Discover Zimbabwe 2012

Discover Zimbabwe

A PhotogrAPhic journey through zimbAbwe. including: VictoriA FAlls, lAke kAribA, mAnA Pools, greAt zimbAbwe, eAstern highlAnds, hwAnge nAtionAl PArk, mAtobo hills

?

New2012

E. [email protected] | T. 0712 205 674 | A. 51 Enterprise Road, Highlands, Harare, Zimbabwe

Leopard Rocktheleopardrock.com

Escape to the mountains and enjoy a few days perfecting your golf swing, playing the tables, birding, walking or just enjoying one of the finest hotels in Zimbabwe.

The legendary Leopard Rock Hotel is situated in the magnificent Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe and is famous for its world-class hospitality. Having just undergone an extensive refurbishment, this hotel now offers guests first-world convenience with old world charm.

Come and experience some magic in the mountains.

Come play, stay and getaway

4

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority is proud to support this inaugural issue of ‘Discover Zimbabwe’: an annual celebration of our country and its rich culture, stunning landscapes and wealth of wildlife. Zimbabwe is a country unspoilt by mass tourism. A visit will reveal a place of extraordinary experiences. Let the majestic Victoria Falls take your breath away, ride the wild white water rapids of the Zambezi, explore the wilderness in our prized national parks and marvel at the incredible animals that live here. Experience the

friendliness and pride of Zimbabweans, from the professionalism and dedication of our safari guides to the smiles of the children in our villages. We have good reason to be proud. Zimbabwe has a long and established tradition of nature conservation

– of communities empowered to manage and protect wildlife resources – and of welcoming visitors as if long returning friends. Indeed many visitors return again and again – and we very much hope that you will become one of them!Welcome to our World of Wonder.

welcome to Zimbabwe

Karikoga KasekeChief ExecutiveZimbabwe Tourism Authority

Discover Zimbabwe2012

6

Welcome to Zimbabwe 4Facts and Figures 8Victoria Falls 22Hwange National Park 30Matobo Hills 42The Zambezi Valley 46Mana Pools National Park 52Lake Kariba 56Great Zimbabwe 60Eastern Highlands 64Representative Offices 70Publisher: bhupendra Taylor. editor: Peter roberts. editorial contributors: beks Ndlovu, sally wynn. Proof reader: Kerry Law. Photographs supplied by: clyde elgar, Heiko wolf, Tom varley. art Director: carlo Nicolaou. New business and marketing Director: susie Paylor. sales and marketing: Dawna DeJiacomo (+263 712 344 506)

Published by imprint international: 8 wolsey road esher surrey KT10 8NX Tel: +44 (0) 1372 47 9898 Fax: +44 (0) 1372 47 9897. email: [email protected] www.dicoverzimbabwe.com.

botswana office: imprint botswana 122 Gaborone int’l Finance Park suite 2G P.o. box 601891 Gaborone, botswanaTel: +267 316 7480 Fax: +267 316 7477 email: [email protected] copyright © by imprint international. all information is supplied without liability. although the publisher has taken all precautions to ensure that the information is correct at the time of publication, the publisher and its agents do not accept any liability, direct or indirect, for material contained in this publication.

cover photo: Heiko wolf

8

GeographyZimbabwe is a landlocked country situated in southern Africa. It is bordered by Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. The Zambezi River flows along its northern border with Zambia, and the Limpopo River along the southern border with South Africa. Both flow east, through Mozambique, into the Indian Ocean.

Zimbabwe covers an area of some 390,580 square kilometres, consisting of a central highveld area, a raised granite shield known as the Zimbabwe Plateau, with an average elevation of just over 1,000 metres. In the north the plateau drops dramatically towards the Zambezi Valley, forming the Zambezi Escarpment. In the southwest a broad area of the country slopes down towards the Limpopo. From the western border with Botswana, windblown sands from the Kalahari Desert extend into the country. To the east a range of rugged mountains, the Eastern Highlands, forms a natural border with Mozambique.

ClimateThe country can be divided into three broad climatic regions. The central plateau, covering most of the country, is generally temperate, whilst low lying areas, such as the Zambezi Valley, are significantly warmer and drier, with hot summers. The Eastern Highlands are cooler in climate with much higher year-round rainfall.

