Tum Tum Treehouse Lodge: Sleeping in the Trees Above Hwange’s Wildlife

Imvelo Safari Lodges has opened its newest camp in the far south-east of Hwange National Park, and it’s an unusual one: guests sleep in treehouses built five to seven metres above the ground, with elephants and other wildlife passing directly beneath the rooms.

A Name Kept From the San

The lodge takes its name from a scenic pool nearby that was once a favoured resting place for the San people, the original inhabitants of this part of Hwange — Imvelo kept the name as a mark of respect when building here. In 2025, treehouse design specialists flown in from the US advised on the build, with the aim of putting up four treehouses without harming the trees they’re built into.

Tum Tum sits in teak and camelthorn woodland along a grassy valley, overlooking a series of waterholes.

The Treehouses

There are four treehouses in total: two with kingsize beds, each with its own “eagle’s nest” — a separate deck reached by a short walkway — plus an outside shower alongside the indoor one; and two configured with double beds, with slightly larger floor areas and balconies, though only an indoor shower. All four have en-suite bathrooms, insulated canvas walls, and sliding glass doors and windows onto a private deck.

A separate two-bedroom family suite — a 250-square-metre tented structure on a raised deck about a metre off the ground — has its own lounge, dining area, and splash pool, with a kingsize bed in one room and twin ¾ beds in the other, both en suite with bath and outdoor shower.

Look Up at Mandiseka

Two kilometres from camp, at one of Hwange’s well-known old waterholes, Imvelo has installed a ground-level Look Up blind with its own en-suite bathroom — the same style of hide the company is known for elsewhere in Hwange, built for close-up elephant photography. Activities otherwise follow the usual pattern: game drives in open 4×4 vehicles adapted for photography, and guided walking safaris through the camelthorn forest.

Mlevu Rhino Sanctuary

What sets Tum Tum apart is its tie to the Mlevu Rhino Sanctuary, set up on land belonging to the Mlevu community in partnership with Imvelo. The rhinos there are guarded around the clock by the Cobras, a Community Wildlife Protection Unit; a visit includes an overview of the project before guests head out to find the rhinos on foot. Tum Tum also runs community-visit mornings into the villages around Mtshayeli — a school or a local elder’s homestead — in keeping with Imvelo’s broader focus on community engagement and local employment across its Hwange portfolio.

The Lodge & Facilities

The main lodge is a raised, canvas-shaded teak deck with an open-fronted bar, lounge and dining area, plus a lower deck for outdoor dining. It’s fully solar-powered with free wifi, though there’s no cell signal. Families are welcome, with children under 12 paying a reduced rate and sharing a room with an adult.

Getting There

Access is by light aircraft to Linkwasha airstrip, about 45 minutes’ drive from camp; a closer airstrip near Mandiseka, roughly ten minutes away, is planned for 2026. By road, it’s about 90 minutes from Bomani or Camelthorn, a full day’s drive (around six hours) from Nehimba, or three hours from Jozibanini.

Practical Information

• Location: South-eastern Hwange National Park, in the Mandiseka area, Zimbabwe.
• Getting there: Light aircraft to Linkwasha airstrip (45-minute road transfer); a closer airstrip near Mandiseka is planned for 2026. By road: about 90 minutes from Bomani or Camelthorn, six hours from Nehimba, three hours from Jozibanini.
• Accommodation: Four treehouses (two kingsize with private “eagle’s nest” decks, two twin-configured) plus a two-bedroom family suite with its own splash pool.
• Facilities: Solar-powered, free wifi (no cell signal), fans, mosquito nets, daily laundry.
• Signature activities: Game drives, guided walking safaris, the Mandiseka Look Up blind, a rhino walk and Cobras ranger visit at Mlevu Rhino Sanctuary, community visits around Mtshayeli.
• Contact: imvelosafarilodges.com · res1@imvelosafarilodges.com.

Last update: 08/13