Hwange National Park

Arguably southern Africa's most underrated chunk of wilderness, Hwange is nevertheless Zimbabwe's flagship national park. With negative international perceptions of Zimbabwe currently denying the park its normal quota of tourists, there is no better time than now to experience Hwange at its least crowded and most wild.

Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoilt gem in the purest sense.

World Watch Advisory™ Zimbabwe's national parks "are safe to visit, as they are far from the cities where the instability exists. Game lodges are desperate for occupants, so prices are extremely competitive. And low lodge occupancy means you'll have thousands of hectares of pristine game country virtually all to yourself."

Linkwasha Safari Field Report June 2004

IT IS 4.30 A.M. THE SUN LIES 30 minutes below the horizon as we stumble out of bed to assemble for a bleary-eyed round of coffee on the veranda of Linkwasha Lodge. There is a tangible stillness to the air: the nocturnal chatterers have wound down for the night, while the pre-dawn chorus has barely cranked into first gear. Then, like sudden death, the floodplain that slopes down from Linkwasha is transformed into a sea of moving flesh as a buffalo herd clatters and snorts into view with a pair of lions in hot pursuit.

Our morning caffeine charge swiftly deemed redundant, we rush towards the vehicle to head out to the floodplain, where we discover that the buffaloes have chased their pursuers back to the safety of their pride. The lions, young adults and seven in all, seem ready to give up the chase for the time being and to prepare instead for another arduous day of leonine languor. Then first one lion, then another, and another, raises its head towards the dam; following their gaze, we see two adult lionesses padding along the shore. The sun finally breaks over a golden horizon, a pair of hippos crash into the safety of the water, and we follow the now alert pride as they rush to investigate the new arrivals.

The two females snarl viciously at the adolescents, who in turn make an unconvincing attempt to intimidate their elders by their weight of numbers. We anticipate flying fur but one of the excellent team of rangers at Linkwasha, tells us that the two females are the mothers of the young pride, which they recently abandoned after having given birth to new litters. The youngsters, he explains, aren't looking for a fight, but are eager to rejoin their mothers. The two groups snarl at one another for perhaps 20 minutes, then settle down 20 metres apart and lie for another two hours or so before the youngsters disappear into the thick bush, and the two females head off in the opposite direction to return to their cubs. I look at my watch: it is not quite 8 a.m. on our first morning at Linkwasha, and already we have been treated to a feline soap opera dramatic enough to justify our visit to this isolated private concession in Hwange National Park.

Even before the less edifying human soap opera that has been Zimbabwean politics circa 2000, Hwange could have been described as a rather unfashionable national park. In South African 4x4 circles it has never acquired the aura of mystique that is attached to Mana Pools in north-eastern Zimbabwe or to the better-known reserves of northern Botswana and Namibia. Likewise, the South African media has long had a tendency to ignore Hwange in favour of Etosha, Okavango and the like.

The cause of Hwange's low profile is difficult to isolate. One factor, I suspect, is that the thick woodland in much of the park, similar in density if not in composition to that of the Kruger Park, makes it a far more difficult subject for wildlife photography than the more open vistas of Botswana or Namibia.

Another factor, ironically, is Hwange's easy accessibility. The main entrance is located only a short distance from the nippy road that connects Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, while a surfaced road cuts through the most popular part of the park - sacrilege to the diehard bushwhackers who unwittingly influence popular perceptions about southern Africa's must-visit game reserves, but emphatically a good thing for those of us who don't own a 4x4. Be that as it may, Hwange is still one of the classic African game reserves: once visited, it will leave any wildlife enthusiast lusting to return at the earliest opportunity.

Hwange was founded in 1928, when the tract of inhospitable land separating the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls railway from the then-Bechuanaland border was set aside by the Rhodesian authorities as a game reserve, and was gazetted as a national park 21 years later. Named for the Wange chief of the Nambya people who traditionally inhabit large parts of western Zimbabwe, Hwange was known as Wankie during the colonial era (dignity, if not transcriptional accuracy, being restored when the current name was adopted after Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980). The creation of the reserve had little to do with an abundance of game; on the contrary, Nick Greaves, author of Hwange: Retreat of the Elephants, writes that 'this vast wilderness was regarded as useless for any other purpose. The area's wildlife was virtually hunted out and its only human inhabitants were ... hunter-gatherers who had learned to live in harmony with this harsh environment.'

Hwange's environment is harsh indeed. It is regularly subject to years when an annual rainfall figure of barely 300 millimetres has it tottering on semi-desert status. During summers of precipitational abundance - when 800 millimetres of rain may fall - up to 120 seasonal pans are scattered through the park. But come the end of the summer, wet or dry, the area protected within the modern park is left with not a single reliable natural source of perennial drinking water.

