Hwange National Park Facts
Facts, Video and Photos of Hwange
There can be few experiences on this earth so gratifying as to sit at one of Hwang’s viewing platforms by a waterhole, watching an endless procession of “Gods gifts” engaged in the timeless dance of survival
Hwange has amongst the highest diversity of mammals of any National Park in the world with over 108 species and over 400 types of birds including 50 raptors
« A 482 km network of game viewing roads leads the visitor to some large concentrations of game and best of all not too many other tourists.
« Hwange is one of Africa’s premier elephant strongholds. with lots and lots of elephants – 30,000 of them, but they need to drink water twice a day.
Hwange Park has little natural water and most of the water is pumped through boreholes into the pans and troughs
The park covers an area of 14,651km² (5,656 miles²) with an average altitude of 1,000m above sea level.
It is situated on the main Bulawayo to Victoria Falls road in the northwest corner of Zimbabwe and borders Botswana.
Hwange has 480 km of roads, and not many are well maintained, some also get boggy during the rainy season and are closed. It is wiser to take a package tour into the park
There is no off-road or night driving in the National Park.- This is a malarial area.
ANIMALS
Hwange has Africa’s Big Five and plenty of them! There are thousands of elephants and buffalo.
Lions are commonly seen, but the elusive leopard and rhino, rarely.
Wild dogs can be seen at the painted dog centre before the main gate.
This park has such a variety of animals that over one hundred different species have been recorded.
Video: Hwange national park | Hwange Park animals | See and Do Hwange
Dry season game-viewing is assisted by sixty man-made waterholes which give much needed water during the hot parched winter months when everything else dries up. Several waterholes have raised wooden hides in which you can spend many hours observing animals and the interactions between them.
The Pump Run is great fun with hands on experience. ( never to be forgotten)
For the really adventurous try Jozabanini rustic and remote camp
BIRDS
400 species of birds are found here making it a bird watchers paradise, particularly in the wet season.
The largest is the ground dwelling Kori Bustard who will only take to the air if absolutely necessary.
Abundant food marks the start of the mating season and crowned cranes
prance in a comical dance and crimson breasted shrikes sport their startling plumage
Several of Hwange’s safari lodges occupy a private concession and unlike the public park, night drives are allowed. Look out for the Springhare, who hops around like a small kangaroo.
Dry Season: From April to October. May to June is warm to hot (25 °C) during the day but can drop to below freezing on particularly cold winter nights. September and October are the hottest months. During these dry months the animals are concentrated around the man-made waterholes.
Rainy Season: Nov to March the summer rains arrive mainly in the form of afternoon thunderstorms and the vegetation bursts into life. The area has a relatively low average rainfall of between 570-650 mm per annum. Temperatures can reach over 38°C (100°F), while on average they range from 18-28°C (65-83°F).
Birdlife is most spectacular at this time.
