Somalisa Camp - Canvas, Copper Bathtubs, and Thousands of Elephants

Imagine sipping a gin and tonic by the pool when a herd of elephants ambles up to drink from it. This is the reality at Somalisa Camp, tucked into a private corner of Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, where the line between luxury and wilderness blurs in the most spectacular way.

The camp sits beneath acacia trees on the edge of an ancient floodplain, and when the dry season arrives, that waterhole out front becomes a natural theater. Elephants drift in by the dozen, close enough that you can hear their low rumbles from your tent's deck. It's the kind of place where you're never quite sure whether you're watching the wildlife or they're watching you.

Getting There

From Victoria Falls International Airport, it's a 45-minute flight in a safari aircraft to Manga Airstrip, followed by a half-hour game drive to camp. If you prefer the scenic route, you can drive – about two hours on tarmac to Hwange's main gate, then another two hours through the park itself, though that second leg tends to run longer depending on what crosses your path.

Location

Somalisa occupies a 150-square-kilometer private concession in eastern Hwange, Zimbabwe's largest national park. The camp fronts the Sumamalisa Vlei, a dried-up watercourse that attracts wildlife year-round thanks to the camp's six pumped waterholes.

You're looking at nearly 15,000 square kilometers of varied terrain – open savannah, Kalahari sandveld, dense teak forests – supporting over 100 mammal species and close to 400 bird species. The park hosts tens of thousands of elephants, one of Africa's largest populations, along with healthy numbers of lion, buffalo, wild dogs, and both roan and sable antelope.

The Tents

Seven canvas tents arc through the acacia grove, each one built on low teak decking with wooden frames supporting stretched sail canvas. These aren't camping tents. Floor-to-ceiling gauze doors slide open onto private shaded decks with views across the vlei, letting breezes circulate through open-plan bedrooms fitted with king-size or twin beds draped in mosquito netting.

A wood burner handles cold winter nights, a fan tackles the heat, and there's proper lounge furniture for when you don't feel like leaving your tent.

The en-suite bathroom delivers twin basins, a separate shower, a toilet, and an outdoor shower – but the standout is that copper slipper-style bathtub positioned to overlook the endless plains beyond.

Lounge & Bar

The main area spreads across split-level wooden decks under an open-sided Bedouin-style canopy, with full views of the dry riverbed and waterhole. The upper deck hosts the dining room, bar, lounge, and curio shop, while lower levels hold the firepit and sundeck. It's technically indoors but feels entirely part of the landscape, with acacia and camelthorn pods dropping around you – favorites of the giraffes and elephants that regularly pass through.

The shady canopy draws birdlife, and you'll want to stay alert walking between your tent and the main area. Wildlife doesn't respect boundaries here.

Dining

Meals happen communally unless you request otherwise, served under the canvas roof with open views down to the waterhole. Expect light fare during hot weather, warming dishes when it cools down. Breakfast might be eggs Benedict with mushrooms and roasted butternut, or chicken kebabs with tzatziki and couscous when temperatures rise. The pizza oven gets regular use – you build your own from the toppings on offer.

All of this unfolds with elephants often visible at the waterhole just beyond the dining area.

Three-course dinners lean toward dishes like spicy butternut soup, beef fillet on butternut purée, and pink grapefruit soufflé, paired with South African wines and local beers.

Technically there are two pools, but the lower one has been officially surrendered to the elephants as a drinking trough. They were going to use it anyway.

You get the upper infinity pool instead, which seems a fair trade given the front-row view of the wildlife coming and going below.

Sleep-Out

Twenty minutes from main camp, a wooden treehouse perches in an acacia tree overlooking another waterhole. This is Somalisa Sleep-Out – one king-size bed draped in mosquito netting, deck chairs for sundowners, a basic tea and coffee station, and a toilet tucked under the wooden staircase.

A guide camps nearby for safety but keeps enough distance to preserve your privacy. You'll need to book at least three nights at Somalisa to access it, and availability depends on season and weather. But if you want to fall asleep to the sound of elephants and wake up under Zimbabwe's star-filled sky, this is how you do it.

Three-course dinners lean toward dishes like spicy butternut soup, beef fillet on butternut purée, and pink grapefruit soufflé, paired with South African wines and local beers.

Hwange National Park

Zimbabwe's largest national park covers nearly 15,000 square kilometers of varied terrain – open savannah, Kalahari sandveld, dense teak forests – supporting over 100 mammal species and close to 400 bird species. Established in 1928 on what was once hunting ground, Hwange has become one of Southern Africa's key conservation areas.

The park hosts tens of thousands of elephants, one of Africa's largest populations, along with healthy numbers of lion, buffalo, leopard, cheetah, and wild dogs. Both roan and sable antelope roam here alongside zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, and various other species.

Morning and late afternoon game drives explore the private concession and wider park, led by Zimbabwean guides whose qualifications and enthusiasm consistently rank among Africa's best.

Walking safaris run seasonally for those over 16, night drives add a different rhythm after dark, and the pace stays unhurried throughout. Between activities, the rhythm settles into good food, thoughtful service, and a camp that feels generous in both space and spirit – all of it running entirely on solar power with an 80% water recycling system that earned Zimbabwe's first Gold Green Tourism Certification.