Stephanus
Barnard, shot in the 1920’s and whose
tusks weighed over 296 pounds (110kg).
Poaching in this
area was brought under control but with the
recent social and political troubles in Zimbabwe,
there is fear for the animals once again. Elephants
are understandably shyer here than anywhere
else in the country and need to be treated with
caution.
The Save, Runde
and Mwenezi Rivers meander through the hot,
semi-arid lowveld and supports rare suni and
nyala antelope and striped king cheetah.
Bird life is rampant
especially during the wet season when thousands
of migrating birds arrive for a feeding frenzy.
ANIMALS
AND BIRDS
Baboons are frequently
seen on the paths leading to the falls and small
antelopes and warthogs inhabit the rainforests
that hug the edge of the falls. In the wildlife
reserve, the pastures and tall riverine forests
contain plenty of birds and a scattering of
animals including some white rhino, elephants,
giraffe, zebra, sable, eland, buffalo and impala.
SEASONS
The park
is usually only open during the dry season from
1st May to 31st October.
Dry Season: The cool dry season
is from the end of April to August. This six
month period of almost completely dry, sunny
weather gives average temperatures in the mid
70's°F to the low 80's°F (23-28°C).
By late June the leaves begin to fall from the
trees and the tall grasses have been trampled
by game, making it prime game-viewing time.
The hot dry spell is from September to early
November and game viewing is at its peak especially
in the cool of early morning and early evening.
Midday temperatures are a sizzling 90°F+
(34°C+), but humidity is low.
Rainy Season: From November
to March it rains about one out of every five
days. The sun emerges after every thunderstorm
and humidity and heat are high. The greenery
is lush and wild flowers emerge in profusion.
Thousands of migratory birds arrive to take
advantage of the abundant food supply, and nature
puts on her fullest displays. Temperatures rise
to and exceed 104°F (40°C).
GONA-RE-ZHOU
SPECIALITIES
• Unique trans-frontier park
• Huge elephants
• Exceptional scenery
FACTS
The
park covers 1950 miles²) (5,053 km²)
and was created in 1967.
Take advice from your tour operator as to the
suitability of a visit.
This is a malarial area.
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