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Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe

Jeremy Blackwood

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Gonarezhou (pronounced Gonna-res-or) or "place of the elephant" is the only large big-game national park in Zimbabwe not in the Zambezi basin. Situated in the south-east lowveld, and bordering on Mozambique, Gonarezhou is in one of the hotter and drier parts of the country. The Park is 5,053 square kilometres in extent and is characterised by low altitude (most of it is below 400 m above sea level), high temperatures of up to 50şC and rainfall that is low, varied, and unreliable. Despite these apparent drawbacks, the Park is an extraordinary place to visit. It is a true wilderness area. Three drainage systems traverse the park and have created an extraordinary landscape. To watch the light of sunset illuminate the ochre-coloured castellated sandstone of Chilojo Cliffs across the sandy bed of the Runde River is an unforgettable experience. Apart from being known as a bird-watchers paradise, a number of animals considered rare in Zimbabwe occur in this ecosystem. These include the pangolin, wild dog, bat-eared fox, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, roan antelope and nyala. It is the only park in Zimbabwe that has the diminutive suni. This tiny and elegant rufus-brown creature has moderately long ears that seem almost transparent. A shy and secretive browser, it lives exclusively in dry sand forest areas and is found only at the confluence of the Save (pronounced Sah-vie) and Runde rivers in Gonerezhou. Though seldom seen, it is unlikely to cause a stir if you do spot one, being roughly the size of a fox-terrier and of unremarkable features. The elephants that gave their mane to the area are known for their small body size and, in the bulls, relatively large tusks. They have earned the reputation of being among the most irascible and aggressive of their species. More info on: www.africantravel.com