A bustling mining town in northwestern Zimbabwe, Hwange, originally known as Wankie, lies near the borders with Botswana and Zambia, serving as a gateway to the vast wilderness of Hwange National Park. Named after the chieftain of Zwange, now Chief Hwange, the town retained its colonial-era name until 1982. It spreads across the fringes of the Kalahari Desert, where dry scrublands give way to mopane woodlands, hinting at the wildlife beyond. Hwange Colliery, part of the Wankie Coal Field discovered in 1895, is the largest in the country and dominates the town’s economy. Streets are lined with markets, cafés, and essential services, and just beyond town, the landscape flows into Hwange National Park, home to elephants, buffalo, lions, painted wolves, giraffes, leopards, and rare antelope. Safaris and walking trails traverse marshy vleis and open grasslands, allowing visitors to experience its abundant wildlife.