Roads, flights and the train
How to get to Hwange National Park
Hwange is the easiest of Africa's great parks to reach: three hours by road from Victoria Falls on tar most of the way, or a short charter flight. There is even a weekly overnight train.
By road from Victoria Falls (the usual way)
Head south on the A8 towards Bulawayo for 172 km, turn at Cross Mabale and follow 23 km of tar to Main Camp. That last stretch is surfaced, so an ordinary car will get you to Main Camp reception in about three hours.
From Bulawayo it is the same junction from the other direction: 283 km north-west on the A8, then the same 23 km of tar. Reckon on four hours. Note that roadworks on the Bulawayo to Victoria Falls highway have been causing delays through 2026, so allow extra time.
For the northern sector and Robins Camp there is a shorter route from Victoria Falls: 45 km south on the A8, right at the Matetsi turn-off, then about 60 km of graded dirt to Nantwich gate and 12 km more to Robins. Roughly two hours, and high clearance is advisable rather than essential.
Distances and driving times
| Route | Distance | Time | Surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Falls to Main Camp | 195 km | ±3 h | Tar all the way |
| Bulawayo to Main Camp | 306 km | ±4 h | Tar all the way |
| Victoria Falls to Robins Camp | ±117 km | ±2 h | 45 km tar, then graded dirt |
| Victoria Falls airport to park | ±100 km | ±1.5 h | Tar |
| Main Camp to Robins, through the park | 145 km | half a day | 4x4 needed |
| Pandamatenga border (Botswana) to Robins | ±57 km | ±1.5 h | 4x4, rough in places |
What vehicle you need
- A high-clearance 2WD will reach Main Camp and Robins Camp from the main roads.
- Driving through the park and doing your own game drives needs a high-clearance 4x4, without exception.
- December to March, when the rains soften the internal roads, 4x4 is essential everywhere.
- Fill your tank before you arrive. Despite what many guides claim, there is normally no fuel for sale anywhere in Hwange, including Main Camp.
- There is no shop inside the park. Bring everything you need.
By air
Victoria Falls International (VFA) is the practical gateway, with international and regional flights, about 100 km from the park. From there most fly-in guests take a light aircraft charter: Victoria Falls to Robins airstrip takes 30 minutes against two hours by road.
The park has serviced airstrips at Main Camp (prior permission from Main Camp required), Robins, and Giraffe Springs for the Sinamatella-sector camps; the private camps in the south use their own strips such as Linkwasha. Light aircraft limit you to 20 kg per person in soft-sided bags, camera gear included.
By train, the slow way in
The overnight Bulawayo to Victoria Falls train resumed in October 2025 and stops at both Dete and Hwange, the two stations closest to the park. It leaves Bulawayo on Fridays and Victoria Falls on Sundays, both at 19:00, and takes about fifteen hours to cover 472 km.
Fares are almost comically low: about $18 for a first-class berth, $9 for an economy seat, $5 for bedding. Tickets are sold at the station on the day of travel only, and the carriages are 1950s British stock with no air conditioning. It is not a luxury train, it is an experience, and you will need a transfer from the station to your camp.