The largest natural reserve in Zimbabwe is Hwange National Park, which used to be called the Wankie Game Reserve. It covers about 14,600 square kilometers. It is near the main road between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls in the northwest of the country. Dete is the closest town. Online, you can read about the area before it was colonized and how it became a game reserve and National Park. 

Visit Hwange in the dry winter months from July to October for spectacular wildlife sightings. Animals gather around the park’s man-made waterholes to drink. 

 Hwange’s main draw is its accessibility. You can fly to Victoria Falls, then hire a car or take a transfer by road to the park. It’s only an hour drive from the airport. There are plenty of options for accommodation to suit your budget, including campsites and luxury safari lodges. You can also drive most of the park’s roads with a 2×4 vehicle. 

Hwange’s uniqueness is due to its absence of crowds. The park is renowned for its diversity, large herds, and easy sightings during the winter months. It never gets crowded. This means that you can enjoy the beauty of the bush in peace and quiet. 

Flora  

The park is close to the edge of the Kalahari Desert, which has little water and very little plant life that can survive in dry conditions. The Zambezi Teak, Sand Camwood (Baphia), and Kalahari bauhinia are the main trees in the Kalahari woodland. In this area, grasslands are made up of seasonal wetlands. Mopane woodlands cover most of the north and north-west parts of the park. 

Even though it has been said that elephant populations change the way plants grow, some recent studies suggest that this is not the case, even though elephant populations have grown a lot since the 1980s. 

Fauna 

Over 100 mammal species and 400 bird species are found in the Park, which also includes 19 large herbivores as well as eight large carnivores. Hwange is home to all Zimbabwe’s protected animals. It is also the only protected area in which gemsboks and brown hyena are found in small numbers. 

Main Camp Wild Area and Linkwasha Concession Area are the most common areas for grass herbivores. Mixed feeders are more common at Sinamatella Wild Areas and Robins, which have more wooded areas. [26] The distribution of large herbivores fluctuates according to the season. They tend to be concentrated in areas that receive intensive water pumping during dry seasons.  

Hwange’s Cape wild dog population is believed to be one of the largest surviving groups of African wild dogs today. It also includes Kruger National Park, Selous Game Reserve and Kruger National Park.  

The lion is another major predator, and its distribution and hunting in Hwange are strongly linked to the waterholes and pans. The protected area has been a Lion Conservation Unit since 2005. It is also home to the Okavango Delta.  

The protected area also contains spotted hyenas, African leopards, and cheetah.

Hwange National Park has been a haven for elephants, and their numbers are far greater than the natural support of such an area. The park’s resources have been put under a lot of pressure by this elephant population. This has sparked a lot of discussion. Park authorities implemented culling to decrease the population, especially between 1967 and 1986. In the five years after 1986’s end, the elephant population doubled. 

Two major conservation and research projects are coordinated by National Parks Scientific Services. 

• National Leopard Project is a survey of leopard numbers to collect data for comparative analysis with leopard status in consumptive hunting areas and Communal Land bordering National Park. This research is done at Hwange with the Wildlife Conservation and Research Unit (Oxford University) and the Dete Animal Rescue Trust (a registered wildlife conservation Trust). 
• Painted Dog Project: This project is aimed at protecting and increasing the numbers of African wild dogs in Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa. It operates through the Painted Dog Conservation organization in Dete. 

Geology of Hwange National Park  

Over 100 mammal species and 400 bird species are found in the Park, which also includes 19 large herbivores as well as eight large carnivores. Hwange is home to all Zimbabwe’s protected animals. It is also the only protected area in which gemsboks and brown hyena are found in small numbers. 

Main Camp Wild Area and Linkwasha Concession Area are the most common areas for grass herbivores. Mixed feeders are more common at Sinamatella Wild Areas and Robins, which have more wooded areas. The distribution of large herbivores fluctuates according to the season. They tend to be concentrated in areas that receive intensive water pumping during dry seasons.