Ted Davidson, the visionary ranger who oversaw Hwange's development from its foundation into the early 1960s, soon realised that protecting what little game remained in his domain would be pointless so long as the animals were forced to migrate into areas where they became a legitimate target for trophy hunters. So, in 1939, the first boreholes were sunk in order to feed what has subsequently expanded to become a network of roughly 50 permanent waterholes. Frequently referred to as the lifeblood of Hwange, it is these artificial waterholes that have come to dictate the modern seasonal movements of wildlife within the park and far beyond its borders.

In direct contrast to the prevailing cycle before humans intervened, Hwange today is most alluring during the dry season, when the pumped waterholes lure daunting volumes of wildlife across the border from the thirstlands of Botswana, and more elusive residents such as roan and sable antelope venture out of the dense woodland. It has been estimated that up to 34000 elephants might pass through the park during any given dry season; come September or October, game drives take on an almost surreal dimension as one's vehicle seemingly weaves through one hundred-strong herd of tuskers into the next. In many parts of the park, adolescent elephants form the main winter prey for lions, while a recent sighting of a pack of hyaenas bringing down an elephant is thought to be the first recorded instance of such behaviour in Africa.

If Hwange is awesome in the dry season, I find it difficult to believe that anybody could visit during the summer months and return disappointed. The wildlife is still plentiful at this time of year, and the fields of tall grass and abundant pools overhung by a freshly cleansed blue sky and occasional dramatic storm clouds make for a captivating setting.

Summer is also the best time for birding, as shallow depressions fill to become water pans, and arid plains are saturated and become grassy swamps, attracting an enormous influx of migrant and nomadic birds. Among the more prominent members of Hwange's summer birdlife are water-associated species such as white, black, Abdim's, open-billed and woolly-necked storks, crowned crane and African spoonbill, a dozen varieties of waterfowl, and large flocks of waders. Away from the water, there are abundant flocks of carmine and European bee-eaters, the former often swooping behind safari vehicles to hawk the countless insects that reliably fly up in their wake.

In terms of general game-viewing, Hwange compares favourably with any African reserve at any time of year. Good sightings of lion, elephant, giraffe and buffalo can be pretty much taken for granted, while leopard and cheetah, although more elusive, are present in significant numbers. Substantial resident herds of zebra and wildebeest are supplemented in the dry season by even larger migrant herds.

Oddly, Hwange boasts no one stock antelope in densities comparable to the Kruger's impala, the Kalahari's springbok or the Serengeti's gazelle and wildebeest. It is, however, an excellent reserve for rarer ungulate sightings, and one of the few to harbour the full quota of what might be termed Africa's antelope 'Big Five' - eland, roan, sable, greater kudu and gemsbok.

In addition, the park forms an important sanctuary for two flagship mammals whose numbers have declined substantially in the past few decades. An estimated 350 African wild dogs represent about 10 per cent of the global population, and small but viable populations of black rhino persist in the Sinamatella area and private concessions. These last are descendants of 50 animals translocated from the Zambezi Valley during the construction of Kariba Dam. White rhino, sighted in the area in 1873 by the hunter and explorer Frederick Courteney Selous but not seen again until a herd of 35 was introduced in the mid-1960s, were thought to have been poached out within the ensuing 20 years. However, a few individuals were recently sighted in the private concessions.

HWANGE'S 14540 SQUARE kilometres protect a complex mosaic of open savanna and woodland habitats, including stands of acacia, teak and mopane woodland. In simple terms, however, the park forms an extension of the Kalahari sandveld ecosystem that dominates neighbouring Botswana, and for this reason it lies at the eastern extreme of the ranges of such western endemics as Bradfield's hornbill, pied babbler, red-billed francolin, sand agama and gemsbok. Ecology aside, Hwange is essentially a park of three clearly delineated parts: the public zone in the north, the inaccessible wilderness area in the south-west, and a group of three concessions which to all intents function as private reserves.

It is in the recently created private concessions - Makalolo, Linkwasha and Giraffe Springs, each of which hosts a small private bush lodge - that Hwange can be experienced at its most serene. It is not merely that in these areas of semi-wilderness you can go an entire game drive without seeing another vehicle, but also that you are unaffected by the rigid gate-closing times applied in the public sector. We found night drives in this area to be excellent not only for predators - among those we encountered were leopard, spotted hyaena, African wild cat and genet - but also for nightjars, owls and coursers. Something of a Hwange nocturnal special is the springhare, a singular species of rodent with a kangaroo-like mode of locomotion that enables it to leap distances of up to four metres. Although widespread in eastern and southern Africa, the springhare is confined to arid regions where the soil is soft enough to dig the burrows it lives in during the day. On a night drive in Hwange, you might come across these oddly endearing creatures a dozen times - rather comically, they appear at first to be a pair of disembodied eyes bouncing up and down in the spotlight!

