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August 7-10th, 2022

During the first night at Chizarira we heard the faint call of lions. In the morning, I rose early and surveyed our surroundings by daylight for the first time. We’d arrived in the dark the night before, and I was curious to get a look at Chizarira.

Here at campsite Kaswiswi No. 1 we were undoubtedly in the wilderness, but at the same time, it didn’t really impress. A recent burn had left the trees in fine enough shape, but the grass was scorched and the channel adjacent to the camp, an offshoot of the modestly larger Luizikukulu River, was dry. There was nothing particularly wrong here, but it lacked a certain ambiance. A drive to explore the park was on the day’s agenda and on the way we’d scope out alternative campsites. 

Chizarira is not of the same caliber as Zimbabwe’s more famous wildlife parks such as Hwange, Mana Pools or Gonerezou. That said, the great Stan Weakley disagrees and holds Chizarira in very high esteem, read his excellent report here. Regardless, we felt less pressure on game viewing. First, we made a leisurely drive via the Manzituba Vlei platform and saw impala, a few very skittish and annoyed elephants, and a lone waterbuck. The birdlife had a lot of starlings, hornbills and doves. Unfamiliar birdcalls fell on our ears, but we had difficulty spotting these new species. Fauna here was much shyer than in other parks we’d visited, and birds flitted away as soon as we picked up our binoculars.

On our morning drive we checked out the Kaswiswi No. 2, Mabola and the Mabola Platform campsite at the Manzituba Vlei. This reconnaissance done, we headed to HQ to ask about maybe switching camps, having more or less decided that Kaswiswi No. 1 was the least desirable of the lot. 

The campsite at Mabola

At HQ, we met Zim Parks Officer Clifford. He was incredibly helpful and said it was no problem to switch to another site, though the coveted Mucheni sites were all booked due to the holiday weekend. We planned to spend three nights here, and our last night was booked at Mucheni View, so we’d still get to experience the reportedly stunning view on our last night.

Clifford also gave us some intel about the wildlife in the park and what roads were open. Chiefly, the Busi area had approximately 75% of the park’s 800 elephant population, and the resident lion pride’s typical range was from the Platform campsite to the Katanza Gorge area, which by no coincidence is where the majority of the wildlife in the park is also. We had seen lion tracks near the Platform campsite, so we hoped we’d luck out and find some lions.

There is good potable borehole water at HQ, so after topping up, we decided to retire to our new campsite, the Mabola Platform site. It has an elevated viewing platform that views a grassy vlei below, and we waited patiently to see if any wildlife would come to us.

Our leisurely afternoon watching from the platform bore no fruit. In the afternoon, some other visitors to the park drove by, and we had a friendly chat and a beer. They were from Harare but had never been to Chizarira before, which gives you an idea of how little visited this park is.

The Mabola Platform campsite

Sometime in the afternoon, I realized that I had lost my binoculars. This was a disaster. A relationship, even one as amicable as ours, on safari with only one set of binoculars risks marital strife. We wandered all over the campsite and up and down the road with no success. I have a bad habit of setting my binos on the hood when we are out of the car, and it seemed possible that we’d driven away with them there, and they’d slid off onto the roadside.

An hour was spent slowly driving our previous route, thoroughly scanning the soft sand at the roadside. After I had given up hope, we ran into another group of visitors at the Mabola campsite (not to be confused with the Mabola Platform site). We mentioned that we were looking for binoculars, and they said they had found them. What luck! We thanked them profusely, disaster averted.

An evening at the platform campsite was enjoyable and relaxing, but our wildlife sightings were restricted to a few skittish waterbuck. I was surprised we didn’t see more, but such is safari. It was still a wonderful place to camp.

Our wildlife sightings in Chizarira consisted of bushbuck, elephant (few. annoyed.), impala, waterbuck, dik dik or maybe steenbok, warthog, hyena (spoor only), lions (distant roaring, spoor) and that is it. 