Summer rains dominate the seasons, usually lasting from November through to April, and bring relief after months of drought. Rainfall frequently occurs in brief but heavy afternoon downpours and dramatic thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures can range from 25°C to the high 30s, even 40s in low lying areas. Night-time temperatures drop to 15-20°C.

Winter, between May and August, brings slightly lower average daytime temperatures, with little if any rain. Night-time temperatures can drop below freezing, especially in the west of the country, something the traveller should remember! Before the

onset of the rains, during September and October, hot dry daytime temperatures dominate.

PeopleApproximately two-thirds of the estimated 10 million population are Shona, 15% Ndebele, and a small minority white or from other ethnicities.

LanguagesZimbabwe has three official languages: English, Shona and Ndebele. English is predominantly used in business and government. Shona is the most widely spoken native language, with Ndebele (Sindebele), spoken mainly in the west of the country. There are several other regional languages which may be encountered.

VisasMost nationalities can purchase single entry and double entry visas easily from customs and immigration at their point of entry (airport or border post). For most countries a single entry is us$30.00 and a double entry is us$45.00. For British Nationals it is $55.00 for a single entry and $70.00 for a double. Some nationalities are required to apply in advance.

Exiting Zimbabwe for any length of time will mean you will require another visa to re-enter. A trip onto the Victoria Falls Bridge (between the Zimbabwe and Zambia border posts) does not affect your visa status.

Timegmt plus 2 hours.

Urban CentresHarare, in the central northeast, is the capital city and the major urban centre of the country. Its population is estimated at 1,600,000. Bulawayo, in the central southwest, is the country’s second city, with a population estimated at around 700,000.

Facts and Figures

Zimbabwe’s people are renowned for their friendliness and our guides are among the most highly qualified in Africa.

Phot

o: H

eiko

Wol

f

10

Type of GovernmentDemocratic Presidential Republic.

Head of StatePresident Robert Mugabe.

Main Political Partieszanu-pf (Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front) and mdc (Movement for Democratic Change, of which there are two factions). Both parties have been in a power-sharing agreement since 2009, with Morgan Tsvangirai (mdc) occupying the post of Prime Minister.

NewspapersChronicle, Tribune, Herald, Sunday Mail (State). Financial Gazette, Independent, Standard (independent).

CurrencyThe Zimbabwe dollar is no longer in circulation (withdrawn in 2009). The primary currency is the US dollar, of which small denominations can often be in short supply. Other currencies such as the South African rand and Botswana pula are also sometimes accepted, but often at slightly less favourable rates. Change is often given in rand or pula coinage.Visa cards are accepted by some establishments.

BanksZimbabwe has a flourishing banking sector, following recent economic stability and growth. Many offer bureau de change and atm services. atm (Visa and

MasterCard) machines dispense US Dollars, with standard transaction charges.

Public HolidaysNew Year’s Day – Sunday, January 01, 2012Public Holiday (day in lieu) – Monday, January 02, 2012Good Friday – Friday, April 06, 2012Holy Saturday – Saturday, April 07, 2012Easter Monday – Monday, April 09, 2012Independence Day – Wednesday, April 18, 2012Workers’ Day – Tuesday, May 01, 2012Africa Day – Friday, May 25, 2012Heroes’ Day – Monday, August 13, 2012Defence Forces’ Day – Tuesday, August 14, 2012Unity Day – Saturday, December 22, 2012Christmas Day – Tuesday, December 25, 2012Boxing Day – Wednesday, December 26, 2012

International Telephone DiallingInternational dialling code +263.

electricity220-240 volt, 3-pin (both square and round) plugs.

Recommended GuidebookZimbabwe – The Bradt Travel Guide, by Paul Murray (2010).

Note: Zimbabwe is a rapidly evolving and changing economy. Information given here should be used as a guide only. Please confirm specific details with your booking or travel agent.

Zimbabwe’s wildlife and cultural heritage are two of its most prized

assets. Despite the difficulties of living with dangerous predators such as

lion (left), local communities realise their importance and value. During the

struggle for independence, the ruins of Great Zimbabwe (right) became a

powerful symbol of national identity.

