Travel Guide Hwange

Hwange is named after a local Ndebele chief. Although an old steam engine stands proudly at the entrance to the town of Hwange, the history of this rural settlement is linked to the existence of black gold. Although the presence of coal deposits in the subsoil of the region was well known to successive indigenous tribes, it was not until the end of the 20th century that a small town was built. At that time, a German prospector, Albert Giese, found a seam of coal that turned out to be one of the largest in the world. This discovery encouraged the builders of the Cape Town to Cairo railroad to change their original plans to run the rails through Hwange and Victoria Falls. This discovery was also the basis for the boom in this small part of the country, which was further enhanced when, in addition to coal, copper and tin began to be mined. Today, this prosperity can be seen in the clean streets of the city, lined with trees and flowers. While the scenery does not warrant an overnight stay in Hwange, it does make for a pleasant picnic stop on the way to your vacation.Hwange is 335 km from Bulawayo and 105 km from Victoria Falls. The nearest entrance to the national park is Sinamatella (about 40 km away), but it involves driving through the vast coal mine. All buses and chicken buses between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls stop at Hwange.