Osborn Recreational Park Overview

Overview

Osborne dam is the largest lake in Manicaland region and is one of the major in land lakes in Zimbabwe .The lake covers about 2600 hectares of land with a carrying capacity of over 400 million cubic metres of water .The lake stretches 16 kilometres up to the Odzi river and 15 kilometres along its Nyatande tributary .The lake is over 6 kilometre wide and 66 metres deep.

The Lake was built from 1991 up to 1993 and was commissioned by his Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe comrade R. Mugabe in 1994.

The area’s climate provides a break from the chilly temperatures in the region with an average temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. It is characterised with a lakeshore breeze blowing westerly and this entails blowing away mosquitoes away from the area hence malaria is rare in this area. Moreover, the wave is a marvel to somebody in the boat.

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Reservations

MAIN ATTRACTIONS

Featured Attractions

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation

Lodges

Accommodation units located at Armchair Site consist of self-contained lodges with bedding, crockery, cutlery, refrigerator, linen, indoor water sanitation, electric lighting, hot and cold water and fully furnished.

Camp Sites

There are 25 camping sites with skeleton shelters scattered throughout the Park. There are only toilets provided on these sites except for the Quarry site which has ablution facilities. Other campsites are found at Mitchell’s Point, Storey’s Point, Hammond’s Point and Ventura’s Point.

Caravan Site

The caravan site located at Mitchell’s Point has ablution facilities. Open ovens are provided for both campsites and caravan sites.

PARK FEES

Park Fees

HOW TO GET THERE

How to get there

Access to the lake can be made from the Harare - Mutare road. Visitors will turn 36 kilometres from Mutare onto 20 kilometres of gravel road through Odzi farm lands, or by using the Koodoosberg Road off the Nyanga - Mutare Road.

AMENITIES

Amenities

For conveniences, the nearest centres are at Kwekwe, Chegutu and Beatrice at least 80 kilometres away. Visitors should note that repair service, fuel, groceries, etc are only obtainable in these centres.

TOURING ACTIVITIES

Touring Activities

1. Fishing

One of the popular activities .according to the Bass Masters societies views this lake as potential record catch territory. Anglers will most certainly enjoy this experience in the generally cool environments. Tilapia breams ,Oreochromis Massambicus,Oreochromis Machrochir ,robustus ,bass,clarias garipunas,labeo cylindricus.They were about 7 fishing cooperatives operating in the lake but three have remained.(Gonde ,Local fisheries and Decade fisheries)

2. Boating

The vast water body gives boating enthusiasts an expansive area to race or just cruise around.

3. Birding

The park has become a home to a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial birds

4. Walking Safaris

Walking paths along the dam wall and around the shores, down the Odzi River and in the nearby hills (Mt Jenya) provide a wide range of scenery for trail enthusiasts.

5. Game drives

There is a 102 kilometre drive around the lake which includes access to several of the neighbour rural areas. Wildlife available are the eland, impala, kudu, waterbucks, sables, bush pigs and monkeys

6. Wind surfing-Ideal conditions with steady western breeze

7. Canoeing

Beautiful inlets and waterways for the canoe enthusiast

WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU

What to take with you

-Camping equipment

-Binoculars

-Camera

-Boats

-Canoes

-Fishing rods

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Videos

Featured images of animals and the parks

Zimparks guns down hippo in Nyanyadzi

August 31, 2017August 31, 2017

Inset from Zimpapers. THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority last week shot dead a hippopotamus that was damaging winter wheat in Nyanyadzi. The hippo, which had a calf, is believed to have escaped from Save Conservancy. ZPWMA ordered the shooting of the hippos after traditional leaders in the area reported that it was damaging crops and endangering lives. ZPWMA officer, Mr John Danfa, said they were still hunting for the calf which is believed to have found habitat along Save River. “Usually hippos move up and down rivers during the rainy season. We believe the two escaped from Save Valley Conservancy. They were both females and they do not usually click if there is no male. “They are believed to have separated. We received reports from traditional leaders in Hot Springs and Nyanyadzi that these hippos were feeding on wheat and crops in their fields.” “People’s lives were endangered so the authorities ordered its killing. The first time we attempted to kill it, it was in the company of so many cattle and could not do anything. Our officer teamed up with villagers to track it until last week when it was shot down in Nyanyadzi”. The officer is said to have fired 12 shots before the hippo died. The meat was shared by villagers. One of the villagers in Dirikwe village, Mr Tapiwa Munyati, said: “This hippo was becoming a threat to human lives in the area. It was being spotted near homes at night. “There are vegetable gardens along one of Save River’s tributaries where it was being spotted.“We were told that hippos do not like light and the danger was that lives would have been lost.” “A villager survived death by a whisker recently when the hippo strayed into his homestead.“He went out of his house to investigate when his dogs were barking. He had a torch and the hippo advanced towards him. “Fortunately he managed to escape the attack and notified other villagers and the village head. We are appealing to the responsible authorities to make sure that the remaining one is also killed,” said Mr Munyati.

Osborne Recreational Park