Phot

o: H

eiko

Wol

f

...welcome to our world...

as gazed upon by angels in their flight

Veiw it from the airwww.zambezihelicopters.com

YOU HAVE TO VISIT VICTORIA FALLS BRIDGE

www.victoriafallsbungee.comwww.victoriafallsbridge.com

Visitor's CentreRestaurant & BarBridge ToursBridge SlideBridge SwingBungiViewing Deck & Shop

THE SECOND GREATEST ATTRACTION

Tel: +263 (0)13 44472-3; 40056-8 Fax: +263 (0)13 44341 Cell: +263 (0)773 461 716 ,+263 (0) 712 613 627/0772 405 340 / +263 (0) 772 372 772Email: [email protected], www.shearwatervictoriafalls.com

Renew, refresh, revitalize yourself at the A’Zambezi

River Lodge, Victoria Falls!

Dete

AntelopeMine

Plumtree

Eastnor

Kwekwe

Inyati

Bulawayo

Dahlia (Gwayi River)

Victoria Falls

Hwange

Binga

Siyakobvu

KamativiMatetsi

Gokwe

KaribaKariba Dam

Chirundu

Karoi

Kanyemba

Centenary Mount Darwin

Livingstone

Chitungwiza Nyanga

Chimanimani

Hot Springs

ChipingeBirchenoughBridge

West Nicholson

Beitbridge

Rutenga

Shurugwi

Kadoma

Chivhu

Chegutu

ZaveKildonan

Nandi Mill

Chiredzi

Mbizi

Glenclova

Gutu

Triangle

Shamva

Glendale

Mhangura

Rusape

Nyazura

Hwedza

Zvishavane

Mvuma

Redcli�

Mutoko

Muzarabani

Makuti

Siabuwa

Esigodini

Thuli

Makado

Bindura

Gweru

Masvingo

Gwanda

Mutare

Marondera

Lupane

Chinhoyi

Harare

Z A M B I A

B O T S W A N A

S O U T H A F R I C A

M O Z A M B I Q U E

M O Z A M B I Q U E

N A M I B I A

LakeKariba

Z a m b e z i

S h a ng a ni

G w a y i

L im p o p o

Shas he

M

an is i

R und e

Runde

Sa ve

Ma z

o e

Hun

y an i

S e ng w a

Na ta

Sa ny a t i

VictoriaFalls

Mu n y a ti

Lak e Mutirikwi

Mutirikw

i

Odz

i

Save

Gway i

Um zing wa ni

Lak e Manyame

L. Chive ro

M I D L A N D S

M A S V I N G O

M A T A B E L E L A N DN O R T H

M A T A B E L E L A N DS O U T H

M A N I C A L A N D

M A S H O N A L A N DC E N T R A LM A S H O N A L A N D

W E S T

MA

SH

ON

AL A

ND

EA

S T

150 km1000 50

500 100 mi

Discover Zimbabwe 2012

12

eastern HighlandsRunning some 300 kilometres from north to south along Zimbabwe’s eastern border, the Eastern Highlands offers beautiful landscapes of rolling hills and rugged mountains, with breathtaking valleys and gorges containing waterfalls, rivers and lakes. With its refreshing mountain climate, the Highlands are a popular holiday retreat. The mountain forests and meadows are home to a wealth of wildlife not found anywhere else in the country.

Hwange National ParkZimbabwe’s largest National Park is home to its greatest diversity of wildlife and highest concentrations of elephant, lion and much more. Hwange offers excellent safari experiences to rival anywhere in Africa, from luxury lodges and game drives to walking safaris, all led by some of the best guides in Africa, this is ‘Big Five’ country and a wilderness to savour.

Lake KaribaCreated by the construction of the Kariba Dam in the 1950s, Lake Kariba is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Known as ‘Zimbabwe’s Riviera’ the Lake has since become an attractive and popular holiday destination for Zimbabweans and tourists alike. The emphasis here is on leisure – relaxing on holiday houseboats, watching wildlife or testing your angling skills are all to be enjoyed.

mana Pools National ParkSituated downstream from Lake Kariba on the southern banks of the Zambezi, this legendary Park is known for its canoeing and walking safaris. Close encounters with big game here are commonplace, with healthy populations of elephant, buffalo and lion amongst others. This is wilderness at its wildest.

