Matusadona National Park

Pros & Cons

• Excellent wildlife viewing
• Great wildlife diversity, including the Big Five
• Excellent birding destination
• Walking, canoe and boat safaris are available.
• Tracking black rhino on foot
• Lots of accommodation options, including houseboats
• Hot and humid from November to March, with many mosquitoes
• Not easy to get to by road, and 4WD is essential

Wildlife

All of the Big Five are present and regularly spotted. Lion, leopard and hyena occur in good numbers. The park is well known for its large herds of buffalo that congregate on the lakeshore in the Dry season. There is a good variety of antelope species including waterbuck, sable and roan. The lake is teeming with hippo and crocodile.

• More about Matusadona's wildlife

Scenery

Matusadona reaches from the southern shore of Lake Kariba up to the rugged Zambezi escarpment. The Sanyati River in the east of the park is well known for its breathtaking gorge, which is most beautiful in the rainy season when small waterfalls are running down the steep, rocky sides. Sunsets over the lake, with the mountains in the background, are spectacular.

Weather & Climate

Matusadona stays fairly hot throughout the Wet season (November to March). The days of the Dry season (April to October) start off cool – don’t make the mistake of wearing a T-shirt and shorts on an early-morning game drive. But the sun soon warms things up.

• More about the weather and climate

Best Time to Visit

Matusadona NP can be visited throughout the year. However, the drier months (April to October), are best for observing animals wandering along the lakeshore. The Wet season (November to March) is less conducive to spotting wildlife, which is why some lodges shut up shop when the rains sweep in.

• More about the best time to visit

Want to Visit Matusadona NP?

• Matusadona safaris and tours
• Tour operators for Matusadona