While I get to go on amazing trips, it isn’t often I get to take a friend along. This time though, Bretta got lucky! A trip to the Hwange Game Reserve in Zimbabwe was on offer and we both jumped at the opportunity.
A short 2 hour drive from Victoria Falls, Hwange’s location allows an easy combination of Victoria Falls and safari, without having to break the bank and without compromising on an excellent safari experience.
Particularly famous for its enormous population of elephant, 44000 strong, and massive herds of buffalo, Hwange is once again becoming the popular tourist attraction it deserves to be. Interestingly Hwange, a game reserve the size of Belgium, has no permanent natural water source. Instead, there are 60 waterholes, pumped by boreholes, attracting a plethora of wildlife.
Even the hippos like the odd wallow in a waterhole!
We were off to The Hide Camp, a gorgeous camp on a private concession on the border of Hwange. You might wonder why staying just outside the Hwange Park is a good thing, and the answer is that this gives one the added opportunity of being able to do bush walks and night drives, which aren’t allowed inside the park itself. It’s a win win situation.
The Hide, as its name suggests, is famous for its underground hide, overlooking the waterhole. You climb down into an underground tunnel, ending up in a room with openings at ground level, perfect for looking straight at the animals coming down to drink. The perfect place to relax with a glass of wine and enjoy the animals at the waterhole…. waterholes and wine…geddit?
Is The Hide the most luxurious lodge in the world? No, it isn’t. And it doesn’t pretend to be. But it does offer excellent comfort with a safari chic feel and plenty of homely touches. Personally, I love a tented camp, and the tents at The Hide are especially spacious, with a large bathroom, complete with tub. Some rooms have an al fresco shower, while other rooms have a romantic bath under the stars.
If you are traveling with your kids, the family rooms have plenty of space for two proper sized beds and a family sized bathroom. If this doesn’t suit you, then Tom’s Little Hide and the Private Hide offer sole use family accommodation to suit the needs of your family or group. These two fabulous little enclaves also give you private game drives, a private chef and a private pool, while still being part of the greater camp, should you feel the urge for company.
From all angles and spaces, restaurants and lounges, you have the most incredible views of the waterhole and the savanna beyond. This is a sofa safari lovers dream and you really don’t have to leave camp to have superb game viewing.
Talking about superb game viewing, we enjoyed 4 incredible game drives at the Hide, each better than the next. I love to tell people that on our last drive, we never got further than 10 minutes out of camp. We stopped to watch some secretary birds, which were followed by a herd of elephants and their babies. Then a couple of jackals ran past, followed by a huge flock of birds eating flying ants. To top it off, our ranger got out of the car to show us a tortoise, when he quickly had to jump back into the vehicle as a hyena slunk past. It was the most incredible game drive of my life.
If you are looking for top game viewing, friendly staff, excellent accommodation at a great price, then The Hide should be on your list of places to visit.
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