Matusadona National Park

Matusadona National Park is one of many protected wildlife areas that border Lake Kariba and offers a unique combination of vast plains, rugged mountains and beautiful shores.

The area is 1370 km2 and is bordered on the west by the Ume River and the east by the Sanyati River. It is an extraordinary wildlife park with the ability to have game drives, walking safaris, boat and canoe trips. Following the construction of the Kariba Dam, Operation Noah was set into place to save the animals from the area that would have been submerged due to the construction. These animals were then released into the Matusadona National Park. Partly as a result of this, the park now has a strong, large and diverse populations of mammals.

A safari by boat along the coastline is an amazing experience where you will see large herds of elephants, buffalos, and many hippos and waterbucks. Furthermore, there are Roan and Sabel antelopes, kudu and impalas that are often seen in the park. Large herds of buffalos come together in the dry season along the coastline of Lake Kariba. Here, you can also encounter the endangered black rhino and large numbers of elephants. The second greatest concentration of wild lions in Africa also live in the park, after the Ngorongoro Crater.
Walking safaris are also very rewarding, there are definitely over 200 species of (water) birds to view, including the Osprey or fish eagle.

The park’s name derives from the local Matuzviadonha Hills. The meaning of, "Matuzviadonha," is “falling manure”- which was most likely given from a reaction on the sight of elephants dropping their manure as they made their way up the hills.

There are few travellers who visit this park; by the relatively poor accessibility and the fact that two thirds of the park is only accessible by foot, allowing for your safaris to be a tranquil one.