Bumbusi Wilderness Camp
Highlights
- Seven restored stone-and-thatch chalets on a private 80,000-hectare concession in northern Hwange National Park
- Walking safaris through the Bumbusi Gorge, riverine bush and granite hills
- Guided history tours of the Bumbusi National Monument, with dry-stone ruins and rock engravings spanning some 4,000 years
- Game drives for elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and plains game, with lion and hyena often heard from camp
- A waterhole in front of camp that draws elephant herds onto the lawns in the dry season
- Sundowners on the rock outcrops and surprise bush boma dinners
- No other lodge in sight: a whole corner of Hwange shared by a maximum of 14 guests
- Superb green-season birding from November to April, when the migrants arrive
Information
- Lodge type: Remote wilderness safari camp
- Location: Private 80,000-hectare concession, northern Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
- Lodge size: 7 stone chalets (maximum 14 guests)
- Recommended stay: 3–4 nights
- Malaria risk: Yes — Hwange National Park is a malaria area, with the highest risk during the November–April rains. Take prophylaxis year-round.
- Getting there: About 145 km from Victoria Falls. By road it is 4 hours from Victoria Falls Airport via Nantwich Gate (4 hours 30 minutes from town). By air it is a 30-minute light-aircraft flight to Robins Airstrip plus a 2-hour game-drive transfer, or 20 minutes by helicopter direct to camp.
Discover The Hidden Gem: Bumbusi Wilderness Camp's Unmatched Safari Experience
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp is a seven-chalet Hideaways camp on a private 80,000-hectare concession in the remote north of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest national park. It is built for travellers who would rather explore on foot than from a queue of vehicles. The camp sits in a reclaimed corner of the park where gorges, riverine bush and granite hills break up the woodland. From the lawns you will not see another lodge.
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp is tucked beneath a forest of old mahogany and jackalberry trees, whose shade pulls wildlife in as the dry season bites. By September and October, elephant herds regularly walk onto the lawns to drink at the waterhole in front of camp. Guests can realistically expect elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and a fine spread of plains game. Lion and spotted hyena are possible on any outing and often heard from camp at night. Leopard and African wild dog are present but seen less often.
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp's trump card is history. The Bumbusi National Monument, a short drive or an absorbing walk from camp, preserves dry-stone walling in the Great Zimbabwe tradition and rock engravings. The human story here runs some 4,000 years, from San hunter-gatherers to a late farming-period settlement. Walking is the heart of the experience, so couples, families with older children and history-minded travellers will love it most. Anyone wanting three vehicle drives a day will be happier elsewhere in Hwange.
Rooms And Suites
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp has seven stone-and-thatch chalets, each sleeping two guests, with a maximum of 14 in camp. Five chalets have twin beds, and two have queen-size beds with bathtubs. Every chalet has an en-suite shower and basin, mosquito nets and solar-heated water. Families with two children can have bunk beds added to one chalet.
Each chalet at Bumbusi Wilderness Camp has been carefully recreated around the original stonework of the site, in homage to the region's historical masonry. Inside, the décor is bold and warm: vibrant patterns, earthy hues and comforting textures that belong in the bush. All seven chalets face the lawns and waterhole. The thick stone walls are a real joy, holding warmth on chilly winter nights and staying cool when the October heat arrives.
Cuisine And Wine
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp's rate includes all meals, water, soft drinks, local beers, ciders, mixers and house wine. Imported and premium-brand drinks are charged separately. Meals are served in the open-air dining area or around the fire under the stars. A kettle sits on the coals all day, so tea and coffee are always ready between activities.
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp's sundowners are a ritual worth travelling for: gin and tonics and biltong on the rock formations as the light drains out of the hills. The team also has a delightful habit of springing a candlelit bush boma dinner on guests who think they are heading out for an ordinary drink.
Facilities
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp's main area sits in a natural clearing beneath ancient trees. It has an open-air dining area, indoor and outdoor lounges, a well-stocked library lounge for cooler days, and fireside chairs arranged to face the waterhole. Beside the lawns is a swimming pool that is gloriously welcome after a morning walk, and in the dry season elephants are often your poolside company.
- Wi-Fi in the main area only; mobile reception is limited
- Solar-powered hot water
- Laundry included in the rate
- Credit card facilities in camp
- Mosquito nets in every chalet
Activities
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp's activities are guided walking safaris, game drives and history tours of the Bumbusi National Monument. Two shared activities a day are included in the rate. Walks depend on the season and on guide availability, and they are what the camp does best: through the Bumbusi Gorge, along the riverine bush, and down to Bera Pools to look for crocodiles.
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp's game drives cover some of Hwange's most scenic terrain, with hills and gorges rather than the flat Kalahari sand of the south. The Bumbusi history tour traces the site from San hunter-gatherers to a well-preserved late farming-period settlement, a layer of depth few Hwange camps can offer.
