Zimbabwe's wildest, most remote park: vast elephant herds, red sandstone cliffs and almost no other visitors.
Enquire About GonarezhouGonarezhou, meaning "the place of many elephants" in Shona, is Zimbabwe's wildest park and the country's best-kept secret. In the far south-east, bordering Mozambique, it forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park alongside Kruger in South Africa, and yet receives a fraction of the visitors of either neighbour.
The landscape is the first thing that strikes you: massive red sandstone formations, the dramatic Chilojo Cliffs rising from the Runde River, and vast tracts of mopane woodland and riverine forest. Against these cliffs, Gonarezhou's elephants have developed a reputation for carrying impressive ivory, and the park is home to some of Zimbabwe's largest tuskers.
The Runde and Save rivers thread the park and are the focus of the dry-season game, drawing lion, leopard, wild dog, buffalo and nyala down to the water. The park is actively expanding its wildlife numbers through the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust, a partnership with the surrounding Shangaan communities that channels tourism revenue into conservation and livelihoods.
Remote, logistically involved and requiring either a fly-in or a serious 4x4 expedition, Gonarezhou rewards the effort with a solitude that Zimbabwe's better-known parks have lost.
Elephant are the draw, in large herds that include some of Zimbabwe's finest tuskers, the big-ivories that are becoming rare elsewhere. The Chilojo Cliffs form a dramatic backdrop for elephant photography.
Lion, leopard and wild dog all occur, along with nyala, which reach the northern edge of their range here and are absent from Hwange and Mana Pools. Buffalo and plains game are present throughout, and the open riverbeds in the dry season concentrate predators and prey.
Birdlife is excellent, with over 400 species, and the Limpopo-Runde confluence holds water birds, raptors and fish eagles. The park is particularly good for birding in the green season when migrants arrive.
June to October, the dry season, is the best time, when game concentrates at the rivers and the Chilojo Cliffs are best lit and most dramatic. October is hot but the wildlife is at its most concentrated.
The green season from November to April brings the rains and lush scenery, superb birding and lower rates. Access to some areas becomes difficult and several camps close, so the dry season is the reliable choice.
A well-positioned lodge above the Runde River, owned and operated with the Cliffs Gorge partnership, with guided drives and walks and good community links.
A small, intimate seasonal camp deep inside the park, focused on walking safaris and the Chilojo Cliffs.
A national parks rest camp in a fine riverside setting, simple but well placed for self-drive exploration of the park.
Specialist operators run camping safaris through Gonarezhou and across the Limpopo into the broader transfrontier area.
A public campsite at the Runde confluence, the base for self-sufficient, experienced travellers exploring independently.
Gonarezhou is one of the most photographically distinctive parks in Southern Africa: red sandstone cliffs, big-tusked elephants, open riverbeds and near-complete solitude. The Chilojo Cliffs at sunset are the centrepiece image of any trip.
Gonarezhou is best suited to second or third safari visits and to travellers specifically seeking solitude and wildness. The logistics require planning, and the fly-in camps or a well-equipped 4x4 are the realistic options.
Gonarezhou lies in south-eastern Zimbabwe near the Mozambique border, reached by charter aircraft from Harare or by a lengthy 4x4 self-drive expedition from Bulawayo or the South African border.
We arrange every detail, from the right camp to flights and transfers. Tell us your dates and we will do the rest.
Plan My Safari WhatsApp UsIts remoteness, its big-tusked elephants, the Chilojo Cliffs and the complete absence of crowds. It is Zimbabwe's wildest national park and one of the most undervisited significant safari areas in Africa.
June to October, the dry season, when game concentrates at the rivers and the dramatic Chilojo Cliffs are at their best.
Yes, it requires either a fly-in or a well-equipped 4x4 expedition. That difficulty is part of what keeps it so wild.
It is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which links Gonarezhou with Mozambique's Limpopo National Park and South Africa's Kruger, allowing wildlife to move across international borders.
Yes, with a robust 4x4 and good preparation. The roads require high clearance and the distances are significant.
Not as a first safari. It is best suited to experienced travellers after solitude and wildness, as an addition to the more accessible Hwange or Mana Pools.
Tell us roughly when you would like to travel and what you most want to see. Every enquiry is answered personally by Jarryd, a former Sabi Sands guide and Head Ranger at andBeyond Phinda, usually within 24 hours. No set packages, no booking fees.
