If you crave a game-viewing holiday with enviable extras, look no further than Zimbabwe’s Kazuma Pan and Hwange national parks. Our family trip uncovered some gems that deserve their space on overlanders’ itineraries. By Lea Erasmus

From exploring Namibia’s Zambezi region to basing ourselves at Kasane in Botswana, our 2025 winter holiday ensured indelible family memories. As an easy and rewarding add-on to the usual Kasane–Nata route, dipping into Zimbabwe proved to be a fun and refreshing alternative. Our first stop after crossing at the Pandamatenga Border Post was the lesser-known Kazuma Pan National Park. What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be!  

An adventurous road running parallel to the famous Hunters Road brought us to the Kazuma Depression. Nearby, Corner Pan Platform is a rustic overnight spot (with water and shower), run by Zim Parks. It is popular for the views of Corner Pan, a magnet for hundreds of birds and a variety of wildlife.

The wide plains of the Kazuma Depression felt like a mini Serengeti scene, with open grassy flats, herds of grazing antelope and calm giraffes moving silently through the long grass. The park’s landscapes are diverse, shifting from mopane woodland and grassy plains into rocky hills, river channels and classic acacia savanna.

Getting comfy in Kazuma

Our overnight stay was at the brand-new Kazuma Safari Camp. If we could, we would have happily stayed for a week. The deck-tented units are painfully neat, with modern fittings and spacious en-suites. The extended family unit allowed the kids to sleep with us, and in the early mornings I loved sitting on the small deck, watching the first light awaken the birds and bokkies in the surrounding bush.

The camp features a well-equipped and secure kitchen area with everything needed to cook up a storm. A braai area next to the lounge deck naturally becomes the heart of the camp, perfect for long evenings around the fire. What’s more, there’s a crystal-clear swimming pool close by for cooling off during the day. Three friendly attendants were on duty and ready to assist with anything we needed. Although the camp is self-catering, a special mention goes to John, who makes a mean plate of scrambled eggs!

After exploring Kazuma Pan National Park, we followed the game rangers’ advice and drove back the way we came. No matter how good your maps are, local knowledge remains the most reliable source, especially when factoring in seasonality, concessions and other variable conditions. [If you come across changes, please send an email to newdata@tracks4africa.co.za. The mapping team will verify the information and update the mapping data for the benefit of other overlanders. – Ed.]

Hwange’s north-western side

Hwange National Park welcomed us with open arms! Msena Abiot, one of the friendliest park rangers we’ve met, still sends us endearing updates on the park and animals every now and then. We split our stay in the park between two places to ensure we explored the north-western part of the park well.

After a long day in the car, a picnic lunch at the campsite at Robins Camp was the order of the day. We found a shady spot and a few familiar faces we had met at the border crossing. After paying our park fees, we checked into their Mopani Chalets, ideal for us as self-drivers because we could park the bakkie right next to our unit for quick access to clothes and goodies.

What a pleasant place to stay in Hwange! There is nothing pretentious about Robins Camp Lodge – it’s welcoming and spacious, with the feeling of stepping a little way back in time, yet still offering all the modern comforts.

One feature we loved was the cool slate-rock lounge, where we could pick up some Wi-Fi to catch up on work while the kids stayed entertained with games and books. Other highlights include the swimming pool, the big grassy lawns and the regular visits from animals such as mongoose, warthog and small buck, not to mention all the birds. Meals were delicious, the service was outstanding and we appreciated finer details like special meals for the kids and a baby chair for our youngest.

What’s nice about Robins Camp is that as self-drivers, you have the option to book your stay with or without activities. Hwange’s north has fewer lodges and camps than the south, so we enjoyed game sightings with few or even no other vehicles around!

A bird’s eye view

The absolute highlight of our trip, however, had to be the Kapula Platform Camp. After Robins, we made our way to the iconic Masuma Dam and, just beyond it, turned off onto a track we’d never explored before. Tucked away to the west of the Dam lies Kapula Platform Camp.

The platform was perfect for our family with young kids, but it would be just as ideal for a couple on honeymoon! The area is fenced and features an outdoor boma and braai, complete with a generous stack of firewood that made my husband’s day. There’s plenty of shade and shelter for all weather conditions. On the ground level is a bathroom and one small bedroom. The cherry on top: the platform’s upper level has a 360-degree view with a kitchen, queen bed (and space for 2 stretchers), a dining table and comfy chairs for game viewing – all overlooking your own private waterhole.

As a corridor to Masuma Dam, the waterhole attracted many visitors during our stay, making it an absolute luxury to sit in stillness and simply observe. Game drives in the area were equally delightful, taking us to sights around Sinamatella, Deteema Dam and Shumba Picnic Site.

What worked for us

By this stage, as we explored a third country, our kids were travel-fit and fully in the swing of things. A few simple strategies helped us get there:

• Pack activities and toys, but not too many. A small, thoughtful selection goes a long way.
• Sand toys are gold. Mud and sand play keep kids happily engaged with their surroundings.
• Travelling with other kids – even if only for part of the trip – makes a big difference.
• Involve your little ones in game viewing and birding challenges. Kids love to learn and nature is the perfect classroom when learning is gamified.
• Introduce factual nature books. Sasol has a great range of children’s guides, and Faansie’s new bird books for kids are excellent too.
• Stick to a (loose) bath-and-bed routine. This helps kids wind down and gives parents some precious quiet time in nature.
• Plan shorter driving days where possible, and stay longer in each place. Less rushing makes everyone happier.

Remember: toddler tantrums, boredom and sibling squabbles don’t magically disappear just because you’re travelling. What happens at home may happen on the road too, but don’t let that be a reason to delay travelling with your kids from a young age.

Most importantly, enjoy your time together. The family bond formed on these trips is priceless, especially when you return to the race and rush of ‘normal’ life again.

The latest addition to our popular series of books, the Zimbabwe Self-Drive Guide contains all the information you need for a memorable trip. With destination descriptions, accommodation listings and atlas pages, the book is essential for trip planning. What’s more, advice on vehicle preparation, border crossings, health and safety, navigation and communication will ease your way. For the big picture, get the Zimbabwe Traveller’s Paper Map. If you combine the two in a travel bundle, you will save.

About the overlanders

Growing up with a love of nature and camping, Lea and Francois Erasmus founded Ultimate Routes to share their passion. When they are not designing and booking itineraries in Southern Africa for other overlanders, they like to travel as a family.