Last reviewed: 25 October 2026 against Umfurudzi Park’s official website, the official ZimParks 2026 tariff and OpenStreetMap. The park is small and self-catering, and facilities change. Contact the park office before you travel.
Umfurudzi at a glance
You will see the park called by three names. The 1975 Act designated it the Umfurudzi Safari Area, ZimParks’ website lists it as Umfurudzi Recreational Park, and the joint venture that runs it calls it Umfurudzi Park.
The landscape
Granite dominates the centre and south of the park, with large kopjes and bare granite domes (dwalas). There are bigger hills in the north-east and flat, open savanna in the north-west. The park describes its vegetation as mopane groves, baobab, combretum and brachystegia (miombo) woodland, and open savanna, with a mix of highveld and lowveld trees along the rivers. Four main rivers cross or border the park: the Mazowe, Ruanga, Umfurudzi and Gwetera. Only the Mazowe and Umfurudzi flow all year. Average rainfall is about 750 mm a year, and nine small dams have been built in the south and centre of the park since 2011.Wildlife
Umfurudzi was once a rich game area. The park cites studies by Cambridge University in the 1980s that recorded more than 100 black rhino, more than 100 elephant, more than 1,500 sable and more than 250 roan, along with lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah. Heavy poaching followed. ZimParks moved 44 black rhino out of the park to safer areas, and stopped all hunting in 2007 because animal numbers were so low.Restocking since 2011
The joint venture’s first game count, in 2010, found very little. The park then began moving animals back in:- 2011–2012: 1,410 animals were translocated, including 399 impala, 328 eland, 218 wildebeest, 201 zebra and 163 buffalo.
- January 2013: 13 elephants (six adults and seven juveniles) arrived, along with a large male crocodile. A 2023 report says the park had no elephants before 2011.
What you might see
On its game drives the park names giraffe, buffalo, zebra and wildebeest, and antelope herds on walks. A 2023 report by the Zim Morning Post listed eland, warthog, impala, leopard, buffalo and giraffe as the park’s main animals. Rhino were on the park’s 2013–2014 restocking plan, but we couldn’t confirm that any have returned. We also couldn’t confirm a resident lion population, so don’t plan a visit around big cats. For birders, the park highlights the African fish eagle along the rivers and sunbirds in the woodland. See birding in Zimbabwe.Things to do
The park lists these activities:- Game drives: guided drives, usually early morning and late afternoon.
- Walking safaris: led by rangers, past kopjes, streams and waterfalls, and rock paintings. Look at rock art without touching it. See Mashonaland rock art.
- Bird watching on quiet trails and along the rivers.
- Family safaris and wilderness camping.
- Mountain biking.
Where to stay
Umfurudzi has three kinds of accommodation, all run by the park:- Chalets: self-catering, with modern amenities.
- Tented camps: fixed, self-catering tents.
- Camping: bring your own tent and kit. Wilderness camping can be arranged.
Getting there
Umfurudzi is an easy drive from Harare, and the road route goes via Shamva.
Driving via Bindura instead of the direct Shamva road adds about 25 km. Roads in the park are gravel, so ask the park office about conditions before you set off, especially in the rains. See distances and driving times.
Park fees
Umfurudzi has its own line in the ZimParks tariff. 2026 conservation fees for international visitors are US$18 a day (day visit) or US$10 a day if you stay overnight in the park. SADC visitors pay US$12 or US$6, and Zimbabweans US$6 or US$3.- Vehicles (cars, pick-ups and 4x4s): US$5 a day for a Zimbabwe-registered vehicle and US$10 a day for a foreign-registered vehicle, whether or not you stay overnight.
- Buses: US$20 a day if Zimbabwe-registered, US$30 if foreign-registered.
Best time to visit
- May to August (cool and dry): the best time for walking. Days are mild and nights are cold, so pack warm layers.
- September and October (hot and dry): the bush is thin and animals stay close to the rivers and dams. October is hot.
- November to April (rains): green and good for birds, but gravel roads can be difficult. Check with the park before you go.
Practical tips
- Book ahead. The park is small, and there is no published online booking system.
- Be self-sufficient. Bring food, drinking water, a torch and a first-aid kit.
- Ask about malaria. Get advice from a travel clinic before you go. See health and safety.
- Expect a park in recovery. The park says the Mazowe River is under pressure from mining, heavy-metal pollution and siltation, and wildlife numbers are still building up. Your fees help pay for the work.
- Combine it. Umfurudzi works as a weekend from Harare, or a stop on the way to the north-east.
Related guides
National park fees 2026
Official ZimParks fees for every park, plus vehicle and camping fees.
National parks and reserves
Compare Zimbabwe’s parks by size, wildlife, access and fees.
Harare
The capital, about two hours’ drive from Umfurudzi.
Lake Chivero
Another easy wildlife trip from Harare.
Sources
- Umfurudzi Park — Home, accessed 25 October 2026
- Umfurudzi Park — Our story, accessed 25 October 2026
- Umfurudzi Park — The park (fauna, flora, geology and restocking), accessed 25 October 2026
- Umfurudzi Park — Stay, accessed 25 October 2026
- Umfurudzi Park — Experiences, accessed 25 October 2026
- Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) — De-Gazetted Tariff 2026 (PDF), pp. 12 and 24, accessed 25 October 2026
- Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) — Umfurudzi Recreational Park, accessed 25 October 2026
- Space for Giants — Rejuvenating Umfurudzi: a critical step in Zimbabwe’s conservation efforts (republished from the Zim Morning Post, 17 March 2023), accessed 25 October 2026
- OpenStreetMap — approximate road distances to Umfurudzi Park, accessed 25 October 2026