There wasn’t any pressure to get a crack-of-dawn start at Chizarira, and instead we enjoyed the morning in camp. Eventually, we got our act together and started a drive towards Katanza Gorge, noted on our map. On T4A, the road dead ends, but we saw a clear track ahead heading towards the escarpment, and we thought we might get a nice viewpoint by pushing on.

This turned out to be an incredible drive. It is rough in parts, and 4×4 was required, but eventually, the track wraps along the rim of the escarpment. The track is set back from the edge, but we wandered around rocks and under the dappled shade of Miombo woodland. The road treated us to glimpses of expansive vistas down toward Lake Kariba, and it was a beautiful drive. 

I’d read that the name Chizarira is rooted in the local Tonga word, “Sijalila,” which means “Great Barrier.” Certainly, looking down towards Kariba from the top of the escarpment it is appropriately named, the cliff is formidable and drops precipitously down to the hazy valley below.

We were in the blank space of the GPS, but the track was established, and we hoped would loop back into the main road of Chizarira. As we drove further east, was saw someone who had a prime campsite right at the rim of the escarpment, with a cliff just a few meters from their tent and a stunning view. This was an established campsite that wasn’t on the map.

Later we learned this site is called “Kariba View.” The parking is set back from the braai area, and the tent site is for ground tents. There is certainly room for a vehicle equipped with a rooftop tent, but it wouldn’t be quite in the prime zone that the ground tent is in. There are no facilities at this site.  

At Kariba View

Happily, our mystery track did eventually rejoin the main route; it would have been a long way if we needed to double back. (Note: we sent our GPS data to T4A; this track is now on their map, and the camp is marked “Kariba Viewpoint”). From here, we went to the highly regarded Mucheni View campsite. The road climbed up towards the rim of the escarpment, and we bumped over roots and rocks, kicking up dust in the dappled shade while savoring the anticipation of seeing this camp that had been so strongly recommended to us.

There is pretty good signage in the park. Note Kariba View sign – this is why I think this is a formal campsite

The campsite is a short left turn off the road, and we rolled up to park. There is a water tank and ablution block, along with a braai stand and a lapa perched right on the edge of the cliff. There is a suggestion of safety; two thin wires stretched across some token fence poles form the only barrier between camp and oblivion. Sleepwalkers, beware. The view is marvelous, set right on the edge of a canyon that cuts south from the face of the escarpment. It seemed the whole of Africa stretched before us. 

This was a happy place to spend a day, and we made no plans other than to enjoy the camp. We did head the last hundred meters up the road to the viewpoint, where the road dead ends. Here there is a short trail from the road, about 10 meters, which leads to a spectacular view of the canyon below. 

At the viewpoint

The vista from Mucheni View campsite

Returning to camp for the day, we gazed out on the vista and watched birds soaring on the thermals from the canyons. You can’t see the sunset from this spot, but as the sun dropped behind the escarpment to the west, the light turned pink and cast beautiful shadows on the canyon and valley below. What a spot! 

Not wanting to waste our limited time in this camp, I got up for sunrise and enjoyed coffee and the view for as long as possible. Today we were headed to Matusadona National Park, and with a fair drive ahead, we decided not to dally too long. 

After packing up and heading off, we checked out at the gate and had the interesting experience of driving out of Chizarira on the road that we’d only driven in total darkness. As is no surprise to anyone, arriving during daylight is recommended, the views are excellent, and I’m sure it’d heighten the anticipation of any first time visitor, climbing up this track into the escarpment. 

Back on the Karoi-Binga road, we made our way east and reached the turn to Matusadona National Park. Turning left, we rattled down an increasingly narrow track and pulled off in the trees for lunch. Here we were attacked by tsetse flies for the first time in months, a harbinger of things to come? 

Next time: An elephant gives us an education, and we have a significant change in route to what we planned.