While the private concessions undoubtedly represent the very best of Hwange, their remoteness and exclusivity means that they are geared primarily towards a high-paying fly-in market. But self-drive visitors should not feel excluded, for a comparable experience can be had by simply pitching a tent at any of several fenced hides which, for a small fee, can be booked for your exclusive use. Here you can while away the night hours watching a succession of large elephant herds and other herbivores come past to drink, joined by the occasional leopard or lion, while hyaenas and jackals bay in the distance. To spend a night in solitude at one of these hides, especially during the harshest months of the dry season, is perhaps the ultimate Hwange experience - and proof positive that one does not have to own a hardy 4x4, or expend vast financial outlay, to enjoy Africa at its most thrillingly primal.

Hwange, Zimbabwe
GETTING THERE
There are several flights daily between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls; from the latter, charter flights operate daily to the private concessions in Hwange.

For self-drive visitors, Main Camp lies about 15 kilometres west of the main road between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls; it can be reached in an ordinary saloon car. Most of the roads within the reserve are passable in any car, although it would be wise to check on their condition after heavy rain.

Fuel shortages are mostly restricted to the larger cities, and are unlikely to affect motorists who take reasonable precautions. Residents who regularly cover long distances make a point of filling the tank every couple of hundred kilometres. Provided you follow suit, the odds of hitting serious problems are minimal, and can be eliminated almost entirely by carrying a full jerry-can. Coming from South Africa, it is worth considering the alternative routes into western Zimbabwe through Botswana (crossing at Plumtree near Bulawayo or at Kasane near Victoria Falls); these are not significantly longer than the more conventional route via Beitbridge.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
A valid passport is required by all visitors. Nationals of EU countries and South Africa do not need a visa, although this may be subject to change at short notice. Visas can be obtained at any port of entry for US$35.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Most of Zimbabwe, including Hwange, is a medium- to high-risk malaria zone, the risk being greatest during the rainy season. Prophylactics should be taken.

CURRENCY & COSTS
The local currency is the Zimbabwean dollar. Exchange rates at the time of going to press, courtesy of Rennies Foreign Exchange, are:
R1 = ZWD7
US$1 = ZWD54
UK£1 = ZWD79

Like many African countries, Zimbabwe increasingly functions on two economic levels. The rates charged by up market safari operators and lodges are in line with US dollar rates throughout Africa, although many hotels are offering exceptionally good deals at present. Independent travelers who largely make use of accommodation and other facilities priced for backpackers and locals will find Zimbabwe to be very cheap by South African and international standards.

WHEN TO VISIT
For wall-to-wall elephants, winter is undoubtedly the best time to visit Hwange; the large herds generally start to move into the reserve in June and July, and the population density peaks from September until early November. Winter is also marginally better for seeing predators, since the low grass improves visibility. The summer months are better for scenery and birds - and there is still plenty of wildlife around.

WHERE TO STAY
We stayed at two of the lodges in private concessions within the park, Linkwasha and Makalolo, and they rank with the finest bush lodges we have visited anywhere in Africa. Spaciously laid-out and built largely with organic materials, both are luxurious without being stuffy in atmosphere, and overlook a floodplain teeming with wildlife. The food, service and standard of guiding are top-notch. Both lodges are owned by Wilderness Safaris. Contact vacationtechnician.com for bookings.

There are three inexpensive restcamps in the public part of the park. Main Camp is the most convenient for the first night's stopover and it lies in an area rich in game, but otherwise Sinamatella is the pick of the bunch. Robin's Camp lies somewhat off the beaten track. Restcamp accommodation and campsites must be booked in advance through the National Parks head office: reservations for any given day are passed to the individual camp in the afternoon, which means that casual arrivals can only be allocated accommodation on a day-by-day basis starting at 4 p.m. and they will have to vacate the room the next morning at 10 a.m.

