Haka Game Park Review (all you need to know about visiting it)

.

.

1. Introduction
2. Charges & directions
3. The animals
4. Balancing rocks & rock paintings
5. Picnic sites & Dam
6. Conclusion

.

Introduction

Saying that I am addicted to this place would be an understatement. My days spent in Harare have only become so much more bearable because of the existence of this soothing place.

Why I go there – You might relate

Having been born and raised in Manicaland – the home of all natural goodness and freshness in terms of the air, the water & just the overall surrounding beauty; Harare is simply not an ideal place for me. Unfortunately though, due to the centralization of a lot of things in Zimbabwe, I always find myself there every now & again. I used to just hate it so much, but now, the thought of finding myself in the cozy company of wildebeest, zebras, giraffe etc, has made me look forward to being in Harare a lot more… Okay! …maybe not quite being in Harare but rather I’m now seeing Harare as the passage for me to get to this fantastic Game Park. Don’t get me wrong though, there’s nothing wrong with Harare. I’m just not a big city kind of girl. Bush life suits me better.

Charges & directions

I am particularly crazy about Haka for a number of reasons combined. One of the reasons being that, the game park is located just 13km from Harare CBD. You could literally walk if you wanted to, which means it’s quite accessible to anyone. So you take Samora Machel road & once you get to the PicknPay Supermarket Msasa roundabout, you take the left turn onto Harare drive. Everything that you see on the right side is Haka Game park so you just drive a few km to get to the entrance. Alternatively you can use the Mutare road entry which is opposite PicknPay. The entry fees are $8 per adult; $4 per child and no extra charges for the vehicle. The way they maintain their game park ensures that you definitely see most of the animal species they have.

The animals

I’ve been to this place so many times & each time has been an absolute experience. Mind you, I am someone who gets easily bored by doing the same thing more than once, so this definitely speaks volumes about the game park & the way it is managed.

Impalas

We normally like to go there in the morning around 9am/10am. As soon as you drive in, you’re greeted by the healthiest miombo woodlands you will ever see in Harare. From there it won’t take you long before getting to the grassland where you will immediately see all kinds of animal species. When we went there the last time, the first animals we saw were the impalas. If you have read my other blog posts you now know how impalas grab my heart in such a special way. I could spend the whole day just looking at them, admiring their cuteness & innocence, which in turn calms & relaxes me. Considering how “evil” the world can be sometimes; honestly, every now & again you need to spend a couple of minutes with something like impalas, just to keep sane. And guess what… Haka Game Park delivers!

The other outstanding thing about this place is that, every single year, they cut the grass when it has become too long, too old & unpalatable. They turn that grass into hay but what’s really amazing about this is that the animals always have fresh & healthy grass to eat. While at the same time, we also get to see the animals easily thanks to the short grass. I’ve seen the machinery that does this, & I tell you guys, it’s not a cheap operation. Which is why I salute them for their level of commitment to conserving and doing this while keeping the entry fees low enough for us ordinary citizens to also afford to go there and enjoy being around wildlife.

Wildebeest

Immediately next to the impalas were the wildebeests which are always moving together with zebras. This time I got to see the wildebeests so close it’s always a phenomenal feeling. I particularly love the way the bull (which is the head of the herd) looks at you with eyes screaming, “don’t mess with my kind”. It stands its ground to protect it’s family in the most impressive way ever. But of course if you keep your distance, & show respect, it relaxes & allows you to take a glimpse into their social setup.

One tip I’m going to give you guys is, when you’re in a game park, do not be too quick to see an animal, take pictures & move right along. You will not experience the full benefits of being around these animals. TAKE YOUR TIME. Spend a few minutes looking at the dynamics. One thing we enjoy doing with my husband is to see if we can think like them, predict what they are going to do, & the positions that each one of the individuals in the herd take. I promise you, doing this will make your game drive so much more beneficial to you. And the best game park to practice this habit is definitely Haka. The park is big enough & they also allow self-drives so you can spend as much time as you wish to at any one particular spot.

Zebras & Giraffe

Interesting to note in Haka is how there are different zebra herds, with one particular herd always hanging with the giraffe. I swear to you these zebras & the giraffe are some type of best friends. We have seen them all the time together & they get on so well. One thing that we are still trying to figure out is the actual dynamics. But that is why Haka game park is special. It is unique. It intrigues your curiosity & leaves you wanting to spend more time there.

Eland

As mentioned before, being that we have visited Haka a number times, we now know the general areas to find certain animal species for example the Elands. They are quite shy in this game park so not so easy to see especially at close range. But that’s all part of thrill because it becomes your challenge/game to find them. When you do… Gosh! It’s such a great feeling. This time we were so lucky to see the adult male which was just oozing eminence. He was super chilled, casually browsing. I almost jumped from excitement when we spotted him. It just gives you a euphoric feeling, a sense of achievement.

The other animals that they have are warthogs. We looked hard for them but this time we didn’t find them. Like they say though, “you win some and lose some” lol. We have seen them though in our previous visits, they are quite an interesting group.

Balancing rocks & rock paintings

The icing on the cake would be the stunning balancing rocks they have. In all fairness, they have the most spectacular balancing rocks I have seen to date. What makes Haka exceptional in this regard is that, it’s not just one set of rocks but several. And of course, if you have been reading my previous blogs, I am dearly in love with rocks. Then the rock paintings that they have… Wow… without exaggerating, they have the best rock paintings I have also seen to date. And here is why – I normally see rock paintings of impalas and other bucks (which are still quite phenomenal). But the first time for me to see rock paintings of rhinos was in this amazing park. And these rock paintings are just incredibly done.

Picnic sites & Dam

Of course, one thing you expect at a game park is a picnic site. My favourite one in Haka is the one overlooking the dam but on the other side (Please do not steal my spot though, in case we happen to go on the same day 🙂 lol. They do however have so many picnic sites, strategically placed around the park. All their picnic sites have braai stands and some of them have some beautiful thatched roofs for shade. It is such a perfect place to go with family and friends. They also offer canoeing in the dam, which gets you closer to the water to really absorb those negative ions which I never stop talking about (if you follow me on instagram, you already know more about these negative ions & their relevance :). For the horse riders, get ready to do your game viewing sitting on the back of a horse. It is such a vibe.

Conclusion: Should you visit Haka Game Park or not?

You already know my answer – it’s a definite yes! They are quite considerate with their charges and you are guaranteed to see most of the animal species they have. You will also save quite a lot on fuel as the place is less that 10 minutes from Harare CBD. I go there ALL the time. It is such a perfect place to de-stress and to spend some quality time with your loved ones. I one hundred percent recommend it!

Make sure to subscribe to this blog-site before you leave for more ‘conservation oriented’ tourism/travel information like this; some budget travel tips & interesting facts about our wildlife.

Remember to always have a little intimacy in your life & as always I’m talking about intimacy with nature.