The Hide Safari Camp is fortunate to have the best of both worlds. While located within the Hwange National Park, it is also surrounded by a private concession which allows us to offer activities not otherwise permitted. Hwange is a vast playground worth exploring so you don’t have to worry about being bored. Early morning walks are there for the thrill of encountering wildlife on its own terms and exploring the little surprises of the bush.
There is no typical day at The Hide as it really depends on you how much or little you would like to do. Meal-times are normally a good chance to catch up with everyone and plan the rest of the day or the following morning. As a general rule, we go out-and-about at the same time as the animals - usually mornings and late afternoons or evenings. However, the scope and scale of Hwange’s wildlife is such that there is generally always something to see. We don’t limit the number of activities you can do, so if you can’t sit still, you could do an early morning walk followed by a morning drive after breakfast. In the afternoon you could head out again, stopping off for a sundowner and a night-drive back to camp.
Game Viewing: In order to explore the full range of wildlife habitats in Hwange, we have a fleet of specially designed safari vehicles. In the expert hands of our guides, you’ll find yourself heading out through the acacia-fringed grassy vleis and through the teak forests in search of Hwange’s great elephant and buffalo herds or parking up at one of the well-visited waterholes to see what comes in. Game drives are the best way to see the variety of wildlife and scenery of the park and they almost always yield unexpected sightings. Often, sitting quietly and watching an impala ram guard his harem against marauding bachelors can be just as fascinating as coming across a pride of lion lazing under the broad canopy of acacia.
Hwange is home to one of the largest populations of African wild dog left in Africa and its a good place to see leopard and rhino among the many other mammal species. Africa has some of the most curious and interesting creatures which receive comparatively little exposure. bat-eared foxes, genets, caracal and a host of other "specials" are often the highlight of a game drive.
The park has a notable bird population with over 400 species recorded to date; the variety is truly astonishing. Morning, afternoon and evening/night drives will normally head out for 2-3 hours through a variety of eco-systems and habitats. We like to stop for coffee or tea and biscuits in a lovely spot and see what might happen past. In the late afternoon, we’ll find a place to pull out the cool boxes and watch the sun set with due reverence - every one is different.
Bush Walks: There is nothing quite like being on foot to put you in your rightful place in the natural world. Somehow your senses are heightened when on foot and you see, hear and smell things that you would miss in a vehicle. Walking is also the best way to appreciate the small magic of the bush - the way termites build their colonies, how dung beetles work, the finer points of the toothbrush tree.
Encountering big game on foot is the ultimate thrill, safe in the knowledge that there is a trained, armed guide on hand to look out for you. Walking gives you a completely different experience of wildlife and the bush and its just nice sometimes to get out there and stretch your legs in a place that is so uncontrived, beautiful, wild and vast.
Waterhole Hideaways: "Hides" are very much part of safari tradition, although they have fallen by the wayside in many places, where it seems that frenetic activity is the order of the day. However, we think that Hides are one of the best ways to get exceptionally close to animals. Essentially, the concept is to disguise a little safe room as a termite mound or other piece of the natural landscape and slip inside via the back door. Normally positioned at a waterhole, the Hide allows you to sit quietly and observe without being observed. Needless to say, the photographic opportunities at this range are unequaled. Of course, there is always the risk that you may miss dinner for the herds of elephant that surround you but it is worth it.