SAFETY
The recent unrest in certain farming areas is highly localized and centered away from places normally visited by tourists. While the murders of several white farmers have made international headlines, the reality is that the total number of politically-related killings in the past 12 months would amount to a quiet weekend in Johannesburg, and the victims were almost certainly not randomly chosen. I am not aware of any politically-motivated violence aimed at a tourist in recent years. Bearing in mind that such things are practically impossible to quantify, I have also not heard or seen anything to suggest that tourists to Zimbabwe are at any greater risk than they would have been during the tourism boom years of the late 1990s.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Nick Greaves' Hwange: Retreat of the Elephants (Southern Book Publishers, 1996) is an attractive coffee-table book with genuinely informative and thought-provoking text that reflects the author's evident passion for his subject. For practical information, a selection of travel guides to Zimbabwe will be stocked at any decent bookseller in South Africa or Europe, while any of the comprehensive mammal or bird field guides to southern Africa will cover Hwange and the rest of Zimbabwe.

TIME TO TRAVEL?
It feels melodramatic to describe Victoria Falls as a ghost town. Nevertheless, the phrase came up with remarkable frequency during our recent visit to this small Zimbabwean town that services Africa's mightiest waterfall. Paula Harrigan, a young New Zealander working for the rafting company Adrift, sums up the situation when she remarks to us: 'It's not that there aren't any tourists. But more often than not, I can look out of my window on to the main road and not see one single tourist. It's really weird!'

Not much more than a year ago, Victoria Falls was the single most important overland travel crossroad between Nairobi and Cape Town, as well as Africa's unchallenged adrenalin capital and the linchpin of Zimbabwe's booming fly-in tourist industry. Today when we wander into Explorers Bar - the social pulse of the town, normally crammed from dusk into the wee hours with a crowd of under-30s - we prop up an almost empty bar.
The vacant tables at Explorers are symptomatic of a tourist industry in deep recession. Many of the country's top hotels are sitting with an occupancy rate of below 10 per cent. Owen Evans, a ranger at Linkwasha Lodge in Hwange National Park, reckons that 'a retrenchment rate of 30 to 50 per cent has been the norm in safari and other tourism-based industries over the last year'. And, as Dave Christenson, the manager at neighboring Makalolo Lodge, points out, 'The lack of tourists has caused many small tour companies to close down, increasing the already high unemployment rate in the country.'
The abrupt downturn in tourist arrivals to Zimbabwe in 2000 is not difficult to explain: a combination of civil unrest, the killing of several white farmers, infringements on human rights and press freedom, and a megalomaniac president hardly inspires massive confidence.

During the course of our recent trip to Zimbabwe, it became abundantly clear to us that the perception that Zimbabwe is unsafe to visit has little grounding in reality. When I ask Roelants - who has visited southern Africa more than a hundred times since 1980 - whether he would have any hesitation in sending clients to Zimbabwe at the moment, his response is an emphatic 'No!' Dave Christenson elaborates: 'There are neighborhoods in most large cities which are unsafe, but tourists still visit these cities - they just avoid the trouble spots. Likewise, the unrest in Zimbabwe is confined to a few specific farming areas, hundreds of kilometres from the main national parks and other popular tourist areas. But Zimbabwe as a whole is a safe travel destination.'

Significantly, Zimbabwe's recent problems have done little to discourage repeat visitors such as John Pellegrino, an American doctor who has visited southern Africa annually for 20 years. I ask him whether he has any reservations about recommending Zimbabwe to friends and family back home. 'Of course not! I tell everybody to visit here,' he responds, and his traveling companion, Dr Frank Field, chips in, 'It's true. That's why I'm here. John persuaded me to come to Zimbabwe last year, and I enjoyed it so much I had to come back. It's a marvelous place for taking a vacation.'

In the course of our week-long stay, I discussed the advisability of visiting Zimbabwe with everybody I met - local guides, overland truck drivers, first-time visitors and experienced African travelers. A few grumbles about the notoriously officious immigration officials aside, the feedback is unanimously positive. The response of Dr Elissa Cameron, a New Zealand behavioral ecologist who has driven to Victoria Falls from her base in South Africa, is typical: 'Zimbabwe is a great place to travel. The people are really friendly. I feel as safe as I did when I visited here 10 years ago.'

There are those who perceive the tourist stay-away to be a just retribution for the misdemeanors of the country's president. As one South African friend puts it: 'We were subjected to punitive measures when our government was unacceptable; now it's Zimbabwe's turn.' Yet such thinking seems to ignore the fact that sanctions against South Africa in the 1980s were initiated by an organization widely perceived to be a government in exile. This is far from being the case in Zimbabwe.

Perhaps the only good news to emerge from this scenario is that, while safety concerns are dissuading long-haul visitors, there has not been a better time for those who are closer to the situation to visit Zimbabwe. Hotels are offering fantastic deals to attract custom; and the low tourist volumes mean that the reserves and other tourist attractions have regained the untrammeled atmosphere they had 10 or 15 years ago.

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