Hwange National Park – Zimbabwe (Southern Africa)

Formally known as Wankie Game Reserve, Hwange National Park is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe; and is situated in the north-west part of the country, bordering Botswana; on the road between Bulawayo and the spectacular world-renowned Victoria Falls. The park is situated on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, a relatively arid region. The wildlife sanctuary covers a plateau of 14,500km², with a mean altitude of 1000 m above sea level. Considering the aridity of the reserve, there are 63 man-made waterholes in the park, which propel calcium-rich water to the surface from 60m below ground level. The park has approximately 480 km of wildlife sighting roads, connecting waterholes and animal concentration quarters.

Hwange National Park is home to one of the highest concentration of wildlife; with over 100 different animal species and over 400 species of birds resident in the park. Most amazingly, Hwange has achieved global fame for its 30,000 elephants, rendering it one of the few great elephant sanctuaries left in Africa.

All of Zimbabwe’s specially protected animal species are found in Hwange; and it constitutes the only protected area where gemsbok and brown hyena can be found in considerable numbers. Of substantial prevalence in the park are the big five, comprising: lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros.

The population of African wild dogs found in Hwange National Park is considered to be one of the largest surviving in Africa today; along with the Kruger National Park and the Selous Game Reserve.

Grazing herbivores are more common in the Main Camp Wild Area and Linkwasha Concession Area; with mixed feeders more common in the Robins and Sinamatella Wild Areas, which are more heavily wooded. Wildlife distribution seasonally fluctuates, with large herbivores concentrating in areas where intensive water pumping is maintained during the dry season.

In most of the park prevails Kalahari sands. In the north-west are basalt lava flows of the Batoka formation. In the north-central area are granites and gneisses of the Kamativi-Dete Inlier.

The north and north-west parts of the park are drained by the Deka and Lukosi Rivers and their tributaries; while 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, despite the existence of fossil drainage channels in the main camp and Linkwasha areas, which form seasonal wetlands. In these areas devoid of rivers, grassy pan depressions and pans have formed. Some of these pans, such as many of the pans in the Shumba area, fill with rainwater, while others, such as Ngweshla, Shakwanki and Nehimba, are fed by natural groundwater seeps. Many of the pans are additionally supplied by water pumped from underground by park officials.

The dry period from July to October offer the best safari experience at Hwange National Park, as large concentrations of wildlife, most particularly herds of elephant, are compelled to drink from the man-made & pumped waterholes, to survive in a very hot and dry environment.

During the rainy season from December to March, the animals disperse across the park, rendering it more difficult to spot them. The summer rains result in the replenishment of vegetation; with bird life spectacular at this time, due to the arrival of migrant birds from the northern hemisphere.