Great ZimbabweThe enigmatic ruins of Great Zimbabwe, from which the nation takes its name, are the most important ancient monuments in sub-Saharan Africa. Standing in silent testimony to the lost civilisation of the country’s ancestors, they have given rise to legends and inspired the awe and imagination of adventurers, travellers and indeed Zimbabweans themselves.

matobo National ParkThe Park’s distinctive rock formations are unique and inspiring. A rich cultural landscape with a long tradition of human inhabitation is recorded in its wealth of bushman cave art. More recent associations with Ndebele Kings and colonial figureheads make this Park an interactive history lesson, a place of contemplation and spiritual renewal.

victoria FallsA World Heritage Site, the Victoria Falls are Zimbabwe’s prime tourist attraction and the gateway to the country. The Falls themselves vary dramatically with the seasons, but remain spectacular at any time of the year. The numerous activities available here have made it Africa’s adrenaline capital – from white-water rafting to bungee jumping and helicopter flights, Victoria Falls has something to offer everyone.

The country’s rich wildlife and varied landscapes offer a

sensual feast for the visitor and endless

opportunities, as well as challenges, for the

keen photographer.

There is much more to Zimbabwe than the seven highlights we’ve chosen for this issue, although all our featured areas are not to be missed by anyone discovering Zimbabwe for the first time.

Phot

o: H

eiko

Wol

f

14 15

A lone male wildebeest stands silhouetted against the sunset. Possibly an old male

ejected from his territory, he will stand the night alone against lion and other predators.

Photo: Clyde Elgar

1716

Rafting the rapids of the Zambezi River below the Victoria Falls. The Batoka

Gorge is rated amongst the best in the world for this non-stop white-water

roller-coaster of a ride.

Photo: Heiko Wolf

18 19

The only way to gain a true sense of the scale of the Victoria Falls is from the air. This image shows the

transformation of the river, from wide and shallow to deep and narrow as it escapes under the Victoria Falls

Bridge and down the zig-zagging Batoka Gorge.

Photo: Heiko W

olf

20 21

Rock formations in the Matobo Hills reflected in still waters give a sense of the timeless nature of

this ancient landscape.

Photo: Heiko Wolf

22 23

By Peter RobertsPhotos by Heiko Wolf

Bungee jumping - the historic Victoria Falls Bridge, with the Falls as a backdrop, has to be one of the

most spectacular locations in the world for this high adrenalin activity.

Victoria FallsThe Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe’s prime tourist attraction, is known for its splendour throughout the world. Offering a full and diverse range

of local activities and tours, there is much to see and experience in this vibrant tourism hub.

Yet to fully appreciate the majesty of the Falls, we must start at its humble beginnings. The story of Victoria Falls begins with the Zambezi River, the largest wa-tercourse system in the sub-Sahara region and Africa’s fourth largest river.

From a small bubbling spring rising in north-west-ern Zambia, the river starts a 2,574 kilometre journey from the heart of southern Africa to the Indian Ocean.

Along the way the river soon becomes wide and slow flowing, forming extensive marshes – the Barotse Floodplain – where the width of the river in flood can reach an astonishing 25 kilometres. After flowing on through the Caprivi Swamps it is joined by one of its major tributaries, the Chobe River, before continuing its journey east.

Forming the border between Zambia and Zimba-bwe, the Zambezi is already a substantial river, nearly two kilometres wide, and yet is only about half way through its long journey to the sea. Flowing placidly through its broad, wide channel, it gives little indica-tion of the dramatic change ahead.

As the river continues downstream, a distant roar grows louder, and a column of cloud can be seen escaping into the sky. The river becomes wider and shallower, flowing faster between islands, over rocks and through rapids.

Then suddenly and dramatically it crashes 100 me-tres into the chasm that dissects its path, seemingly swallowed into its own riverbed and forming one of the most spectacular and awe inspiring natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls.