The Nitty Gritty – a brief visitors guide to Chizarira National Park

Chizarira is a beautiful park, and we will certainly be back. It is a different park than Chobe or Mana Pools, it is not where you would go if great herds of animals are your prime agenda. This park, perched on the escarpment, is wild, remote and prime African wilderness. And there certainly will be no crowds! On another visit, I am excited to push deeper into the park, to Busi and beyond, perhaps even trying to depart via the southern road. 

Bookings

I think you are safe visiting Chizarira without bookings. If you are coming on a holiday weekend, then book ahead. If you want one of the Mucheni sites (you do), then book ahead, but if you don’t manage to and it isn’t school holidays or a weekend, then I’d guess your chances are still very good that one of them will be available. 

Theoretically, you can book on zimparks.org.zw. However, the website doesn’t always work. We booked at Chizarira and Mana Pools by contacting Christine Mhuriro at +263 7 72432148. We used WhatsApp and found Christine to be extremely helpful! We paid by wire transfer. I will say that the process takes a small act of faith, as it isn’t clear how the confirmations will come and that the park office will get the same confirmation, but for us, it all worked out in the end.

Campsites

Kaswiswi 1 – As described in the blog post, on a small channel off the river. The channel was dry when we were there, but I suppose if flowing, you’d get some good birdlife. There are several structures around the site, a sort of raised thing that I’m not entirely sure what it was for, an imposing ablution block full of baboon excrement and debris (we didn’t use it), and a dilapidated lapa. This site is fine if you need a place to camp, but it isn’t the sort of site that is an attraction on its own. 

Kaswiswi 2 – Is a clearing on a small rise above the Luizikukulu River. Good birdlife and a great spot. No facilities. A ford crossing the river goes to the Busi area to the southeast. T4A had this marked as “impassable by 4×4” or something like that, but this is no longer true and has been updated.

Mabola Camp – Just east of the Manzituba Vlei, along a dry channel with good trees and a nice clearing. There is a relatively derelict ablution block here and an otherwise nice grassy clearing. Not to be confused with the Mabola Platform site.

Mabola Platform – Overlooks the Manzituba Vlei. There is a simple long drop here and a wooden platform with a view of the vlei. The site is on a hill, and we used some rocks to level the vehicle, but there probably isn’t room for more than two vehicles here. 

Kariba View – Marked as “Kariba Viewpoint” on T4A, I think this is an official campsite. Very tidy and has a braai stand and a cleared spot for a ground tent just a few meters from the edge of the escarpment. This is a really excellent spot and maybe my top pick if you have a ground tent. No toilet facilities or water.

Mucheni Gorge Campsite – We didn’t view this camp as it was occupied. It faces east, and I gather it is almost as good as Mucheni View; we would happily camp in either.

Mucheni View – Already described in the blog above. If any criticism can be made of this camp, the facilities are haphazardly sited around the camp, making it more utilitarian than need be. There is a braai stand but no place to make a fire on the ground. I’m really splitting hairs here; it is a fantastic spot.  

Mucheni View Campsite – the ablutions are behind me

Viewpoint of Mucheni Gorge (as marked on T4A) – This is at the end of the road past the Mucheni sites and is intended to be a place to park and look at the view. However, in the middle of the turnaround is a fire pit, and if you ask the rangers, they will let people camp here. It is not an official campsite, cannot be booked ahead and has no facilities. A barrier of some 10 meters of bush separates the site from excellent cliffside views.

The unofficial campsite at the Mucheniew lookout

Busi – Noted on T4A as Busi Wild Camp. Clifford did say that you can camp there and that this is the area most of the park’s elephants prefer. I would like to visit this spot on a future visit, but I don’t know anything about it.

I also asked Clifford about the road out of the park’s southern gate. He said the park staff has recently repaired this road, and it is good until the gate, but beyond the gate and outside of the park, it is in terrible shape for about 10 kilometers. He said, “It is not recommended.” This might mean that it’s not recommended, or it might mean it’s totally impassable. I have found that understatement is the rule rather than the exception when getting advice in Africa.