- July to October: dry season and the best game viewing. Days reach the mid-20s °C and nights can drop below 10 °C, with wildlife concentrated at water by September and October.
- November to April: green season. Temperatures often top 30 °C, the summer rains fall, visitors are fewer and migrant birds arrive in force.
- Open all year.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bumbusi Wilderness Camp
Where is Bumbusi Wilderness Camp and how do you get there?
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp is on a private 80,000-hectare concession in the remote north of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, roughly 145 km from Victoria Falls. The road transfer takes about 4 hours from Victoria Falls Airport via Nantwich Gate, and much of it doubles as a game drive. Alternatively, a 30-minute light-aircraft flight reaches Robins Airstrip, followed by a 2-hour game-drive transfer. A helicopter can also fly direct to camp in 20 minutes.
Is Bumbusi Wilderness Camp in a malaria area?
Yes. Bumbusi Wilderness Camp lies inside Hwange National Park, which is a malaria area. Risk is highest during the November to April rains and lower in the cool, dry months from May to October, but it never drops to zero. Guests should take antimalarial prophylaxis year-round, as advised by a travel clinic. They should also use the mosquito nets fitted in every chalet, and wear long sleeves and repellent at dusk.
What activities are included at Bumbusi Wilderness Camp?
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp includes two shared guided activities a day in its fully inclusive rate. Guests choose from game drives, walking safaris through the Bumbusi Gorge, riverine bush and hills, and history tours of the nearby Bumbusi National Monument. The monument's dry-stone ruins and rock engravings span some 4,000 years of human occupation. Walks depend on the season and guide availability. Sundowners on the rock outcrops round off most afternoons.
When is the best time to visit Bumbusi Wilderness Camp?
The best time to visit Bumbusi Wilderness Camp for game viewing is July to October, when Hwange is dry, the bush thins out and elephants gather at the camp waterhole. Days then reach the mid-20s °C and nights can drop below 10 °C. November to April is the green season: hotter, often above 30 °C, with summer rain, fewer visitors and excellent birding as migrants arrive. The camp is open all year.
What wildlife can you see at Bumbusi Wilderness Camp?
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp guests can realistically expect elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala and other plains game in northern Hwange National Park. Lion and spotted hyena are possible on any outing and are often heard from camp at night. Leopard and African wild dog occur in the area but are sighted less often. In the dry season, elephant herds walk onto the camp lawns to drink, and birding peaks from November to April.
What are the rooms like at Bumbusi Wilderness Camp?
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp has seven stone-and-thatch chalets, each sleeping two guests, recreated around the original stonework of the site. Five chalets have twin beds, and two have queen-size beds with bathtubs. All have en-suite showers, mosquito nets and solar-heated water, and one chalet can take bunk beds for two children. The thick stone walls keep the chalets warm on winter nights and cool in the October heat.
In Conclusion
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp is the Hwange camp to choose if you want to walk. It has seven chalets, never more than 14 guests, 80,000 private hectares, no other lodge in sight and a 4,000-year-old archaeological site on the doorstep. Most Hwange lodges sell you the elephants at the pans. Bumbusi gives you the elephants and the gorges, the hills, the ruins and the silence, which is a far rarer thing.
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp fits beautifully into a tailor-made Zimbabwe safari. Start with two nights at Victoria Falls, only 30 minutes away by light aircraft. Then spend three or four nights at Bumbusi, and finish in the open pan country of southern Hwange or on the Zambezi for contrast. Uyaphi.com arranges the whole journey: the flights, the Robins Airstrip and road transfers, the park fees and the camps on either side. It is one itinerary, one point of contact and no loose ends.
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp is at its most spectacular from July to October, when the bush is dry and elephants come to drink in front of your chalet. With only seven chalets, dry-season dates fill fast, so book early. From November to April, the green season rewards you with lush scenery, superb birding and a camp you may have almost to yourselves.
Uyaphi.com has planned African safaris from Cape Town since 1999. That is 27 years of matching travellers to the right camp at the right time of year, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Tell us your dates and we will build Bumbusi Wilderness Camp into your Zimbabwe safari. Start planning your safari with Uyaphi.com.
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Bumbusi Wilderness Camp Rates
Per person per night sharing
Rates are in US Dollar
*Rates may vary according to season
- Accommodation
- All meals, water, soft drinks, beers, ciders, mixers and house wine
- 2 shared activities per day (game drives and walks - walks are subject to availability and season dependent)
- Road transfers to/from Robins Airstrip/Nantwich Gate
- Laundry
- Imported and premium brand drinks
- All Transfers
- All flights
- Grow Africa Levy
- Park fees
- Optional activities
- Items of a personal nature
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance
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