Overview–zimbabwe

Chizarira National Park

Chizarira National Park is one of Zimbabwe’s largest national parks and home to four of the Big Five (rhino is missing). Despite this, it is very remote and little visited, and animal densities are low as a result of ongoing poaching. Chizarira’s main attraction is undoubtedly its enormous wilderness appeal. It is well suited to the adventurous traveler, with guided walking safaris a big part of the experience.

Best Time to Visit

The best time for viewing wildlife in Chizarira National Park is from July to October, during the middle and end of the Dry season. Wildlife is more easily seen at this time because the vegetation is thinner and animals gather at water sources. Roads can become impassable during the Wet season (November to March).

April to October –Dry Season – Winter

Animals are easier to spot because they gather around rivers and waterholes and the vegetation is thinner
Rain is rare and skies are clear and sunny
The number of mosquitoes decreases, reducing the malaria risk
It is dusty and dry
It gets cold at night; warm clothes are required for early morning game drives

November to March –Wet Season – Summer

The scenery is green with lush vegetation
This is the season for migratory birds; birding is at its best
Road conditions deteriorate
Wildlife viewing is not as good as during the Dry season
Afternoons are very hot and humid

Scenery

Chizarira’s rugged and dramatic terrain is dominated by the formidable Zambezi Escarpment, as alluded to in the park name, which derives from a local Tonga word meaning ‘Great Barrier’. The park encompasses seven ecological zones, from Lowveld Valley savannah to Highveld broadleaf woodland. Lush pockets of vegetation, fed by natural springs, are found in the valleys between the mountain ridges.

Activities

The range of activities on offer in Chizarira is somewhat limited. There are very few roads and those that do exist tend to be rough-going and unsuited to recreational game drives. The main reason people visit Chizarira is to go wilderness camping or on a walking safari, which is best arranged in advance with an experienced professional guide.

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Jan

Feb

Mar

Nov

Dec

April

May

Jun

Rates

From: $204 to $1,223 pp/day

Best Time to Go

From: July to October

High Season

From: June to August (Chizarira never gets busy)

Size

From: 1,920km² / 741mi²

Wildlife & Animals

There is a good variety of wildlife in Chizarira National Park, but animals tend to be skittish and densities are low. You might see elephant and buffalo, but black rhino has become locally extinct. Zebra, greater kudu, waterbuck, bushbuck and impala are all quite common. Leopards are common but characteristically secretive, while lion and spotted hyenas are more often heard than seen.

Wildlife Highlights

The rocky terrain is excellent for animals that thrive in that kind of environment, such as klipspringer, which are often found standing like statues on balancing rocks. Rock hyrax are very common and usually spotted scurrying away as a Verreaux’s eagle passes overhead. Leopard also love this habitat but sightings are relatively infrequent.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The best time for wildlife viewing in the park is from July to October, during the middle and end of the Dry season. Wildlife is easier to spot then because vegetation is thinner and animals gather around predictable water sources. Roads might become impassable in the Wet Season (November to March).

General Wheather

Chizarira National Park enjoys a mild, temperate climate. The warmest months are October to March, and the coldest are May to August. The Dry season is from April to October and the Wet season from November to March. Winter and summer occur at opposite times to those seasons in Europe, Asia and North America and correspond to the Dry and Wet season.

Dry Season –April to October – Winter

April – This is the beginning of the Dry season. There might still be a bit of rain, but it is becoming more sporadic. It is cooling down now, especially at night.
May, June, July & August – These are the coldest winter months, although it starts to warm up a bit in August. It is almost completely dry. Daytime temperatures are around 26°C/79°F, but at night and in the early morning the temperature is around 11°C/52°F.
September & October – These months are still dry, but the first rains usually arrive by late October. This comes as a great relief after months of dryness. It gets hot during the day with temperatures reaching over 32°C/90°F and early morning game drives are not as cold. October is the hottest month.

Wet Season –November to March – Summer

November – The rains have really started now, although it won’t rain every day.
December, January & February – These are the wettest months. It will rain most days, but not often for the whole day. Rains are usually afternoon showers, followed by hours of sunshine. Daytime temperatures average 31°C/88°F, while night and early morning temperatures average 16°C/61°F.
March – The rains will slow down, as this is the end of the Wet season. Temperatures average between 31°C/88°F and 15°C/59°F during the day and night respectively.

Prons

Good general wildlife and four of the Big Five are present
Walking safaris are excellent
Beautiful, rugged scenery
Remote and rarely visited

Cons

There are no accommodations in or near the park, only camping
Poaching is a problem
Both access roads and game-drive tracks are difficult year-round

How To Get There

Chizarira National Park is very remote and difficult to access. It is located in the northwest of the country, just south of Lake Kariba and about 200km/125mi from Victoria Falls. The drive takes at least 4 to 5 hours*. The condition of the access roads is often very bad and a good 4WD vehicle is essential. In the Dry season (April to October), the road is often a 4WD challenge, with indistinct tracks, washed-out riverbeds, and deep ruts. In the Wet season (November to March), the road often becomes impassable.

Your main point of entry into Zimbabwe is Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA), near the town of Victoria Falls. Normally your local tour operator will pick you up at the airport and arrange further transportation throughout the country as part of your tour.

There are no scheduled flights to Chizarira National Park.

*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA), and what tickets would cost.