SOMALISA EXPEDITIONS – SOLMALISA CONCESSION – HWANGE NATIONAL PARK

Somalisa Expeditions has been designed to replicate the vintage mobile safari camps of a bygone era and captures the ambiance of a mobile camp but with all the trimmings and contemporary finishes.

This lovely little camp has just six Meru style ensuite tents which are on slightly raised decking to take advantage of the views over the savanna. The camp is beautifully designed while still maintaining an old-world charm and the main area includes a lounge and dining room that overlooks a small elephant pool.

Huge herds of elephants come to drink from the pool daily and you can experience up-close encounters and fabulous photographic opportunities by sitting on the small decking area in front of the elephant pool.

One of the highlights at this camp is the chance of enjoying a walking safari with a professional guide. Other activities include game drives, birding, watching the many families of elephants around camp and visiting a local community.

LOCATION

Somalisa Expeditions Camp is located in the private Somalisa Concession within the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Access is either a 4 hour road transfer or a 45 minute flight from Victoria Falls with a 30 minute game drive to camp.

CAMP

The seven beautifully furnished Meru style tents have comfortable beds swathed in mosquito netting and are cooled by breezes and room fans. The tents have semi-open ensuite bathrooms with a bathtub and shower. The tents have a battery charging station, private decking with chairs outside and wonderful views of the savanna in front.

The main area has a lounge, bar and dining area on a wooden deck and a sandy area in front with a firepit and dinner under the stars. There is a small walkway that leads out to a small wooden decking area right at the front of the camp which borders the elephant pool allowing guests to get really close to the elephants in safety.

The camp is solar powered with backup generators and all the rooms have charging facilities.

ACTIVITIES AND WILDLIFE

Hwange National Park is the largest in Zimbabwe with the main entrance located a two-hour drive or 30-minute flight south of Victoria Falls. The park is named after a local Nhanzwa chief and was once the royal hunting ground for the Ndebele warrior-king Mzilikazi before being classified as a protected National Park in 1929.

As you’d expect from a park of this size the breadth of wildlife species is astounding. Over 100 species of mammals and almost 400 species of bird reside here. Perhaps most exciting is the 40,000-strong population of tusker elephants whose presence is world-renowned and a joy to watch day after day.

The dry season from July to October is the best time to visit Hwange as large concentrations of wildlife– particularly the wonderful elephant herds – descend upon the area to drink from the waterholes in order to survive in this hot and unforgiving environment.

The rains from December to March will see the wildlife dispersing across the park and the summer showers stimulate stunning vegetation and offers fabulous bird-watching opportunities as the local population finds itself bolstered by the migrants coming down from the northern Hemisphere.

Game Drives – lead by an experienced guide you will see the wildlife indigenous to the area in a 4 x 4 game vehicle. Game drives are offered both in the morning and afternoon

Walking Safaris – awaken your senses and discover all that the bush has to offer on a walking safari. Accompanied by an experienced walking guide you can explore the area on foot for a couple of hours – for full day walks you can pre-book a private guide. Children under 16 can experience nature walks around the camp led by a child-certified walking guide as part of the Ngwana Club.

Cultural Tours to Local Villages – the African Bush Camps Foundation is committed to empowering rural communities. We partner with communities on the outskirts of wildlife areas to become economically sustainable whilst ensuring that natural resources are protected and cared for. We also support local schools and run education programmes for children in communities. We invite guests who stay with us at our camps in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe to gain a deeper understanding of Zimbabwe and its people.

GIVING BACK

African Bush Camps are committed to sustainable development through creating opportunities that empower rural communities located in vulnerable wildlife areas in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia. They work to create these opportunities through Education, Community Empowerment, Community Infrastructure and Conservation.

SOMALISA ACACIA IS OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND

THE CAMP WELCOME FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGED 16 YEARS AND OLDER WHO CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WALKING SAFARIS ONCE THEY ARE 16