrals with plenty of vibrant Ndebele patterns that give the camp a distinctive Zimbabwean aesthetic. There is a small pool surrounded by Balinese day beds, and two stylish indoor dining areas, but dinner is best enjoyed under the stars. The tents are superb. Spacious, elegantly designed, air-conditioned and with incredible views of the bush, there is nothing quite like them throughout the whole of Hwange.
Activities and Experiences
Experience exceptional game viewing at Linkwasha, on the edge of Hwange’s famed Ngamo Plains. Imagine a place where you can observe elephants, a trunk’s distance from your sunken hide. Where you walk the dusty plains, or head out on a game drive in search of wild dogs as they hare after an impala through the teak woodland… or lions as they stalk a buffalo calf at a life-giving (but sometimes life-taking) waterhole.
Private concession, flexible schedules, individual dining and private activities available (additional cost). Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, birding, waterhole, swimming and cultural visits (additional cost). The manager tells us that the local elephant have been known to drink from the pool even while people are in it. Now that sounds like an unmissable experience, with an afternoon game drive thrown in to complete our perfect safari day.
Interestingly, Wilderness Linkwasha has a ‘hide’ right by the watering hole, which means that guests can get up close and personal to the animals having a drink. Days at the bush start at 5am with a guide knocking at your tent to get you ready for breakfast. A continental breakfast is served around a fire, and by 6am you’re off on your first game drive of the day.
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Conservation and Community Engagement
Linkwasha’s support for water supply and anti-poaching initiatives in the national park speak to a refreshingly long-term outlook that’s as much about sustainable conservation as it is about making the most of each safari moment. We’re also keen to go on a cultural village visit and learn more about how ecotourism is benefitting local communities.
Wilderness has been involved in supporting SAPU since 2012 in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks). The Wilderness Impact Fund allocated additional resources to build new accommodation as a base for the team on its private wilderness area. The Scorpion Anti-Poaching Unit (SAPU), which works in partnership with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA) and Wilderness in Hwange, provides manpower and resources to remove snares and arrest poachers. Wilderness has been directly supporting SAPU since 2012, taking over all operations in 2015.
In February 2025, Wilderness officially opened the pioneering Ngamo Livestock Farm & Vocational Centre, just 45 minutes from Wilderness Linkwasha. Witness this meaningful community-led project combining sustainable agriculture, education, and conservation yourself.
Students learn practical and theoretical skills in animal husbandry, conservation agriculture, and sustainable crop production. Importantly, you can see where fresh produce bought by Wilderness camps originates, and how this partnership generates income, supports local livelihoods, and keeps the project running sustainably. The Ngamo Livestock Farm is part of a broader vision to create long-term opportunities for youth and surrounding communities, while reducing pressure on natural resources and encouraging conservation-friendly livelihoods.
Guest Reviews and Testimonials
Read what fellow travellers have to say about their unforgettable experiences at Wilderness Linkwasha:
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- "From the moment we were enthusiastically and musically greeted by the staff until the tearful goodbye--to our guide Edwin--at the airstrip, this was the most inspiring trip of my lifetime! The camp's physical amenities were luxurious and beyond expectation. The food is fresh and delicious! Air conditioning was an added bonus! The camp is located adjacent to a watering hole so throughout the day there is an endless parade of elephants, baboons and more!"
- "We stayed at Linkwasha for 3 nights which afforded enough time to thoroughly enjoy this exclusive private concession of the Wilderness Safari group. The bungalows are immaculate and beautifully appointed as is the community area. The staff is very friendly , welcoming and professional. Our guide Ferai has an encyclopaedic knowledge of everything that grows, flies or blooms on the reserve and he is passion is contagious. Our predawn and late afternoon safari drives were full of up close sightings of just about every beast native to Zimbabwe, including literally hundreds of elephants and dozens of lions, hippos, kudos, impalas, baboons, monkeys and more."
- "My husband and I were part of a group of 8 friends who stayed at Linkwasha for three nights. Within minutes of arriving there, a menagerie of animals crossed in front of our rooms - wildebeest, zebras, baboons, etc.! The camp is in a perfect location on a private concession within Hwange National Park. Since it is on a private concession, there are almost no other vehicles to compete with for viewings, walking safaris are offered, and there is more flexibility in general than not being in a private concession."
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