FRONTIER NATIONAL PARK
"The place of elephants." Zimbabwe's wildest park — red sandstone cliffs, baobab forests, and the country's lowest visitor count.
Why Gonarezhou
Gonarezhou — "the place of elephants" — is Zimbabwe's second-largest national park and its least-visited. Five thousand square kilometres of red Chilojo sandstone cliffs, baobab forests, and the convergence of three river systems.
It's also the southwestern corner of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, sharing borders with South Africa's Kruger and Mozambique's Limpopo. Wildlife corridors are intact; populations are healthy.
Gonarezhou is for travellers who've already done Hwange and Mana, and want the remoteness without the crowds.
“Gonarezhou is the Zimbabwe most travellers never see — and the Zimbabwe most Zimbabweans haven't been to. That's exactly the point.”
— Josh Elliott · Founder · Fifth-generation ZimbabweanAt a glance
Area
5,053 km²
Best Time
May to October
Wildlife
Big Five · Elephant · Wild dog
Stay
2 lodges · Tented camps
Heritage
Greater Limpopo TFCA
From
$720
pp / night
Highlights
Red sandstone cliffs 180m high above the Runde River. Photographed less than the Grand Canyon and arguably more beautiful.
Some of the largest baobabs in Africa. The tree of life — and the cathedral of the southern part of the park.
Walking permitted along the Runde and Save. Hippo pods, crocodile sandbanks, elephant herds at water.
Greater Limpopo TFCA — animals move freely between Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa. Restored migration routes.
Gallery
On the map
We had Chilojo Cliffs to ourselves at sunset. Three hours of red rock and silence. This is what Africa was, and what most of it isn't anymore.
Mark & Jenny · Durban · 8-night southeast Zimbabwe, August 2025
When to travel
JAN
○FEB
○MAR
○APR
○MAY
○JUN
○JUL
○AUG
○SEP
○OCT
○NOV
○DEC
○May–October — peak. Dry, accessible, animals concentrate at water.
November–April — most camps close. Roads become impassable. Park reopens late April.
Combine with
Conservation
Gonarezhou is a flagship of community conservation. The Frankfurt Zoological Society has been managing the park in partnership with ZimParks since 2007 — one of the most successful public-private conservation partnerships in Africa.
The Greater Limpopo TFCA restored migration corridors that had been blocked for fifty years. Elephant numbers in Gonarezhou have grown from 5,000 to 11,000 since 2010.
Practical
Charter flight to Buffalo Range (BFO) airport from Harare (1.5h) or Vic Falls (2h). Drive from Harare: 7-8 hours; not recommended.
Currency: USD only at most camps.
Connectivity: Limited to none — most camps deliberately offline.
Malaria: Yes — prophylaxis essential year-round. Hot zone.
Yellow fever: Not required.
Vaccinations: Routine.
Khaki / neutral. Sturdy walking shoes. Wide-brim hat. Insect repellent. Long sleeves dawn-and-dusk.
Speak to a specialist
I plan every Zim Travellers itinerary myself. Tell me what you'd want from a few days here and I'll write you a route — no template, no aggregator, no commission desk.
"I answer every email here personally — within 24 hours."
Frequently Asked
Remoteness, charter-only access, and the country's tourism marketing has historically focused on Hwange + Vic Falls. That's the gift of Gonarezhou.
Yes — all five present. Elephant in particular numbers in the thousands.
Different. Mana = floodplain + walking. Gonarezhou = sandstone + baobab + bigger area + drier. Both world-class.
Three minimum. Five if you want to combine the Chilojo Cliffs photography + walking + the southern baobab forests.
We don't recommend it as a starter. Best for travellers who already understand bush rhythm and want isolation.
