Sikato Lion Park, Masvingo, Zimbabwe Review (all you need to know about visiting it)

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Click on the subheadings below to jump to their contents:

1. Introduction
2. Booking, contact details & charges
3. Directions, road condition & best type of vehicle
4. Lion enclosure experience
5. Camping/picnic sites featuring Lake Mutirikwi
6. Conclusion

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NB: It is strongly advised to read all the reviews on this site in their entirety to ensure that the destinations really suit all your needs & preferences.

Introduction

I was not at all expecting to hang with lions in Masvingo during this visit but hey, the nature gods had other plans for me…

Sikato Lion Park was launched some time in November 2020. I have always believed that every province in this country should have at least all the big 5 animal species namely lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo. It is unfair for local children to grow up only knowing of these animals from books. So you can imagine the excitement when I learnt that Masvingo now had a lion park. This literally means that this part of Masvingo is now very close to having the big 5 with only the elephants  being the missing species. Yes, Gonarezhou and Save Valley Conservancy have elephants & are technically in Masvingo province, however, considering that they are hundreds of km from Masvingo town, they are not easy to access for many. The other three big 5 species namely rhino, buffalo & leopard are found at Mutirikwi Recreational Park which you can read more about here.

Booking, contact details & charges

We opted for a day visit and I think that sufficed. The entry fee at Sikato Lion Park at the time of our visit was $5 per adult (payable in rtgs at bank rate) with no extra charge for the vehicle. They did not have a swipe machine so just be sure to travel with multiple forms of payments to avoid disappointments. No booking is required for a day visit, however, there are some campsites which would require a  booking. The contact numbers for enquiries and/or bookings are WhatsApp +263776134164 and Calls is +263242706077 – 8. The only options to make payments were Ecocash and cash.

Directions, road condition & best type of vehicle

Sikato Lion Park is located about 30 km from Masvingo CBD. It is less than 5 km from Great Zimbabwe Ruins, accessed by taking the first left turn from the ruins’ entry point. From Masvingo CBD, you take the Beitbridge road A4 where you drive for about 6 km or so & come to a left turn off. There is a sign post, similar to the sign post pic on the right hand side. At first my brain interpreted it as just another billboard so we drove past it without fully comprehending its contents. It’s only when I saw it again at the final turn off from the tar road when I realised that it was actually a sign post. Thanks to google maps which confirmed we were on the correct road all this while. The road becomes a dirt road from the second turn off until you get to the park. The sign posts from there are pretty clear, easy to follow & the dirt road is about a couple of km to the park. The roads are in relatively good condition so any vehicle would be suitable to use. Once at the park, you are required to park your vehicle and explore the rest of the park on foot with a guide.

Lion enclosure experience

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a very jovial lady, Mrs Chipunga, who then walked with us to the lion enclosures, just a few meters from the car park. I appreciated how well informed she was, not only about lions but other species too such as birds. We spotted one raptor bird visiting the enclosure & for a brief moment, our conversation went onto the subject of birds. 

The first lion we saw was male, young & looked quite uneasy and frightened. Mrs Chipunga explained to us that he had just recently been transferred from Kariba or Hwange (I don’t quite remember) where his parents were killing humans. I was happy that he was not killed, however, I didn’t get the impression that he was adapting too well to this new environment. He had also lost his tail to lionesses in the neighbouring enclosure so I just feel like he is under stress and probably better off somewhere else secluded where he is not exposed to humans either. 

The second pair we saw were two lionesses which looked calm & relaxed. We were told that they had come from Antelope park and that to me explained their laid back behaviour.

Antelope park runs a lion conservation & rehabilitation programme which they have been running for years. They gained my respect when they announced that they were stopping their lion walks in May 2019. I know some feel strongly that animals should never be caged, however, I believe that for educational purposes, in some cases  this is necessary. As long as the animals are being well taken care of & are not exposed to unnecessary physical interaction with visitors such as walks. The purpose of educating is to show the animals in as close to their natural behaviour as possible & not the tamed versions. So I think it is great that the children (& adults) in & around Masvingo who probably have never seen lions, now have an opportunity to see them. The park is so close to Great Zimbabwe Ruins so it would be nice for you to stop by too & support this upcoming project when you visit the ruins.

Camping/picnic sites featuring Lake Mutirikwi

It is really great that the park also has some picnic & campsites which overlook the stunning Lake Mutirikwi. They are very practical as each site has a tap with running water and some concrete tables & benches. There is also quite a nice ablution block which was unfortunately locked on this day, probably because they keep it locked when there are no visitors to prevent monkeys from accessing it. We were the only visitors there at that time and we just felt lazy to ask for the keys. From my experience with zimparks, all their campsite ablution facilities have hot water as they use the Rhodesian boiler system. Do confirm all that with them before making a booking though, to avoid any surprises.

Conclusion

Overall, I had a good experience at Sikato Lion Park. The view of Lake Mutirikwi which one can enjoy while having a picnic was a beautiful surprise too. I do recommend that when you visit Mutirikwi Recreational Park & Great Zimbabwe Ruins, you also pass through this new conservation project. It has a lot of potential & we were told that the plan is to make it a home to a variety of other animal species in the future. So definitely worth supporting.

Remember to always have a little intimacy in your life & as always I’m talking about Intimacy With Nature 🙂