When the river is in full flood it forms the world’s largest sheet of falling water, twice the height and one and a half times the width of Niagara Falls.

Opposite the chasm of the Falls, the level of the land continues, allowing the visitor to walk along its length, close enough to feel the roar of the water as it drops into the chasm. The local name for the Falls, ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ – ‘the smoke that thunders – is not without reason: it assaults the senses!

The river and the Falls pulse with an annual flood cycle of high and low water. Summer rains in the upper reaches of its catchment area, in Angola and Zambia, flood the river causing significant rises in its levels. During these periods half-a-million cubic metres of water per minute pour over the edge of the Falls. At high water the spray plume can rise up to 500 metres high and be visible 20 kilometres away. The sheer volume of spray can all but obscure the Falls from im-mediate sight. It nurtures a localised rainforest under its constant shadow, and the visitor should be prepared to be soaked to the skin (waterproofs advisable).

24 Victoria Falls 25

Left: Sunrise behind the main Falls. The Falls change throughout the day, with a double rainbow rising from the gorge in the afternoon. At sunrise and sunset the spray cloud from the Falls reflects orange and pinks.Above: Bushbuck are common along the river fringes and in the Falls park, and are often seen at dawn and dusk

During the dry winter months, before the regional rains return in November, the river recedes to only a fraction of this volume, and the Falls become dry for much of their length. It is during the dry season that the power of Victoria Falls can be truly appreciated. Clear of the shroud of spray, one can marvel at the solid rock walls of the gorge, worn smooth by the abrasive power of the water, and watch the tumbling waters fall into its depths.

Near the eastern end of the Falls, about three quarters of the way along its length, the river escapes through a narrow opening, only 60 metres wide. It then flows into a deep pool called the Boiling Pot, about 150 metres wide, before turning and racing on its 100 kilometre journey through the zigzagging Batoka

Gorge. Compressed from such a wide open channel into the narrow twisting gorge, the river changes from placid and peaceful to tortuous and treacherous.

Above the Falls the river margins are a tropical paradise. Below, the landscape is dry and desolate, some of the wildest, most rugged and remote terrain in Zimbabwe.

It is as if nature has released all of its powers in creating the spectacular waterfall, and now the river continues exhausted from its work. However, those who know the river here will know only too well that it is far from spent.

The huge volume of water bubbles and boils with constrained energy, rushing through a series of over 60 gigantic rapids.

LivingstoneDavid Livingstone first ‘discovered’ the Falls in 1855, naming them in honour of Queen Victoria. His writ-ten accounts caught the imagination of Victorian Britain and, together with the paintings of Thomas Baines, brought the Falls to the attention of the world.

Travelling downstream with a group of Makalolo paddlers as guides, Livingstone was struck by the beauty of the river above the Falls, recording “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”. This quotation has often been used in refer-ence to the Falls themselves, but it was the stretches of river immediately upstream of the Falls which had enchanted Livingstone.

Arriving at the island which now bears his name,

on the very lip of the Falls, he gained his first view of them from what must be one of the most breathtaking of viewpoints, describing it as “the most wonderful sight I had witnessed in Africa”.

Many explorers and early European pioneers fol-lowed, but when Livingstone first set eyes on the falls in 1855 he could have hardly imagined that less than 50 years later engineers and workmen would be plan-ning to construct a steel railway bridge across the gorge immediately below the great waterfall.

The Victoria Falls BridgeIt was Cecil Rhodes whose ambition drove construc-tion of the railway from Cape Town to the banks of the Zambezi at the Victoria Falls. The discovery of coal at


Above: The tourism town of Victoria Falls offers something for everyone. Trained African elephants offer close-up interactions and experiences with these incredible animals.Right: The Zambezi River as it disappears into the chasm that cuts across its path. Below the Victoria Falls, the steadily deepening Batoka Gorge extends for some 100 kilometres before the river emerges and continues to Lake Kariba.

Hwange brought the line from Bulawayo north, and it was Rhodes’s dream to “bridge across the Zambesi where the trains, as they pass, will catch the spray of the Falls”, even though he had never visited them.

