Matusadona National Park weather

What it is doing right now, what the next two weeks look like, and what each month of the year means for the game viewing.

Right now in the park

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The next two weeks

Straight from the forecast, updated when you open this page. Useful if you are packing. Not useful for choosing a month, which is what the year below is for.

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The year at a glance

Bars are rainfall, the line is the daytime high. Thirty-year averages. The green band marks the months this park is at its driest, which is when most people want to be here.

Rainfall in millimetres along the bottom. Highest month 332 mm, daytime highs from 11.8 to 33.0 degrees.

Every month, and what it means for the wildlife

The temperature tells you what to pack. The rainfall column decides what you will see.

Month	Day	Night	Rain	Wet days	What that means here
January	26.7°C	20.2°C	332 mm	25	Hot and wet. Afternoon thunderstorms, dramatic skies and green bush in which game is harder to find. Lodges charge green-season rates. Zimbabwe Field Guide says game-viewing roads close in the rains; the park has not confirmed that, so ask before you plan a self-drive.
February	26.0°C	19.9°C	269 mm	23	Hot and wet. Afternoon thunderstorms, dramatic skies and green bush in which game is harder to find. Lodges charge green-season rates. Zimbabwe Field Guide says game-viewing roads close in the rains; the park has not confirmed that, so ask before you plan a self-drive.
March	26.7°C	19.5°C	155 mm	16	Hot and wet. Afternoon thunderstorms, dramatic skies and green bush in which game is harder to find. Lodges charge green-season rates. Zimbabwe Field Guide says game-viewing roads close in the rains; the park has not confirmed that, so ask before you plan a self-drive.
April	26.6°C	18.0°C	34 mm	6	The changeover. The park's information pack still counts April as wet, its management plan already calls it cool and dry. Mid-season rates at some lodges, lush grass and few visitors.
May	24.6°C	14.5°C	9 mm	1	Cool and dry. The park's Jenje bush camp opens for the dry season. One May visitor described clear views of the escarpment with no bushfire haze and bush that was still quite lush.
June prime	22.8°C	12.3°C	4 mm	1	Cool and dry, and high season at the lodges. Days are pleasant, but nights can drop to around 5°C, so pack warm layers for early boats and open vehicles.
July prime	22.9°C	11.8°C	1 mm	0	Cool and dry, and high season at the lodges. Days are pleasant, but nights can drop to around 5°C, so pack warm layers for early boats and open vehicles.
August prime	25.8°C	13.7°C	1 mm	0	Hot and dry. Game concentrates on the lakeshore grassland and at the springs, and viewing is at its best. September carries the highest lodge rates of the year.
September prime	30.0°C	17.9°C	1 mm	0	Hot and dry. Game concentrates on the lakeshore grassland and at the springs, and viewing is at its best. September carries the highest lodge rates of the year.
October	33.0°C	21.2°C	13 mm	3	The hottest month, 40°C by the park's own figures and mid-40s by one lodge's. Wildlife gathers at the last water. Kariba's international tigerfish tournament is traditionally held in October; check the dates for your year.
November	30.1°C	21.2°C	134 mm	15	The rains arrive. Heat before the storms, then green bush and dispersed game. Green-season rates start on 1 November at some lodges, and December brings the lowest rates of the year along with a busy Kariba town over the holidays.
December	27.3°C	20.3°C	261 mm	22	The rains arrive. Heat before the storms, then green bush and dispersed game. Green-season rates start on 1 November at some lodges, and December brings the lowest rates of the year along with a busy Kariba town over the holidays.

Climate figures are Open-Meteo climate normals, 1991 to 2020, taken at -16.975, 28.625. The wildlife column is ours, from the sources on the best time to visit page. Averages hide bad years: a dry January still happens, and so does a wet July.