Nehimba Lodge
Highlights
- Nehimba Seep and Mandavu Dam within game-drive reach
- Big Hwange elephant and buffalo herds drinking at the lodge waterhole
- Night drives and guided walks on a 175 km² private concession
- Dry-season game viewing from the deck between activities
- Only nine thatched chalets, each with a free-standing bath and outdoor shower
- Solar powered, with free Wi-Fi in camp
- Twice-daily activities with expert guides and trackers
Information
- Lodge type: Safari lodge, run by Imvelo Safari Lodges
- Location: Private 175 km² concession, northern Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
- Lodge size: 9 thatched chalets, including 2 family rooms
- Recommended stay: 3–5 nights
- Malaria risk: Yes. Hwange National Park is a malaria area and antimalarials are advised, particularly November to April.
- Getting there: 160–185 km from Victoria Falls, about 5 hours by road, or 40 minutes by light aircraft to Shumba airstrip, then a 10-minute transfer
Visit Hwange National Parks' Mandavu Dam And Nehimba Seep When Visiting This Safari Lodge
Nehimba Lodge is a nine-chalet safari lodge run by Imvelo Safari Lodges on a private 175 km² concession in the north of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest national park at roughly 14,600 km². Every chalet faces the lodge waterhole. In the dry months, elephant and buffalo herds file down to drink there from mid-morning until well after dark, which makes the deck one of the finest photographic hides in Hwange. You don't need to be in a vehicle to have a superb sighting here. The best of them often happen between game drives, with a cup of coffee in hand.
Nehimba Lodge's concession sits in mopane woodland and Kalahari sandveld, a landscape of deep sand, teak and camelthorn that holds game year-round. Because it is a private concession, activities go well beyond what is allowed in the public areas of the park: night drives, guided walks, sundowners wherever the guide chooses, and full-day drives out to the Nehimba Seep. After dinner the elephants frequently wander right through camp. It is a thrilling, close-up end to the day.
Part of our selection of the best Hwange Lodges portfolio in Zimbabwe.
Rooms and Suites
Nehimba Lodge has nine thatched chalets built on raised teak decks, all with views of the waterhole:
- 2 family rooms (60 m²): a king-size bed and two three-quarter beds
- 1 double room with daybed (60 m²)
- 3 double rooms (60 m²): king-size beds
- 3 twin rooms (two at 50 m², one at 40 m²): two three-quarter beds
Every Nehimba Lodge chalet has an en-suite bathroom with a free-standing bath, flush toilet and outdoor shower, plus a private viewing deck. Room amenities include fans, mosquito nets and repellent, a security air horn, mobile LED lamps, a hair dryer, bathrobes, and tea- and coffee-making facilities.
Cuisine and Wine
Nehimba Lodge serves all meals, cooked from fresh produce sourced from local farmers. Meals are served in the thatched dining room or out on the deck overlooking the waterhole, weather permitting. Soft drinks, beer, house wines and local spirits are included in the rate, so the sundowner stop and the post-drive drink at the bar cost nothing extra.
Facilities
Nehimba Lodge's main guest area is an open-fronted thatched building overlooking the waterhole, with:
- A lounge and a bar with a view
- Indoor dining room and outdoor dining deck
- A plunge pool that the elephants are known to drink from
- Free Wi-Fi, with a basic connection given the remote location
- Solar power throughout the lodge
- Laundry service, included in the rate
Activities
Nehimba Lodge runs two guided safari activities a day from its private concession inside Hwange National Park. Expert guides and trackers lead every outing in open 4x4 safari vehicles. The activities on offer are:
- Morning and afternoon game drives
- Full-day game drives
- Night drives on the private concession
- Guided game walks
- Time at the Nehimba viewing platform
- Visits to the Nehimba Seep and Mandavu Dam
Hwange National Park's wildlife around Nehimba Lodge includes lion, leopard, spotted hyena, African wild dog and cheetah. There are large elephant and buffalo herds and a wide range of plains game. The dry season, the Zimbabwe winter from roughly May to October, is best for game viewing, because the herds concentrate at the waterholes and seeps. The wet season, from November to April, is best for birdlife.
