Lake Chivero Recreational Park, Protected recreational area near Harare, Zimbabwe.

Lake Chivero Recreational Park is a protected area outside Harare, built around a large reservoir set among granite hills and open woodland. The terrain shifts between rocky outcrops, tree cover, and stretches of open water that shape the layout of the park.

The park was proclaimed a national park in 1952 and changed to its current status as a recreational park in 1975. The game park opened in 1962 on about 1,867 hectares, with most animals introduced from Hwange National Park, then Wankie Game Reserve. Some came from Lake Kariba during Operation Noah.

The park holds several rock painting sites, including one at Bushman's Point that is reached by a short walk. The paintings are the work of early inhabitants of the region; no carvings are recorded at the site.

The park has lodging options ranging from basic camping to cabins and lodges with lake views, so it works for different types of stays. Arriving early in the morning gives the best chance of seeing animals while the light is good.

White rhinoceros live inside the park alongside giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest, all within less than an hour's drive from the center of Harare. Very few capital cities in the world have a place like this so close by.