About Cawston Encounters
Cawston Encounters
Our History
The Johnstone family has been committed to sustainable conservation for over 60 years. Originally operating as pioneering game ranchers in the famed big game area of Matetsi, near Victoria Falls.
Here Peter & Carole Johnstone turned around an unprofitable cattle and crop farm to become an internationally known wildlife management and hunting area. In the early days a ‘mini-safari’ of 30 days was the norm!
Cawston has been owned by the Johnstone family for 35 years. Originally a cattle farm, it was derelict and badly damaged when it was bought by the family. A 5 year program saw all the cattle fences, troughs and pens taken out and the land re-stocked and developed for wildlife. Over 800 head of wildlife was brought in from around the country to stock the land. Development work included the drilling of numerous boreholes, waterholes dug, a whole new road system designed, the building of a Lodge, and a whole new staff housing complex. Today Cawston is known as a place teeming with plains game and a source of wildlife for re-stocking other reserves.
The ethos of the Johnstone family is ethical sustainable conservation. At a defined 32,000 acres, Cawston has a finite limit to the wildlife populations living on it. Managing this requires annual population counts, careful discussions with Scouts on the ground and a scientifically based off-take quota. Excess animals are either caught live for re-stocking or are harvested through hunting. This has worked for us for 60 years and the legacy left behind is the proof of highly regarded properties teeming with healthy wildlife all through sustainable management.
Cawston is a multi-faceted wildlife property. Our main focus is tourism and our greatest enjoyment is a guest departing us feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after their time in the bush. We believe strongly in organic field to table food and much of what we eat is produced on the farm. We also believe in holistic livestock management. This means that our domestic livestock, our cattle and horses, should be able to live alongside our wildlife and complement them.
This legacy is Cawston Encounters, one of restoration, stewardship, and enduring connection to the land.
Meet Us
Juliet Johnstone
Managing Director
Sean Nicolle
General Ranch Management, Farmer and Pro-Guide
Georgie Smith
Horse manager, volunteer coordinator and general side-kick to MD
Location
Cawston is located 60km North of Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe. Bulawayo, located in the south of Zimbabwe, has a population of approx. 1 million people. It’s a sleepy city that loves the arts. It’s also fondly known as the ‘City of Kings’ or ‘Skies’. The indigenous people, the Ndebele, are descendants of the Zulu, having split nearly 200 years ago, so the two languages are very similar. The Ndebele people, ancestrally a warring tribe, are gentle, friendly and very welcoming.
Cawston Encounters is the perfect addition for a trip incorporating Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls. Being only a 4 hour drive from Hwange National Park as well as having an airstrip on site, makes transfers easy to undertake.
Accommodation
The Camp has 5 tented bedrooms, each with their own bathroom and positioned with views towards the waterhole. A private veranda to the front of the tent allows you to relax while watching birds flit amongst the trees and wildlife come down to the waterhole and graze the lawns.