Hwange National Park & Victoria Falls: Zimbabwe’s Essential Safari
Home to one of Africa’s largest elephant populations and just an hour from one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World ā Hwange and Victoria Falls together offer one of Southern Africa’s most complete safari experiences.
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Hwange National Park ā Zimbabwe’s Largest Wilderness
Hwange is Zimbabwe’s oldest and largest national park, covering roughly 14,600 kmĀ² ā an area about half the size of Belgium ā on the edge of the Kalahari in the country’s west. Long before it was protected land, the area served as a royal hunting ground under the Ndebele Kingdom, before being proclaimed a national park in the late 1920s. Today, it’s regarded as one of Africa’s great, relatively uncrowded wildlife destinations.
At a Glance:
The Wildlife
Hwange is best known for its elephants ā home to one of the largest populations anywhere in Africa, with herds sometimes numbering in the hundreds gathering at waterholes during the dry season. Beyond elephants, the park supports over 100 mammal species, including lion, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and one of the region’s healthier populations of African wild dog. Birdlife is rich too, with around 400 recorded species.
A genuine differentiator worth knowing: because much of Hwange’s water comes from an extensive network of pumped, man-made waterholes rather than natural sources, the park has developed a unique reliance on this infrastructure to sustain its wildlife through the long dry season ā a real conservation story behind the incredible dry-season game viewing the park is known for.
Best Time to Visit
MayāOctober (dry season): The best time for game viewing, as wildlife concentrates around waterholes. August through October is peak season, when elephant herds gather in their largest numbers. NovemberāApril (green season): Lush scenery and strong birdwatching, with fewer crowds and better value ā though some roads become more difficult to navigate, and wildlife is more dispersed across the park.
Getting There
Hwange sits roughly an hour south of Victoria Falls, reachable by road (typically 2-4 hours depending on your specific starting point and destination within the park) or by light aircraft charter. Given its proximity to Victoria Falls, Hwange is easily and naturally combined with a Falls-focused itinerary ā exactly the pairing Brightpath’s own Hwange safari is built around.
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe Side
No visit to this part of Zimbabwe is complete without Victoria Falls itself ā one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, “The Smoke That Thunders.” The Zimbabwean viewpoints offer some of the most dramatic vantage points of the Falls, with the roar of falling water and ever-present mist making it an unforgettable close to a Hwange safari.
Brightpath’s 6-Day Hwange & Victoria Falls Safari combines three full days of game drives in Hwange with a stay in Victoria Falls Town ā including a guided tour of the Falls from the Zimbabwean side, and a cross-border day into Zambia for a Rhino Game Drive, Victoria Falls from the Zambian side, and a sunset boat cruise on the Zambezi. Road transfers throughout, with air transfer available on request.
See the 6-Day Hwange & Victoria Falls Safari ā
Related Guides
Explore More of Zimbabwe & Beyond.
- Chobe National Park guide
- Botswana safari guide
- Moremi game reserve travel guide
- Namibia safari travel guide
- Namibia self-drive safaris
- Zimbabwe safari guide
- Zambia safari guide
When is the best time to visit Hwange National Park?
May through October for the best game viewing, with August through October considered peak season for elephant sightings at the park’s waterholes. November through April offers lush scenery and strong birdwatching, with fewer crowds.
How far is Hwange from Victoria Falls?
Roughly an hour by air, or 2-4 hours by road depending on your specific route ā making the two a natural pairing for a single itinerary.
Why does Hwange have so many elephants?
Hwange is home to one of the largest elephant populations in Africa, sustained in large part by an extensive network of pumped, man-made waterholes that provide water through the long dry season when natural sources run low.
Does Brightpath offer a trip combining Hwange and Victoria Falls?
Yes ā our 6-Day Hwange & Victoria Falls Safari combines three full days in Hwange with a stay in Victoria Falls Town, including a cross-border day into Zambia.