The Main Camp area pans in the northeast are the most accessible. The Nyamandhlovu platform overlooks a busy waterhole from a raised deck you can sit on for hours, and is the classic introduction to Hwange: elephant herds arriving in sequence through the afternoon, with buffalo, zebra and sable coming and going.

The Ngweshla and Kennedy pans further south are the best-known predator areas, with resident lion prides that follow the herds to water. This is also where large elephant bulls congregate in the late dry season.

The Sinamatella area in the northwest is hillier and quieter, with views over the valley, good rhino history and fewer vehicles.

The teak and mopane woodland between pans holds the specialities worth learning: sable and roan antelope, both scarce elsewhere, and African wild dog — Hwange is one of the most important remaining strongholds for the species, with painted dog conservation work based nearby.

September and October are the peak, when the heat is severe, the pans are the only water, and elephant numbers at a single waterhole can run into the hundreds. Green-season visits from December to March offer newborn animals and superb birding, with wildlife much more dispersed.

Practicalities

Hwange is roughly a two-hour drive from Victoria Falls, which makes it one of the easiest additions to a falls trip — and one of the better-value safari destinations in the region, with everything from self-catering park lodges to private concessions.

Self-drive is feasible on the main gravel roads in the dry months, though a high-clearance vehicle is advisable and fuel should be carried.