The Hide Safari Lodge
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Return to Map of Zimbabwe
Camps
View images of The Hide Safari Lodge: The Hide
Images
THE HIDE SAFARI LODGE RATES: The Hide Safari Lodge
Rates
THE HIDE SAFARI LODGE
- HWANGE NATIONAL PARK, ZIMBABWE
Situated on the Eastern Boundary of Hwange National Park in a five square kilometre area, it is one of the few camps in the National Park itself. Unlike other camps in the area, long drives from the Camp to the Park are not necessary as we are in reality, a part of the Park itself, and the wildlife migration on our private concession is second to none. The Camp opened in 1992 and has undergone four major refurbishments since opening. Our aim is "To offer The Ultimate Wildlife and Wilderness Experience in Zimbabwe".
Accommodation 
For images of The Hide Safari Lodge, click The Hide
Images
The Hide's luxury tented suites are uniquely styled along classic lines with a contemporary twist, all are spacious and bathed in natural light. Life in the bush is not just about searching for big game. It is just as much about waking to the chorus of robins and hornbills as the rosy dawn light creeps across the bedspread. It's about sitting quietly on the verandah to watch the comings and goings of kudu, giraffe, elephant and many more at the waterhole. And, of course, at the end of a full day, there's that long soak in a hot bath under the stars and the warm bed where you'll curl up and listen to the sounds of the African night.
Voted the “Best Tented Safari Camp” in Zimbabwe on thirteen occasions, you know you are getting only the best at The Hide Safari Camp.
Ideally suited for a maximum of twenty guests, we strive to make your African safari holiday as exclusive and relaxing as we possibly can. We have eight standard tents and two luxury tents. Each tented room has been styled individually and you can choose between twin beds or a double. All our tents have en-suite bathrooms, some with outdoor showers or huge baths. All tents are mosquito proofed and have fans for your comfort in the warm months. One tent has been designed to be accessible to wheelchair users.
The Doves Nest
Our little secret, the Dove’s Nest, is just about the best way to get away from it all. There are few things more exciting than spending a night out in a tree-house. Overlooking the open tree-lined vlei and pan where giraffe and elephants commonly come to drink, this rustic gem is a perfect vantage point from which to view wildlife safely, quietly. Just the two of you. Kept simple, as a tree-house should be, the bedroom of the Dove’s Nest is reached by a wooden stairway and trap door. You won’t have to forego your hot shower and warm bed and the location is second to none.
Lying on the bright bedspread, you can watch the birds hopping about in the canopy of your tree through the wood-slatted windows. Lunch and afternoon siestas on the open deck just below, swinging lazily in the hammock as animals wonder by. Imagine the glowing sunsets, night-sounds and starry skies out here. Sundowners on the deck followed by a private bush dinner and a night spent out in the Doves Nest in one of Africa’s best wildlife areas. Admittedly not for the faint-hearted, we are pretty confident that this will be a memorable night out.
Activities
The Hide offers a variety of activities focusing on a true Wilderness and Wildlife Experiance. A typical day at the Camp is along the following lines: -
Game Drives before and after breakfast, both on the Concession and into the National Park – on request these drives can be stretched out to include a picnic breakfast or lunch at one of the excellent waterholes. Traffic in areas utilised by The Hide, for the most part, is very light and therefore congestion at waterholes seldom occurs.
Early morning or late afternoon walks on the concession with one of our Professional Guides is an excellent opportunity to learn about the bush and its flora and fauna in general. A large variety of animals can be encountered on these walks. Our Professional Guides are trained to an extremely high standard in Zimbabwe (often regarded as the best in Africa) and regardless of the amount of game seen, these walks are made into a memorable and highly informative occasion.
Throughout the morning game drives are available, or guests may wish to relax in our comfortable underground game-viewing Hides. These are situated at the edge of the camp's waterhole, offering a photographer's paradise. We have gained the exclusive use of several superb walking areas in the National Park itself which makes the combination of game drives and walks a popular choice.
Guests re-group again after lunch and a siesta at about 3:30pm in the "A-Frame" for tea. Afternoon drives follow and walks can also be arranged or simply relax on your verandah and watch the wildlife come down to the waterhole for their evening drink. This is an excellent time to be in the underground hides, or game viewing from upstairs in the main A-frame.
The Dove's Nest, a romantic tree house above a well situated viewing platform, is also available as an activity whereby guests may sleep a night-out away from Camp. It is a five-minute drive from Camp and the guests are dropped off at a time that is suitable to all. Guests are given a radio so they are able to contact Camp and normally collected at their request before breakfast. The Dove's Nest is very secure and there is running water, a toilet and shower there too.
Most afternoon drives will end with sundowners on the concession and then time for hot showers. Evening drinks and snacks follow, around a campfire in winter and in the open under a canopy of stars in summer. At this time wildlife can frequently be seen at the waterhole, which is illuminated by powerful arc lights.
After dinner guests have the opportunity of going on a night drive lasting upto an hour. Spotlights are used to find nocturnal animals such as Bat-Eared Fox, porcupine and Genet cat, and hopefully Lion, Leopard and Hyena. This can be a most interesting and exciting drive – on occasions up to 15 species of mammal have been spotted.
We have an extremely wide variety of species including the "Big Five". Many animals can be seen at our waterhole from the comfort of your own tent. The bird life in Hwange is excellent (over 400 species recorded) with brilliant chances of photography out in the open or in the underground Hide at the Camp waterhole.
We look forward to welcoming you to The Hide where you will enjoy warm friendly hospitality combined with the most amazing wildlife experience in Zimbabwe.
Dining
Returning to the camp after a morning walk to a spread of fresh fruit, pastries and a farmhouse breakfast is more than a perk..it’s a necessity. We like to think that sitting down to freshly brewed coffee to relate the morning’s sightings and plans for the rest of the day is all part of the safari experience.
We enjoy variety and so you may find meals are something of a moveable feast. Sometimes we’ll enjoy dinner altogether around a giant teak table, where many new friends have been made, and tall tales told. There may be an alfresco breakfast overlooking the waterhole, or tea and cake served upstairs in the A-frame over looking the pan. Sundowners out in the bush and drinks around the camp-fire are both safari traditions that we uphold. For special occasions, we enjoy making a fuss so please be sure to let us know.
When you need some me-time, there are plenty of quiet spaces to occupy in the company of a good book. We don’t believe that a safari should be entirely about frenetic activity so we have many areas where you can truly unwind, and a plunge pool in which to cool off in the heat of the day.
The 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 unequalled. 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.
Top
Return to Map of Zimbabwe Camps
For further information about the National Parks of Zimbabwe, click Zim
Parks
For History and General information about Zimbabwe, click More
Zimbabwe
|
