Your gateway to the wild
Kavinga Safari Camp is situated inland in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. Our picturesque camp is located on a cliff, overlooking the seasonal Rukomechi river and the striking Zambezi escarpment.
Where to find us
Our +/- 2,500-hectare unfenced, private concession is located in the isolated wilds of Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. We’re about 43km away from the Zambezi River and 9km (as the crow flies) from the renowned Chitake Spring.
How to get to Kavinga
You can access our camp by road, or by flying to the Rukomechi airstrip conveniently located on our concession. Please get in touch if you’d like more travel information or help arranging road or air transfers.
Travel by road
We’re an approximately 5.5 hour drive from Harare. You can either drive yourself, or arrange a road transfer with a shuttle.
If you come via shuttle, we can collect you at the Chimutsi gate and drive you to camp in our open game viewer. Travel time from Chimutsi gate to Kavinga is approximately 30-45mins.
Travel by air
We’re fortunate to have a 1,100m long airstrip on our concession, which is situated a mere 5km from camp. This means you get to enjoy a 20-minute game drive while en route to our lodge.
Airstrip name: Rukomechi
Aviation designator: FVRK
GPS coordinates: 16 °08´49.75″ S 29°24´54.75″ E
When to visit?
The landscape on our private concession changes dramatically throughout the year. From the very wet rainy season, full of thick green shrubbery, to the hot dry season where there is often very little left on the ground but dust.
Depending on what you’re interested in, one season might be better for you to visit than the other. Or visit us more than once to experience how the fauna and flora changes in the different seasons.
Animal sightings tend to be at their best in the hotter months, from August to November, when higher concentrations of game seek out permanent water sources, such as the pan in front of camp. For those interested in the smaller things, like birds, butterflies, insects and flowers, the ‘green’ season (April to the end of June) can provide a spectacular variation of species. Game viewing during the first few months of the season is also typically good, although the amount of animals seen can be less during the greener months, when water and grazing is plentiful across the valley.
Please note, our camp is closed for guests during the rainy season (December to March) as much of our concession becomes inaccessible as the Rukomechi River floods with the rains.
Temperatures at camp
It never gets too cold at Kavinga, although the early winter mornings and evenings can be chilly, especially when you’re out on a game drive. Temps during July can range from 26°C during the day to 6°C at night.
It starts to warm up from August onward, with October usually our hottest, driest month. Temperatures during the day are typically in the late 30°Cs, but can also soar into the 40°Cs.
The rains normally begin towards the middle of November, turning the valley green almost overnight. This is often the best month for keen birders, particularly those seeking out the African Pitta.
The wonder of Mana Pools National Park
Bordered by the Zambezi river and mountain escarpment and consisting of over 2,190km2 of untouched habitat, Mana Pools National Park is a wildlife oasis for a rich diversity of fauna and flora.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s home to four of the Big Five and around 380 bird species, Mana is one of the world’s few remaining real wilderness areas.
Throughout the year, impala, buffalo, zebra, elephant and many other plains game migrate across the remote landscape in search of grazing, water and shade.
A variety of predators can also be found in the park, including lion, leopard, wild dog (African painted dog) and spotted hyena.
“What a fabulous place! Excellent staff, first class food, and animals galore! Greeted by two leopards and three hyenas on our first night. Dozens of elephants and an evening visit from a huge herd of buffalo. Plenty of the smaller game. Thanks again to the efficient staff and personal service.”