Gonarezhou

Gonarezhou is a remote and dramatic national park in the southeast of Zimbabwe, its name meaning place of elephants in the Shona language, a fitting description for a wilderness known for its large herds. Part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier conservation area that links it with South Africa’s Kruger, it is one of the wildest and least-visited of the region’s great reserves.

Its signature landmark is the line of red sandstone Chilojo Cliffs, glowing above the Runde River and looking out over a landscape of woodland, floodplain and baobab. Beyond its elephants, the park holds lion, buffalo and a rich variety of birdlife, viewed on game drives and walks with a wildness that comes from its isolation. The dry season, from roughly May to October, is the prime time, when game gathers at the shrinking water. For families and groups seeking a private, remote safari base, luxury villa and lodge rentals near Gonarezhou put this quiet wilderness within reach.