In the far southeast of Zimbabwe, lies Gonarezhou National Park, 1930 square miles of remote undeveloped wilderness. Gonarezhou is one of the least visited of Zimbabwe’s national parks. Gonarezhou borders onto South Africa’s Kruger National Park and Mozambique’s vast Limpopo National Park. Together these three huge parks make up a truly vast wild area, and what is now known as the The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

In total, this area is similar in size to the Netherlands. The park boasts more than 500 species of birds, 147 species of mammals, at least 116 species of reptiles, 34 species of frogs and 49 species of fish. Lion, leopard, cheetah (including the rare king cheetah), buffalo, giraffe, zebra and many species of large antelope are also present within Gonarezhou National Park. The rare nyala and smaller suni are two of the highlights of the Park’s smaller antelopes. Unique species of aquatic wildlife such as the Zambezi shark, freshwater goby, black bream and the turquoise killifish can be seen throughout the park’s rivers and pools.

Gonarezhou is also Zimbabwe’s second largest national park after Hwange. It protects beautiful spreads of mahoganies, ironwoods and tall acacia albida trees, amongst which the birdlife is prolific, particularly after the rains. The African safari game viewing is rewarding, although the wildlife can be shy, but it is the ambiance of unspoilt wilderness that paints the perfect Zimbabwe safari. One of the most prominent and enduring natural features of Gonarezhou National Park is the beautiful Chilojo Cliffs. These magnificent red sandstone cliffs have been formed through eons of erosion and overlook the scenic Runde River valley.

Gonarezhou is a scenically stunning, and rarely visited, national park that shows the truly wild side and diversity of a Zimbabwe Safari.