ZimParks Sinamatella
Self-catering lodges and camping · Northern sector, on a 55-metre outcrop above the Deka riverbed · ZimParks
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Budget
Inside the park
Park-run (ZimParks)
A self-catering camp on a 55-metre outcrop above the Deka valley, in Hwange's northern sector. The clifftop view is unmatched, with elephants often visible on the riverbed below, but be realistic about the rest: recent visitors describe it as clean yet tired, and the restaurant, shop and fuel pump should be assumed closed. Only two of the lodge types are currently bookable; Mandavu and Masuma hides are within reach.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The best view in Hwange, over the Deka valley
- Elephants often visible on the riverbed below the cliff
- Mandavu and Masuma hides are within reach
- Camping from $23 and one-bedroom lodges at $90
Cons
- Clean but tired, by recent visitors' accounts
- Assume the restaurant, shop and fuel pump are closed
- Only two lodge types are currently bookable
- No airstrip advertised nearby
What's here
Arranged from the lodge:
- Community visits
Read from ZimParks Sinamatella's own website in July 2026. Anything not listed we could not confirm, which is not the same as it being absent.
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Hwange National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryThe rate for guests sleeping inside the park.
- $12per person, per day
- VehicleForeign-registered vehicle, at the staying-inside rate.
- $3per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $81 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
Sleeping inside the boundary is what keeps that low. $12 if you sleep inside the park, against $24 a day for anyone driving in from outside.
The full fee schedule for Hwange National ParkRates at ZimParks Sinamatella
From $23 per camping site. One-bedroom lodge $90, renovated two-bedroom $190. Only two unit types are currently bookable.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative 2026 rates from operators' own rate cards, gathered July 2026. Always confirm with the lodge. One thing to watch when comparing: some camps include ZimParks fees in their rate and some do not, which shifts the real gap by $12 to $36 per person per night.
Questions about ZimParks Sinamatella
What can you book at Sinamatella in Hwange?
Only two unit types are currently bookable at Sinamatella: a one-bedroom lodge at $90 and a renovated two-bedroom lodge at $190, plus camping from $23 a site. Everything is self-catering. Book with ZimParks by email at info@zimparks.org.zw.
Is Sinamatella camp still open?
Yes, Sinamatella operates year-round, but go in expecting the basics. Recent visitors describe it as clean yet tired, and the restaurant, shop and fuel pump should be assumed closed. Arrive fully self-sufficient with food, fuel and cooking gear, and you get the best view in the park in return.
Is Sinamatella good for families?
We found no published child policy for Sinamatella, so ask when you book. The renovated two-bedroom lodge at $190 is the only larger unit currently bookable, and it is self-catering, so a family needs to bring all its own food.
Why stay at Sinamatella rather than Main Camp?
For the view and the hides. Sinamatella sits on a 55-metre outcrop above the Deka riverbed in the northern sector, with elephants often visible below, and Mandavu and Masuma hides are within reach. Camping costs the same $23 a site as at Main Camp.