Matusadona National Park

A visitor may catch sight of elephants.

The park is home to lions.

Matusadona National Park, situated in northwestern Zimbabwe, borders Lake Kariba along its northern boundary.

It covers about 338,000 acres with the Ume River on its west boundary and the Sanyati River on the east. Two-thirds of the park is situated south of the Zambezi escarpment. From the plateau, the park descends sharply to flat, low-lying terrain.

The shoreline of Lake Kariba contains "drowned forests" of dead trees left from the filling of the lake 25 years ago. Many animals rescued during this time were transferred to the park.

The park has good populations of elephant, zebra, lion and leopard, with large herds of buffalo — up to 1,000 — gathering along the shoreline during the dry season.

Bird life is also abundant, with 240 species including fish eagles, gray herons, Goliath herons and saddlebill storks. The park has a network of rustic roads.

The easiest way to get to Matusadona National Park is by boat from the town of Kariba, located about 12 miles north. There is also a gravel road south of the escarpment.

The park headquarters is at Tashinga, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is needed to get there.