The rolling Matusadona hills are the source of the park’s poetic name. This renowned African safari location is actually dominated by Lake Kariba, which is fed by the Zambezi. Matusadona is a freshwater wilderness in an otherwise arid environment. The expansive Lake Kariba to the north and the Sanyati and Ume rivers to the east and west encircle it. An abundant flood plain with grass surrounds the park. As you move south toward the mopane and Brachystegia forests on the hills, this gives way to a variety of habitats. A safari in Africa may be profitable and breathtakingly beautiful in Matusadona. Here are some of the reasons you must visit this stunning place
Boat safari on Lake Kariba
Most African tourists who travel on safari spend their days getting shook, rattled, and bounced over unpaved roads in quest of the continent’s renowned animals. Therefore, taking in your animals from the comfort of a boat has a decidedly civilized and delightful quality. You never know what is around the next turn as you putter along the lakeshore. We’ve frequently reached a bay and discovered sizable lion prides chowing down on buffalo just meters from the water. The most daring safari enthusiasts could choose to exchange their boat for a canoe and the most authentic safari adventure. passing a herd of amusing elephants playing and cooling off in the water quietly
Catching dinner or hooking a big tiger
In the hot summer months when the fish are biting, Lake Kariba offers some top-notch fishing chances. You might be a dedicated sports fisherman looking for a large tiger or you might just be motivated to catch your own food. You won’t soon forget the drag screaming as you battle a wild tiger fish as these fish jump and struggle hysterically. If catch-and-release sport fishing is not your thing, you might prefer baiting a book and looking for a good-sized Kariba Bream. This is undoubtedly one of the world’s best freshwater fish when cooked just after being caught.
The capital of African sunsets
When Lake Kariba was flooded in the late 1950s, it left behind a water wilderness dotted with drowned forests of towering, old-growth trees. These skeleton tree silhouettes provide a sundowner setting unlike any other as the day slowly transforms into night and a fiery-red sunball descends towards the horizon. There are numerous bird cries in the park, which has around 240 different bird species. Before diving into the ground in quest of supper, the common fish eagle can be heard calling uniquely from its perch in a tree. Crocodiles and hippos watch the waters below. There aren’t many finer places to have a gin & tonic at sundown!
Experiencing the Wild Side
The best nature guides on the continent may be found in Zimbabwe. All types and levels of safari enthusiasts are catered to by Matusadona. A skilled safari guide can accompany you on a couple of hours’ worth of bushwalking so you can enjoy stretching your legs. Or embark on a multi-day walking safari to venture completely off the beaten path. There are many different activities offered, including game drives, canoe safaris, boat tours, fishing, birdwatching, and bush walks. There aren’t many safari locations where you can experience all of these things in a single diverse and aesthetically stunning wildlife area in a few days.
Making a Conservation Contribution
As lovely as Matusadona is right now, it’s still a far cry from the wild place it was before it was designated a national park in the middle of the 1970s. The park has recently struggled with a labor shortage and has suffered a large elephant and rhino poaching loss. To take over the maintenance and restoration of these protected sites, however, African Parks and Zimparks inked a 20-year management agreement on November 1 of this year. An exciting new chapter in the resuscitation and restoration of Matusadona to its former splendor has begun with the entrance of African Parks, one of Africa’s top conservation non-profits. Your safari will take on a tremendous new level of purpose and meaning if you were a part of that turnaround and contributed to a conservation success story.
