Gonarezhou National Park

Pros & Cons

• Huge, untamed wilderness area
• Great wildlife diversity
• Excellent birding destination
• Few visitors, and it never gets busy
• Walking safaris are available
• Wildlife densities are low
• Limited accommodation options

Wildlife

Theoretically, all of the Big Five are present, but rhino might well be locally extinct. Animals tend to be quite skittish, and densities are still recovering from years of poaching. You might see large herds of elephant and buffalo, as well as a good variety of antelope – including the less common nyala, roan and sable antelope. Wild dogs are sometimes spotted, as well.

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Scenery

Gonarezhou is Zimbabwe's second largest national park after Hwange. Parts of the park are endless tracts of combretum and mopane woodland, protecting beautiful spreads of mahoganies, ironwoods and tall acacia albida trees. The Runde River valley is overlooked by the red sandstone Chilojo cliffs.

Weather & Climate

The weather at Gonarezhou is sunny and bright throughout the Dry season (April to October), though you need warm clothing to deal with the chill of early-morning game drives. The Wet season (November to March) sees the temperature rise and storm clouds spread across the sky most afternoons.

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Best Time To Visit

Wildlife viewing is most rewarding when the rains have ended and the vegetation has thinned out in the Dry season (April to October). You can visit Gonarezhou in the humid Wet season too (November to March), but you’ll find that animals are hard to find. A lot of lodges shut their doors for most of the wet months.

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Want To Visit Gonarezhou NP?

• Gonarezhou Safaris & Tours
• Tour Operators for Gonarezhou