Gonarezhou National Park

Chiredzi, ZW

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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 km2, Gonarezhou is the country's second largest game reserve after Hwange National Park. Gonarezhou is a Shona name meaning "elephant's tusk." 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 north-eastern end of the park is located within the Zambezian and Mopane woodlands, while the southwest is located within the Southern Africa bushveld ecoregion.HistoryThe Gonarezhou National Park was formed in 1975, by uniting former hunting areas and tsetse fly control corridors. The park was closed to the public during the Rhodesian War and again during much of the Mozambique civil war but was re-opened in 1994. The park is part of the international Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. credit GONAREZHOU CONSERVATION TRUST LANDSCAPE The landscape is scenic as a result of various sandstone incisions. The spectacular Chilojo Cliffs, at more than 180m high, lies at the heart of the Park and are a result of the river incision of the sandstones. Perennial and temporal pans are also a common feature. Apart from the two extensive pans near the Save/Runde junction (Tembwehata and Machaniwa) there are a number of larger pans which hold water well into the dry season. Steep rocky gorges with falls and rapids characterize sections of the Save, Runde and Mwenezi rivers. Noticeable peaks in the north are Makamandima (578m) and Mutandahwe (571m), with Nyamgtongwe (516m) in the center, and Red Hills in the south of the Park. The Save Runde junction is 165m above sea level and is the lowest point in Zimbabwe. WILDLIFE Latest estimates, (2016),   Elephant 10 715  impala 7 421, kudu 1 789 buffalo 4 797 zebra 1 830 nyala 187  wildebeest 929 eland 241 giraffe 446 SOURCES: GONAREZHOU CONSERVATION TRUST Gonarezhou Bushcamps