An authentic luxury bush camp in prime elephant country, Somalisa Camp is located deep in a private concession of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, shaded by acacia trees and overlooking the wide savannah plains. Its unspoilt, remote setting gives guests the real flavour and romance of Africa, where the only crowds are of elephants, Hwange being known as one of Africa’s great elephant sanctuaries and over 30,000 of them within the park. The camp swimming pool is often preferred by the elephants to the adjacent waterhole, so sometimes your afternoon dip might be enlivened by some impromptu elephant watching as they drink.

There are just six luxury tents at Somalisa, elegantly furnished with an old-world colonial feel, with solar-powered electricity for lighting and beautiful wooden beds, which have extra blankets and hot water bottles tucked into them on cold winter nights. The ensuite outdoor bathrooms have a wonderful authentic bush feel, with flush toilets and old-fashioned bucket showers, which are filled with hot water for you any time you want.

The main lodge tent has a very comfortable lounge area furnished with sofas and a library, bar and a dining area looking out over the waterhole and wide views, as well as the swimming pool with loungers, so there are plenty of places to relax with a drink and a book between game drives.

While it’s perfectly possible to stay in camp and see plenty of wildlife and elephants from your deck, the game drives explore the reserve and take guests in search of a wide variety of sightings, which include all the Big 5, though as always the leopard can be elusive.

The well-informed and experienced guides also escort you on fascinating bush walks to observe smaller wildlife and birds and then enjoy star-gazing around the campfire at night.

Somalisa camp is a 4 ½ hour drive from Bulawayo or Victoria Falls but there is a convenient airstrip only 30 minutes away for easier access. Altogether, it’s a fabulous away-from-it-all safari experience with very comfortable accommodation and an intimate friendly atmosphere at one with nature.