PARKS - Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority manages various parks, both national and recreational, across Zimbabwe.

These parks offer an experience like no other, with an amazing diversity of landscapes, natural features and wildlife. Visitors can enjoy some of the best game viewing in Africa, as well as fun activities such as hiking, canoeing and horse riding, all in combination with first-rate hospitality.

Chimanimani National Park

Chimanimani National Park, on the border with Mozambique, is an unspoilt area of rugged mountain grandeur. Wildlife includes eland, sable, bushbuck, blue duiker, klipspringer and the occasional leopard. There are no roads in this wild area; only footpaths and narrow tracks.

Chinhoyi Caves Recreational Park

The park is home to a series of remarkable caves, tunnels and caverns. In colonial times, the caves were discovered in 1887 by the European hunter Frederick Selous. Before that, they are believed to have been used as a stronghold by the outlaw Nyamakwere.

Chizarira National Park

Chizarira, on top of the Zambezi Escapement in northwest Zimbabwe, is the country’s third-largest national park, covering nearly 2,000 sq km. This remote park is a place of jagged mountains, gorges, ravines and lush valleys.

Gonarezhou National Park

Located in the south-eastern Lowveld region and covering about 5,000 sq km, Gonarezhou is a place of rugged and beautiful landscapes. The park is known for its large elephant population (its name meaning ‘Place of Many Elephants’).

Hwange National Park

Hwange is the largest wildlife reserve in Zimbabwe and one of Africa’s premier conservation areas. Located south of Victoria Falls, the 14,650 sq km national park offers an outstanding range of major animals including the Big Five as well as over 400 species of birds.

Kazuma Pan National Park

Kazuma Pan, in the north-west corner of Zimbabwe, is an extension of the Matetsi Safari Area and was developed as a refuge for animals during the hunting season. Many animals migrate between Botswana and Zimbabwe. Large numbers of elephant and buffalo can be seen when water is scarce.

Mana Pools National Park

Home to a great diversity of wildlife, Mana Pools is an outstanding destination for classic safaris. The 2,196 sq km park is situated along the Middle Zambezi Valley in northern Zimbabwe. Visitors can drift past crocodile and hippo on a Zambezi River canoe safari, while the banks are lined with buffalo, elephant and other game.

Matobo National Park

Located 34 km south of Bulawayo and covering 44,500 hectares, Matobo offers a diverse package of tourist attractions and activities. The park was established in 1953 and provides an Intensive Protection Zone for endangered black and white rhino.

Matusadona National Park

Matusadona, on the shore of Lake Kariba, was proclaimed a nonhunting area in 1958, in advance of the construction of the Kariba Dam. The 1,400 sq km park has three distinct ecological areas: the lake with its shoreline grassland; the Zambezi Valley floor of thick woodland; and the escarpment area. Animal species are found in abundance including elephant and buffalo. Activities range from hiking and climbing to game viewing, birdwatching, boating and canoeing.

Nyanga National Park

Nyanga lies in one of the most scenic areas of the Eastern Highlands, with fresh mountain air, rolling green hills and perennial rivers. A variety of animals can be seen in this mountainous terrain. The 47,000 hectare park is home to Mutarazi Falls, the country’s highest waterfall at 760 metres. Activities include hiking, birdwatching, horse riding and trout fishing.

Victoria Falls National Park

Situated on the western tip of Zimbabwe, this park is home to one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders, the majestic falls known by the Kololo tribe as Mosi-oa-Tunya (‘the smoke that thunders’). Visitors have a choice of a dozen viewing areas. The falls are 1.7 km wide and the water plunges up to 100 metres into the chasm below.

Zambezi National Park

This park, together with Victoria Falls National Park, covers an area of 560 sq km. On the northern side is the Zambezi River, which marks the border with Zambia for much of its length. In addition to buffalo, elephant, leopard and lion, visitors can expect to see sable antelope, eland, zebra, giraffe, kudu, waterbuck and impala. There is a choice of walking, boat or classic safaris.

Other Parks:

• Boulton Atlantica Centre

• Lake Chivero Recreational Park

• Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens

• Darwendale Dam Recreational park

• Chinhoyi Caves Recreational park

• Ngezi Recreational Park

• Nyanyana - Lake Kariba Recreational park

• Osborne Dam Recreational Park

• Mushandike Sanctuary

• Kyle Recreational Park

• Vumba Botanical Garden

For more information, visit www.zimparks.org