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Philip has traveled through Zimbabwe several times and is the author of more than 20 guidebooks to various African destinations.
Philip is the Zimbabwe expert for SafariBookings and author of more than 20 guidebooks to Africa.
Philip is our Zimbabwe expert and author of more than 20 guidebooks to Africa.
Nyanga National Park is not a classic wildlife destination. The main attraction lies in the scenery and birding. Also of interest are several archeological sites, including ruins of Iron Age villages and forts. Wildlife is scarce, but you might spot some antelopes and monkeys on a hike.
Nyanga is one of Zimbabwe's birding hotspots. Over 300 species have been recorded, of which several are near-endemics. The park is part of the globally important Eastern Zimbabwe Mountains Endemic Bird Area (EBA).
The landscape is dominated by rolling hills, studded with huge, smoothly rounded granite whaleback outcrops, which tower over steep gorges and wide valleys. The Pungwe and Honde rivers run in the valleys below the escarpment. The Matarazi Falls, Zimbabwe’s highest waterfall, drops 762m into the Honde Valley.
Weather & Climate
The weather and climate of Nyanga is comparable to that of Zimbabwe in general. More info:
Nyanga NP can be visited at any time of the year. The birdlife is good year-round, but at its best from November to April when the migratory birds are present, and many resident birds are in breeding plumage. The scenery is at its best in the Wet season (November to March) or the beginning of the Dry season (April-May). At this time, the vegetation will be lush and green, and the air will be clear and crisp. The area gets very hazy towards the end of the Dry season. Wildlife viewing is hit-and-miss at any time of the year. Roads might get difficult to navigate in the Wet season.
Getting There
Nyanga is usually visited at the beginning or end of a tour of the Eastern Highlands. The park is located 260km/162mi east of Harare and the drive takes about 4 hours*. *Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.
Health & Safety
Please read our vaccinations and malaria page for Zimbabwe and our general Zimbabwe safety page for more info:
Emma is an award-winning travel writer for Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller, Travel Africa magazine and The Independent.
Wooded hills and waterfalls
4/5
If you believe a safari just isn’t a safari if it doesn’t include a few Big Five encounters, Nyanga is unlikely to make your shortlist. To me, this park’s biggest appeal lies in its hiking potential. Naturally, hikers would argue that...
Nyanga Park has the biggest mountain in Zimbabwe and this was our goal to trekking there. This was the most empty Park in Zimbabwe we saw. But we recommend it even that you will not see too much animals. You can go to the mountains or see...