Access & Location
Tum Tum Treehouse is located in the south-east of Hwange National Park. Currently, Linkwasha is the closest airstrip, a 45-minute drive from the lodge. However, a new airstrip is planned near Mandiseka, just 10 minutes away by car.
Tum Tum Treehouse Lodge
An innovative, treehouse-style lodge surrounded by camelthorn woodland in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park
An open-fronted bar, lounge and dining area, and outdoor deck
Four treehouses with private decks, some with an outdoor shower, and a 2-bedroom family suite
Game drives, bush walks, walking with rhino, a ground-level hide, community visits, and a pump run
Our Yellow Zebra Opinion
-
Comfort with character
An exciting new addition to the game-rich Hwange National Park, Tum Tum Treehouse offers a unique and beautiful lodge experience that’s unlike anything else in the area. Your room will be your own personal treehouse, set deep in a remote part of the national park, and offers a range of activities that we’re excited to try.
Activities
Activities at Tum Tum Treehouse take place in Hwange National Park and focus largely on game drives and walking safaris, with some great community and conservation projects to explore as well.
Game drives
Bush walks
Walking with rhino
Wildlife-viewing hide
Community visits
Pump run
-
Knowledgeable guides lead morning, afternoon, and night game drives in open-sided safari vehicles for up to six guests, so everyone has a window seat. Amongst the many species you’ll encounter, lion, cheetah, African wild dog, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, and sable are highlights.
Morning bush walks take you through the camelthorn forests, where something different awaits at each turn. You might spot elephants shaking an acacia tree so its pods fall to the ground, perhaps you’ll stop to marvel at a majestic termite mound, or maybe you’ll admire a variety of bird species such as the ostrich, brown snake eagle, lilac-breasted roller, and swallow-tailed bee-eater. One thing’s for sure – your guide will bring the bush to life with an endless supply of fascinating details!
Imvelo has a partnership with the Mlevu community whereby rhinos are guarded 24/7 by the Cobras Community Wildlife Protection Unit. Tum Tum visitors have access to this ground-breaking project, and can learn about Imvelo’s broader community and conservation commitments, as well as visit the rhinos themselves. Tour the sanctuary headquarters, meet the Cobras on duty that day, and spend time on foot with the rhinos. Please note that every guest staying at Tum Tum Treehouse Lodge pays a Community Rhino Conservation Initiative levy of US$200 per person per stay. This fee goes towards the rhino sanctuary along with community projects in the nearby villages.
Approximately 2 kilometres from Tum Tum, one of Hwange’s well-known waterholes has been kitted out with an en-suite bathroom, providing a comfortable space from which to observe the animals without being seen. Some amazing photographic opportunities await!
Visit the local school, where you’ll be shown around by the headmaster, and possibly treated to traditional songs sung by the children. You can also visit the homestead of a local elder, where you’re sure to be welcomed with open hearts.
This is an all-day game drive, where you’ll visit waterholes to deliver supplies and rations, enjoying a safari along the way. Wildlife has survived on drilled water (originally pumped by windmills and now by diesel engines) for the past 70 years during Hwange’s dry seasons, and Imvelo is responsible for 15 of these!
Make an enquiryFacilities
The solar-powered main lodge at Tum Tum Treehouse is surrounded by the camelthorn woodlands and a series of active waterholes
A raised deck is shaded by canvas and features an open-fronted bar, a comfortable lounge, and a dining area, where guests can gather for relaxation time between safari activities. Below, a separate outdoor deck sets the scene for open-air meals around the communal dining table. For wildlife photographers, the camp has access to a ground-level photographic hide with an en-suite bathroom, offering incredible toe-level encounters with Hwange’s famous elephant herds. While there is no dedicated spa on site, guests can easily arrange massage treatments in the privacy of their own treehouse. True to its wilderness setting, there’s no cell phone reception here, though Wi-Fi is available in the main communal areas.
Amenities
Tum Tum Treehouse features four innovatively designed treehouses, each perched high up on wooden platforms supported by custom steel posts. Spaced among ancient camelthorn trees in a completely wild setting, these structures overlook active natural waterholes, offering guests the chance to wake up to the sight of elephants bathing or giraffes browsing the canopy.
Accessed via a sturdy wooden staircase, every treehouse features insulated canvas walls and sliding glass doors that open onto a private decked balcony with comfortable seating. Two of these units are configured with a king-sized bed and feature both indoor and outdoor showers, alongside an ‘eagle’s nest’ viewing deck at the end of a walkway. The remaining two treehouses are furnished with two double beds and feature an indoor shower. For those needing extra space, the 2-bedroom family suite is built on a lower, metre-high platform. This comes with its own lounge, a dining area, and a private plunge pool. Both bedrooms in the family suite have their own en-suite bathroom, with a bath-tub and an open-air shower. Extra touches for guest comfort include ceiling fans, protective mosquito nets, an electronic safe, and handy insect repellent.
Similar Lodges
-
Wilderness Davison’s
From £448 – £732 ppWilderness Davison’s is a great-value tented camp in Hwange’s ecologically diverse Linkwasha Concession. Here, year-round water sources attract an abundance of wildlife—from large herds of elephant and buffalo to predators like lion, leopard, cheetah, and…
-
Hwange Bush Camp
From £471 – £613 ppHwange Bush Camp is privately owned and run. It’s a semi-permanent camp, taken down every November and put up again in readiness for the beginning of May. Occupying a remote location, it’s able to offer superb safari experiences! The accommodation is booked…
-
Wilderness Little Makalolo
From £575 – £1,038 ppWilderness Little Makalolo (affectionately known as ‘Little Mak’) is an absolute gem from the Wilderness portfolio. Few places do authentic safari in a luxurious setting like Little Mak. Its location, in a private concession within Hwange, gives you great…
-
Camp Hwange
From £411 – £807 ppStaff members here are committed to their work and have a passion for authentic safari. Altogether, they aim to ensure ‘a safari to remember’. Not only is the guiding great here – the food is excellent too!
-
Wilderness Linkwasha
From £628 – £1,322 ppCome and treat yourself to one of the finest camps and game-rich private reserves in Zimbabwe. Solar-powered Wilderness Linkwasha has a modern but luxurious design that feels like home. Enjoy the variety of game from foot in one of the best safari hides we…
-
The Hide Safari Camp
From £389 – £680 ppThe Hide continues to be privately owned and run by the Prestons – with great success! Staff members are friendly and knowledgeable. The lodge offers excellent African cuisine featuring filling farmhouse breakfasts, lunches and dinners around a vast teak…
-
Nehimba Lodge
From £374 – £553 ppPart of the Imvelo Safari Lodges collection, Nehimba succeeds in its aim to combine luxury living and authentic African charm. The staff are welcoming and friendly, providing a good laundry service and three delicious meals per day. We thoroughly recommend…
-
Bomani Tented Lodge
From £493 – £665 ppBomani is a great option for travellers hoping to get off the well-worn tourist trail and to become acquainted with the remoter parts of Hwange. We applaud Imvelo’s conservation and social investments, which make for a very ethical approach to tourism!
Talk to someone who’s been there
Real expertise doesn’t come from a few trips to Africa. All our specialists have either been guides, run the camps, or grown up and lived in Africa. That’s over 600 years of genuine safari experience.Speak to an Expert
Let one of our Yellow Zebra specialists design
your tailor‑made African adventureAs Seen In