Child Friendly
Nehimba Lodge welcomes families with children aged seven and over. Younger children are accepted by special arrangement, with a signed parental disclaimer. Two 60 m² family rooms each sleep two adults and two children. Children aged 12 and under must share a room with adults, with a maximum of two children per room.
Nehimba Lodge FAQs
Where is Nehimba Lodge?
Nehimba Lodge is a nine-chalet safari lodge on a private 175 km² concession in the north of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest national park at roughly 14,600 km². Imvelo Safari Lodges runs the lodge, and every thatched chalet overlooks a waterhole used by elephant and buffalo. The nearest gateway town is Victoria Falls, 160–185 km away by road.
How do you get to Nehimba Lodge from Victoria Falls?
Nehimba Lodge is 160–185 km from Victoria Falls, about five hours by road according to the operator, Imvelo Safari Lodges. The faster option is a light-aircraft flight of around 40 minutes to Shumba airstrip, followed by a 10-minute transfer to the lodge. Uyaphi.com arranges either option as part of a tailor-made Zimbabwe safari.
Is Nehimba Lodge in a malaria area?
Nehimba Lodge lies in Hwange National Park, which is a malaria area, so antimalarial medication is advised for all guests. The risk is highest in the rainy season, from November to April, and lower in the dry winter months. Rooms have mosquito nets, fans and repellent, but travellers should see a travel clinic about prophylaxis well before departure.
What safari activities does Nehimba Lodge offer?
Nehimba Lodge runs two guided activities a day in open 4x4 vehicles, with expert guides and trackers. The options are morning and afternoon game drives, full-day drives, night drives and guided game walks on its private concession in Hwange National Park. Guests also visit the Nehimba Seep and the viewing platform. The lodge waterhole delivers sightings between activities.
Can children stay at Nehimba Lodge?
Nehimba Lodge welcomes children aged seven and over, and younger children by special arrangement with a signed parental disclaimer. Two 60 m² family rooms each hold a king-size bed and two three-quarter beds. Children aged 12 and under must share with adults, with a maximum of two children per room.
When is the best time to visit Nehimba Lodge?
The best time to visit Nehimba Lodge for game viewing is the dry season, roughly May to October. Hwange National Park then has little surface water, so elephant and buffalo herds gather at the lodge waterhole and the Nehimba Seep. The wet season, from November to April, is the better choice for birdwatching, with migrant species present and the bush at its greenest.
In Conclusion
Nehimba Lodge is one of the best ways to see Hwange's elephants up close. There are only nine chalets, all facing a waterhole that the herds visit day and night, on a private concession where night drives and guided walks are part of every stay. You get the great wildlife of Hwange National Park without the crowds of the public roads, and you go home with the sound of elephants drinking below your deck.
Nehimba Lodge works best as three to five nights in a Zimbabwe safari, paired with Victoria Falls. Fly in 40 minutes by light aircraft, or make the road journey part of the adventure. For the greatest elephant concentrations, travel in the dry season from roughly May to October. For birdlife and lush green landscapes, choose the wet season.
Uyaphi.com has been planning tailor-made African safaris from Cape Town since 1999. That is 27 years of matching travellers to the right lodge, in the right season, with the right connections. We are owner-run, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Tell us your dates and your dream, and we'll build your Hwange safari around you.
Rates from US$ 565.00 Per person per night
Nehimba Lodge Rates
Per person per night sharing
Rates are in US Dollar
*Rates may vary according to season
- Accommodation
- All meals
- Soft drinks, beers, wines and local spirits
- Laundry
- Safari walks
- Game drives
- night drives
- All flights
- Visas
- All other transfers
- Optional wildlife and cultural activities
- Items of a personal nature
- Top shelf alcohol
- Travel insurance
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