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National Parks of Zimbabwe
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By Nick Greaves
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Visitor numbers are restricted; Mana only opens during dry season (April - November). Game drives, unaccompanied walks, fishing and, most popularly, canoeing are available. About 12 operators offer up to 5-day trips down the river. NP camping sites and a few chalets on the riverbank and inland. Two private luxury lodges with alfresco bathtubs and riverside bars.
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Matobo43,200ha of cultural and natural importance. A candidate for World Heritage status. King Mzilikazi and Cecil Rhodes are among those buried here.
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The similarity between the smooth granite, whaleback boulders (dwalas) and the shaven domes of his warriors led Mzilikazi to the name amatobo - 'the bald ones'. Balancing rock towers, formed by erosion, contain innumerable smooth-walled caves. Below lie densely wooded valleys, numerous streams and grassy marshlands. Intense botanical variety: many trees and shrubs (some endemic), lichens, aloes, wild herbs and flowers and more than 100 grass species.
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Over 175 bird, 88 mammal, 39 snake and 16 fish species. Africa's highest concentration of Black eagles (and probably of leopard).
Good scenic drives and excellent hiking and horse-riding among the hills. Stone Age rock paintings of incredible diversity and animation. Fully equipped lodges, chalets, camping sites and a guesthouse. Private lodges around the boundary offer tours.
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MatusadonaA 1407km2 lakeshore park, 20km from Kariba town. Best reached by boat. Cut by the rugged Zambezi escarpment. Bounded by the verdant valleys of the Ume and Sanyati Rivers, both partly flooded by Lake Kariba's waters. Plateau covered by open, mixed woodlands, jesse bush and plains with swards of torpedo (panicum) grass.
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About 300 animal species, including Big Five, crocodile, hippo and cheetah. 240 different birds (many Fish eagles); at least 20 species of angling fish.
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3-4 day backpacking, guided game-viewing hikes; boat trips up the fjord-like Sanyati Gorge. Private safari lodges and three exclusive camps. Rustic overnight huts and camp sites. A CAMPFIRE project offers traditional Shona fare.
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Nyanga47,000ha of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. Takes its name from Mount Inyangani ('the shaman's horn'), its highest peak (2593m).
Rolling granite mountains - birthplace to several big rivers which form spectacular cascades, notably the 243m Pungwe Falls. Open vistas, valleys, gorges and lakes. Brachystegias and other indigenous trees remain but many hillsides now covered with exotics - pine, eucalyptus and wattle. Aloes (one endemic), proteas, wild flowers and lichen thrive.
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Page: 1
Zimbabwe's Game Reserves were initially founded as a means of using unproductive land. Little regard was given to modern conservation values, but once these evolved, the country became a world leader in wildlife management.
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Communal areas harbouring significant wildlife resources or bordering National Parks were given Rural Council status and as a result CAMPFIRE (Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources) was born. CAMPFIRE has developed into an important ...
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Page: 3 Chimanimani
17,100ha in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. The 1.6 billion-year-old quartzite mountains are 'squeezedtogether' (Chimanimani in Ndawu) in three distinct, close ridges that rise to 2440m. Cut by deep gorges with perennial streams and waterfalls.
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Page: 4 Hwange
Once the hunting preserve of Matabele Kings, this 14,650km2 park was proclaimed in 1949. Said to contain Zimbabwe's widest variety and greatest density of wildlife.
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Some antelope, Samango monkeys, birds (including the rare Marsh tchagra, Narina trogon and especially eagles). Hiking, mountain climbing and pony trail country. Iron Age stone structures, trout fishing, sailing and swimming. Five hotels, several ho ...
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Kariba Zimbabwe
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Completed in 1960, it was the largest man-made dam ever built. Two hundred and twenty kilometres long and in places up to forty kilometres wide. It provides electric power to Zambia and Zimbabwe and supports a thriving fishing industry.
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Zambezi River
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Vic Falls is a favourite with honeymooners from around the world. The sundowner cruises, nearby game reserves and safari opportunities have firmly ensured that Victoria Falls has become one of Africa's most visited attractions.
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