Little Makalolo sits in a private concession in south-eastern Hwange, tucked into a teak treeline above a waterhole that draws elephants and buffalo through much of the year. What sets the camp apart is a sunken log-pile hide at the water’s edge. Built from stacked timber and set low into the ground, it puts you at ground level as breeding herds drink metres away, close enough to hear the rumble in an elephant’s chest.
What sets the camp apart is a sunken log-pile hide at the water’s edge
Hwange has no permanent surface water. Through the long dry months, from around May to October, this single waterhole becomes a magnet for game across the concession. Elephant, giraffe, zebra and sable pass through from first light into the night, and there is nowhere better placed to watch them. The raised pool deck, the breakfast table, the hide itself: each looks straight onto the water.
Little Makalolo opened in 1998, one of the region’s early low-impact camps, at a time when few operations were built to leave so light a footprint. Two decades on, the interior designer Caline Williams-Wynn of Artichoke raised the central spaces beneath a mature mopane tree. She took care to keep the original bush-camp feel intact, so the camp still reads as it always has, low and quiet among the trees.
the camp still reads as it always has, low and quiet among the trees
Six canvas tents run in a loose arc along the treeline, linked by low teak walkways that thread through the woodland. The main lounge and dining tents stand open on both sides to catch the breeze, and a raised plunge pool looks directly over the water. Meals are communal and unfussy: brunch on the pool deck, lantern-lit dinners set out in front of camp, jaffles toasted over the morning fire.
Because Little Makalolo lies within a private concession inside the national park, off-road driving is not permitted, but night drives are, and they open up a whole other Hwange. Spotted hyena, honey badger, porcupine, springhare and the occasional caracal are picked out by spotlight. By day the walking comes into its own. Led by professional Zimbabwean guides, morning walks trace game paths across Kalahari sand, reading fresh spoor and turning attention to tracks, botany and the smaller creatures a vehicle passes without noticing.
The log-pile hide rewards patience more than any other spot in camp. Guides encourage spending the midday siesta here, when heat shimmers off the pan and the animals queue at the water. Cape buffalo, giraffe, zebra and the far scarcer sable and roan file through, and from a few feet away you come eye to eye with drinking elephants. Lion and leopard work the wider concession, along with African wild dogs, so the hours that most camps give over to rest can be the richest of the day here.
Led by professional Zimbabwean guides, morning walks trace game paths across Kalahari sand
A short drive from camp, the Madison Pan star bed offers a raised platform for sleeping out under open sky. A private chef fires pizzas at a wood-fired oven, then leaves you to the sound of distant lions and the wide arc of the Milky Way. Back in camp, the interiors carry their own quiet detail. Behind each bed hangs a display of hand-woven baskets from the Lupane Women’s Centre, a cooperative of rural craftswomen, bringing local clay and earth tones into the canvas suites.
The conservation work here is practical and local. Wilderness fuels and maintains a network of solar-hybrid boreholes across the concession, lifting water from deep underground to sustain game through the dry season when no natural surface water remains. A collaborative anti-poaching patrol clears wire snares along Hwange’s southern boundary, and Children in the Wilderness runs eco-clubs and scholarships in neighbouring villages. Visits to nearby Ngamo village and its school are led by a local guide, an exchange rather than a scheduled stop on an itinerary.
accommodation
Six canvas tents, sleeping a maximum of twelve. Five standard tents (four twin, one double) each have an en-suite bathroom with twin copper vanities, indoor and outdoor showers, a writing desk and a private veranda facing the waterhole. One family tent holds two bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom and entrance, connected by an inter-leading door.
activities
Twice-daily game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, guided morning walks with professional Zimbabwean guides, and night drives permitted within the private Makalolo concession. Midday sessions at the sunken log-pile hide, sleep-outs at the Madison Pan star bed, and visits to Ngamo village and school.
conservation
Wilderness maintains a network of solar-hybrid boreholes supplying water across the concession through Hwange's dry season. A collaborative anti-poaching patrol clears snares along the park's southern boundary, while Children in the Wilderness funds eco-clubs and school scholarships in villages near Little Makalolo.
Get in touch and let’s start the conversation. An initial consultation helps us understand what you’re looking for, whether that’s specific experiences, luxury touches, or marking a special occasion, and from there we’ll guide you through what’s possible so you can decide if we’re the right fit.
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You fly into Victoria Falls, the main gateway for Hwange, then connect by light aircraft to the concession's airstrip in the Linkwasha area, about an hour in the air, followed by a game-drive transfer of around half an hour to camp. The charter seats are shared, with the departure fixed the day before once the airline sets its routing, and luggage is limited to soft bags of around twenty kilograms.
We can also arrange a private charter, typically a Cessna Caravan or Pilatus PC-12, timed to your international flights rather than the shared schedule. Coming by road instead takes four to five hours from Victoria Falls, a fair stretch of it inside the park, and we will tell you honestly whether the flight or the drive suits your trip better.
Yes, treat it as one. The park lies below the 1,200 metre line under which the UK's official travel health advice rates Zimbabwe's malaria risk as high from November to June, with antimalarial tablets usually recommended for those months. The risk falls away through the dry season from July to October, though the CDC advises tablets for travel anywhere in Zimbabwe at any time of year, so many visitors take them whatever the season.
Guidance is reviewed regularly, so confirm the current position with a travel clinic or your doctor before you travel, and keep up the simple defences too: repellent, and long sleeves and trousers once the light goes.
The dry-season mornings from June to August are properly cold, sometimes close to freezing before dawn, and an open vehicle at first light doubles the chill, so bring warm layers, a hat and gloves for the early starts. The days then warm to shirtsleeve weather, and from September the heat builds steadily, with October the hottest month of the year.
Light, breathable clothing in neutral colours covers the daytime, with strong sun protection and a swimming costume for the plunge pool. If you travel in the green season from November to March, add a light waterproof for the afternoon storms. Pack it all into a soft bag, since the light aircraft cannot take hard cases.
Children aged six and over are welcome, and the two-bedroom family tent is the natural fit for a family travelling together. Younger children join the game drives and the hours at the hide, while the guided walks are kept for older children and teenagers for safety.
Tell us the ages when we plan and we will match the activities to them, and advise honestly whether a private vehicle is worth adding so your family can set its own pace. For some families a camp this small is ideal; for others we will suggest a better fit, and we will say which.
Almost everything at camp. The rate covers all meals, twice-daily guided activities, park fees, laundry and local drinks, with only premium imported spirits and champagne charged separately. Once you are in camp there is very little to reach for a wallet for.
The flights and transfers to get there sit outside the camp rate, and we build those into your quote from the start so the full cost of the trip is clear before you commit.
There is, but treat it as a lifeline rather than a working connection. The wifi is slow and intermittent in a camp this remote, enough to check in occasionally rather than to stream or take calls, and mobile signal is not something to count on. There are charging points for cameras and phones in the main area.
Most guests find a few days with the waterhole instead of a screen is much of the point. If you genuinely need to stay reachable, tell us before you travel and we will set expectations honestly.
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our approach
Every journey starts with a conversation. We take the time to understand your vision before we start planning.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape something that is considered, personal, and expertly delivered.
