Mavuradonha Wilderness

Mavuradonha covers around six hundred square kilometres of the Zambezi escarpment in the far north of Zimbabwe, broken country of miombo woodland, granite and river valleys with no roads through the interior, so it is crossed on foot or on horseback with guides. The name refers to falling water and the area holds waterfalls and pools. Game is present but thin, and the appeal is the emptiness and the walking rather than the wildlife.

What you actually see

• The escarpment - the broken country falling towards the Zambezi valley.
• The miombo woodland - the dominant vegetation across the wilderness.
• The waterfalls and pools - the water the area is named for.
• The horseback routes - riding as the traditional way of crossing the area.

When to go

April to October is the dry season and the only practical window. The rains make the tracks impassable. Nights are cool in winter.

Honest expectations

Game numbers are low and this is not a wildlife destination. Access requires four-wheel drive and guides must be arranged in advance. There is no infrastructure inside the wilderness.

Nearby

Centenary is south, and the Zambezi valley is north.