Somalisa Camp

A Big Five area, the 400 bird species and 100 animal species here include the endangered roan antelope and white rhino. There are more than 30,000 elephant in this park – and guides are trained to walk (in safe proximity) to them, to enable guests to watch them up-close.

Guides in Zimbabwe are expertly trained, and passionate about wildlife, so the wilderness experience is often world-class. Beks Ndlovu is widely sought after for private safaris.

All guides are local, speak local languages (as well as European ones) and are involved heavily involved in anti-poaching, conservation and water projects in Hwange through Wildlife and Environment Zimbabwe. Five dollars from every guest, every night, is donated to a local community development charity.

Children aged 7 and over are welcome at the main camp, all ages at the neighbouring Acacia camp. There’s an arts and crafts club, a ‘junior’ guide walking expedition, and pizza-making workshops with the chefs.

Although staff are friendly and used to looking after and playing with children, it is a Big Five area, so children have to be strictly supervised. Under-16s are not able to join walking safaris, but are instead encouraged to follow nature trails around the camp.

A 4.5 hours’ drive from Bulawayo, or 30 minutes from Manga airstrip, Hwange, which is 2.5 hours’ flight from Harare, or a 1-hour flight from Victoria Falls.