Somalisa Acacia

Four very spacious tented suites are set on raised decks at Somalisa Acacia around a central dining and relaxation deck that overlooks a busy waterhole in Zimbabwe's flagship reserve, Hwange National Park. Between game drives and guided walks, take a dip in the communal plunge pool or relax in the hammock on your private deck.

The camp is built along the Kennedy vlei line, which means plenty of wildlife action on game drives. Expect good sightings of big game like lion, cheetah, buffalo, wild dog and magnificent antelope like kudu and sable. Hwange is elephant country, so expect plenty of sightings of these gentle giants – herds of a hundred-strong are not unknown in dry season (about May to October). One of the highlights of staying at Somalisa is that elephants come to drink at the waterhole in front of the lodge’s plunge pool.

The décor is charming – traditional safari styling with an emphasis on comfort and fine finishes. The highlight of the spacious tents is undoubtedly the copper-encased bathtub in the centre of the en suite bathroom as well as the outdoor shower.

Somalisa is the setting for two intimate tented camps – Somalisa Camp and Somalisa Acacia. Other than when you first arrive or if you stroll around the site, you are not aware of the other camp. The camps face in opposite directions and each one overlooks its own waterhole. Both are very intimate, Somalisa has just six suites while Acacia has four, including family-friendly suites. The Ngwana Club awaits for families with young children, ready to expose them to the exciting world of the African bush.

The lodge is a member of the African Bush Camps Foundation and contributes a percentage of every bed night, which is used to train and employ staff from local communities and builds schools for community children.