Habitats

The south of the park has what is known as ‘ Kalahari woodland’ with large stands of teak and wide-open grasslands that seasonally flood. To the North the park is mostly mopane woodland with some impressive escarpments and granite outcrops.

Seasonality

Hwange is best visited in the dry season that runs from April through to October. At this time the scarcity of water ensures great congregations of animals and good sightings at waterholes. The vegetation is also thinner making it easier to spot animals. Hwange combines well with a visit to Victoria Falls which is at it’s peak flow from March to September.

This does not mean that Hwange in the wet season should be overlooked. The period from November through to March offers lush scenery, fewer visitors, lower rates at many lodges and fantastic birding opportunities. Many animals calve at this time and if you like baby animals this is a good time to visit.

Sightings

Enormous herds of elephant and buffalo are a trademark of Hwange. The park also has a strong predator population including lion, leopard and cheetah. You can often see antelope species that are unusual elsewhere such as sable, roan and eland.

Other animals frequently seen include zebra, blue wildebeest, ostrich, black backed jackal, Giraffe, kudu, baboon, hippo and the endangered African wild dog.