Gonarezhou – Place of Many Elephants

There are few truly wild places in Africa that remain unspoiled by mass tourism and for the time being, Gonarezhou is one of them. We explored the park and booked the best campsites to introduce you to this wonderland teaming with wildlife and birds.

Located far from the heavily tramped northern circuit, Gonarezhou is an absolute jewel of a wilderness area. We only saw one vehicle in 5 days, making this a true African wilderness.

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Gonarezhou National Park is a national park located in south-eastern Zimbabwe. It is situated in a relatively remote corner of Masvingo Province, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. Owing to its vast size, rugged terrain, and its location away from main tourist routes, large tracts of Gonarezhou remain as pristine wilderness.

At 5,053 square km, Gonarezhou is the country’s second-largest game reserve after Hwange National Park. Gonarezhou is a Shona name meaning “The Place of Elephants”

It forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Gonarezhou with the Kruger National Park in South Africa and the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique. Animals can move freely between the three sanctuaries.

The tour will start  at Beitbridge border post. Our first night will be at the wonderful Lion & Elephant lodge. Restaurant, green lawns, swimming pool, bar and lushes gardens.

The next 3 days will be spent in Gonarezhou. We will camp in camps with full ablutions while exploring the surroundings and taking photos that others will envy. All this while the wildlife regularly visit the campsite. This nature wonderland will leave you in awe and truly in love with it. This is a big bucket list to-do thing.

From here we leave for Chimanimani for two nights and the beautiful surroundings which include the magnificent Bridal Veil Falls. This mountainous wonderland will leave you in awe. 

Next on our itinerary will be the Bvumba mountains and the botanical gardens for 2 nights. The Bvumba Mountains, in the Eastern Highlands is overflowing with life all year round. The lush botanical gardens and luxuriant forests are fantastic for walks, especially for those interested in botany and bird watching. The mountains offer some spectacular views over the highlands and tropical lowlands of Mozambique. With plenty of activities to choose from, the mists of the Bvumba mountains make it a great escape from the lowland heat.

Optional things to do around Bvumba and Mutare :

• Bunga Forest Botanical Reserve
• Manchester Gardens – a landscaped garden with a Reserve arranged about a series of artificially created streams and dams
• Elim Mission Memorial – a plaque at the beginning of the Eagle School Road – to the memory of the innocent victims of the Elim Mission Massacre 1978
• Leopard Rock Hotel, Golf Course and Casino
• The Refuge or Castle – now a guest house originally the manager house for Leopard Rock Hotel
• Leopard Rock
• Chinziwa Scout Park
• Cloudlands
• Cripps Family Burial Plot
• White Horse Inn – at the end of the tar on White Horse Inn Road

A definite to-do and highly recommended by Trans Africa is a guided bird walk at Seldom Seen. This is a well-known site for bird watchers who want to glimpse some of the rarer and more secretive of Southern African forest birds. The name is a pun: you seldom see the birds but you often hear them! So bird watching here can be hard work – but very rewarding if you are patient. Seldom seen offers the services of an extremely good guide for those that need help.

We will then venture off to Mutarazi Falls!

Nyanga will be next with one of the highlights and my personal favorite Worlds View. This place cannot be explained and not even videos or photos can do this magic place justice. This is also the place where you can try your hand at trout fishing. This place reminds me of the lush green mountains in Germany.

Tucked away on the lower slopes of a tree-covered hillside in the Eastern district of Zimbabwe lies a delightful little lodge known by the name of Musangano Lodge – meaning ‘the place where people meet’ in the local Shona language. This is the ultimate getaway in the Eastern Highlands, with the promise of complete tranquility and spectacular scenery, Musangano Lodge is the ideal location. Visitors soon fall under its spell because of its serene and peaceful atmosphere, charming accommodation, superb cuisine, and stunning views, which invite to linger and unwind. Bar, restaurant and swimming pool. 

We will sleep at Lake Kyle on our second last night and then, last but not least, will be the Great Zimbabwean Ruins.

The Great Zimbabwe ruins are the largest collection of ruins in Africa south of the Sahara. Located in the heart of southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, they are a testament to a culture of great wealth and great architectural skill.

Built between the 11th and 15th centuries, Great Zimbabwe was home to cattle-herding people who also became adept at metalworking. The ruins are the largest of their kind on the Zimbabwe Plateau, but they are by no means unique. Other, smaller sites were ransacked by European treasure hunters in the 19th century. 

The soapstone birds are one of Zimbabwe’s symbols. They are eight birds carved in soapstone that were found in the ruins of Great Zimbabwe. These eight sculptures combine both human and bird elements. For instance, the bird’s beak is substituted by lips while its claws are changed to feet. It is unclear what the birds symbolized. The most prevalent theory is that they were the emblems of the royalty. Today, the soapstone birds can be found on Zimbabwe’s flag.

4 – 16 February 2025

R13 800 per person sharing. 

*R550 extra for border fees if you tow

Kids 12 and under – less 50%,

A complete itinerary will be sent upon deposit payment.

Price includes:

• All bridge toll and TIP, except 3rd part insurance and border access
• Tour Guide and all camping fees
• Conservation fees
• Park entry fees (except Zimbabwean Ruins)

Not included:

• 4×4 vehicle hire.
• Insurance including 3rd party insurance.
• Fuel
• Food
• Daily activities
• Transfer fees
• Game drives