Davison's Camp (Hwange National Park) Zimbabwe
Location:
Davison's Camp lies deep in Hwange National Park, in the south-eastern Linkwasha Concession - one of the best game viewing areas of the entire Park. It is a classic African tented camp, with the units tastefully hidden beneath a grove of false mopane trees, overlooking a waterhole and open plain.
Named after the founder of Hwange National Park and its first warden, Ted Davison, this camp, with its 8 tents and a family tent, offers a wonderful bush experience. Both the tents and the separate main area, comprising a lounge, dining room, and open campfire area, look out over the productive waterhole.
Accommodation:
Davison's Camp consists of nine tented chalets, each with a concrete veranda decked out with a couple of metal chairs and a table, and overlooking the waterhole. The chalets are fairly basic but comfortable, with ceiling fans and concrete block floors covered by two or three rugs. A canvas roof provides protection from the elements while extremely wide and broad mesh windows give high and wide vistas of the pan.
In addition to two double and six twin bed chalets at Davison's there is also a new family chalet. This is similar to the normal double chalet, but has had a recent extension added. This is a nice modern addition to the camp with an equally up-to-date en-suite bathroom. It's also worth noting that the camp is often willing to provide an extra mattress on the floor to allow three people per tent on request.
Each tented chalet at Davison's is connected to the main area along a well-worn elephant path which is clearly marked out. At night the path is well lit by artificial lights.
The chalets all have en-suite bathrooms with an indoor shower (hot and cold running water), a deep soapstone sink and a flushing toilet. There is also an impressive varnished-wood partition that separates the bathroom from the rest of the chalet and provides storage space too. Complimentary toiletries and linen are of course provided.
Facilities:
The main area at Davison's is in the centre of the camp and forms a V-shaped structure with a dining room in one wing and a lounge area in the other. It's very open and airy with solid concrete floors largely covered by substantial rugs.
The wood-and-canvas walls on one side of this area conceal the entrance road to camp while opposite, one completely open side allows views of the pan in front of Davison's. The dining room consists of a long table (everyone usually eats together), with tea and coffee available throughout the day from a side table.
In the other wing, the comfortable lounge has a small bar at one end and is cooled by fans during the day.
Activities:
Activities include game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, or guided walks in the early mornings, while during the siesta hours, guests can view wildlife coming down to the waterhole to drink from their tent veranda or the main area.
Game viewing is productive year-round in the Linkwasha Concession and wildlife frequently encountered here includes lion, large herds of elephant, buffalo, leopard, white rhino, spotted hyaena, southern giraffe, sable, blue wildebeest, impala, common waterbuck and reedbuck.
There are a number of large, open plains areas which make for excellent game viewing; in summer, wildebeest, zebra and eland are found in abundance here, while in winter the waterholes are magnets around which elephant in enormous numbers congregate to drink.
Accommodation Rates:- From $420 per person per nigh, Seasonal Rates vary.