Hwange National Park Day Trip from Victoria Falls: Is It Worth It?
4 min read
Short answer: as a first safari from Victoria Falls, the Chobe day trip is the safer pick: the Botswana border is about an hour away, and the trips have far more reviews. Hwange is worth a day if you want a second safari and accept a pickup at 5 or 6 am, two to two and a half hours on the road each way and a return around 6 or 7 pm. Then start with the full-day Hwange safari: game drives in an open 4x4, a picnic lunch in the park and no more than seven guests.
The Hwange trips side by side
| Trip | Price | Rating | What the booking page says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hwange full-day safari | €400.75 | 4.0 (9) | 6 am hotel pickup, about 2 hours to Hwange Main Camp, game drives in an open 4x4, picnic lunch in the park, back around 6:30 pm; up to 7 guests; the page lists park fees of US$23 |
| Hwange full-day safari, open vehicle | €667.92 | 2.8 (7) | 9.5 hours; about 2 hours each way, two game drives in an open safari vehicle with a packed lunch between them; not suitable for children under 6 |
| Hwange day trip with painted dogs | €311.70 | 2.4 (6) | 12 hours; sunrise pickup, the Painted Dog Centre, a game drive of two and a half hours, lunch at Hwange Safari Lodge (drinks extra), a second game drive, back around 6 pm; park fees of US$20 per person paid at check-in; at least two people per booking |
| Hwange day trip with lunch | €352.66 | new (0) | 13 hours; 5 am pickup, two game drives, a Zimbabwean picnic lunch at a picnic site in the park, back by 7 pm; up to 15 guests; park entry fees of US$24 per person listed |
What to weigh
The road. Every page gives about two hours, or two and a half, from Victoria Falls to the park, and the same back. Pickups are at 5 am, 6 am or sunrise, returns between 6 and 7 pm. By comparison, the Chobe day trips reach the Botswana border after about an hour by road.
Lunch is part of all four. Two serve a picnic in the park, one a packed lunch, and the painted-dog trip eats at Hwange Safari Lodge, where its page says you can relax by the pool after lunch.
Park fees. Three pages name the amount: US$20, US$23 or US$24 per person. Only the painted-dog trip says clearly that you pay it at check-in; for the others, ask whether it is part of your price.
The painted dogs. One trip adds the Painted Dog Centre, where a guide explains the conservation work for African wild dogs before the game drive. It is the only listing that names a specific encounter rather than general game viewing.
Reviews. Each Hwange listing rests on a handful of reviews, one is new, and the ratings in the table differ widely. Read the recent reviews on the booking page before you commit.
Season, children and what to bring
The full-day safari’s page says elephant herds gather at the waterholes in the dry season; the 5 am trip says the best viewing is in the late afternoon. The painted-dog page warns that Hwange gets very cold in winter and very hot in summer, and asks you to avoid bright colours.
Only one page sets an age limit: the open-vehicle safari is not suitable for children under 6. The full-day safari does not allow baby strollers, and the 5 am trip is listed as not suitable for people with mobility impairments or heart problems. For the others, ask the operator about children before you book.
The pages describe Hwange as Zimbabwe’s largest national park. For a shorter outing, the Zambezi National Park game drive starts five minutes from Victoria Falls town and takes three hours; our safari page lists more.
Our recommendation
For a first safari: the Chobe day trip. For a second safari day: the full-day Hwange safari. It has a small group of up to seven, a 6 am start rather than 5 am, and lunch in the park.