Despite his death in 1902, the bridge was built according to his wishes, just below the great Falls. However its construction was not without controversy. Many claimed that the bridge should not be built so close to the Falls; that it would mar their natural beauty.

The crossing of the Zambezi, immediately down-stream of the natural wonder of the Victoria Falls, where the river is trapped within the narrow gorge, re-quired a bridge that pushed engineering and construc-tion knowledge of the time to its limits. The result,

opened in 1905, was hailed as a man-made engineering wonder to rival the Falls themselves.

The bridge soon became a popular tourist attrac-tion in its own right offering pedestrians, as well as train passengers, a spectacular new view of the Falls and gorges below. Today the bridge is still the second most famous landmark of the region, after the Victoria Falls themselves, hosting a 111 metre bungee jump with a hair-raising 80 metre bungee swing and 300 metre zip-line. The recently refurbished Visitor Centre with viewing platform, restaurant and refreshment bar is located on the northern bank.

TourismThe railway from Cape Town arrived at Victoria Falls

in 1904 and sparked the growth of the small town, in-cluding the building of the Victoria Falls Hotel in the same year. The bridge was opened with great fanfare and celebration in 1905, soon becoming a landmark almost as famous as the Falls themselves.

Ever since these early beginnings, the Victoria Falls have been a magnet for visitors from all over the world. The arrival of the railway brought an end to the days when a trip to see the Falls required an expedition taking months.

Now the distance was easily covered in a few days, and tourists replaced explorers. The 2,640 kilometre rail journey from Cape Town, travelling in relative comfort and luxury, heralded the dawn of modern tourism: of sunset river cruises and safari sundowners.

A visit to Victoria Falls themselves is a pilgrimage that almost every tourist visiting the region undertakes. The views obtainable from the Zimbabwean side are unrivalled, and the visitor can walk along paths and viewpoints opposite the Falls for over two-thirds of its length. In the afternoon a radiant double rainbow often rises from the depths of the gorge, spray and sun is almost guaranteed.

On the nights surrounding a full Moon, a lunar rainbow can be witnessed. The Victoria Falls are one of the few places where this natural phenomenon occurs regularly and can be witnessed with ease.

The town of Victoria Falls is still to this day a small tourist town, and whilst the waiters of the Victoria Falls Hotel – the ‘grand old lady of the Falls’ – serve


afternoon tea and scones each day in time honoured fashion, there is much more to explore and experience in this vibrant tourism hub.

ActivitiesThe numerous adventure activities on offer around the Falls have made it Africa’s self-proclaimed adrenaline capital.

The infamous rapids below the Falls offer some of the most fearsome white-water rafting in the world. Alternatively, take a short helicopter flight with the ‘Flight of Angels’ for unparalleled views. Upstream, the river can be enjoyed in more sedate style via ca-noe and kayak, on a bird-watching tour or a sunset cruise with complimentary drink in hand. Hippo and crocodiles provide a reminder, if any is needed, that swimming is not advisable!

Victoria Falls town is surrounded by National Park, and wildlife abounds. Upstream of the Falls the river attracts elephant, who cross its channels to gain access to the islands and their lush vegetation. Elephants are also partial to the well-watered gardens of the town’s suburbs, and night-time visits are not uncommon – the elephants having learnt that the sturdiest of walls soon tumble with a gentle push. In

fact they are occasionally known to walk down the high street in broad daylight!

Herds of buffalo roam the area and can often be seen crashing down to the permanent waterhole at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. Non-guests are welcome to visit the Lodge’s bar and viewing deck, with a daily vulture-feeding station and guided bush walks also available.

Antelope species include bushbuck (often found in the Victoria Falls rainforest and along the river), impala and kudu. One of the best ways to watch wildlife is on horse-back which will allow you to get amazingly close to even the most cautious animals.

The Falls and the surrounding area on both sides of the river have been declared National Parks and are protected as a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive commercialisation and develop-ment. It is often claimed that the Falls are unchanged since Livingstone first saw them, and whilst this is not strictly the case the Falls do retain a huge amount of their pristine nature. Long may it remain so. ■

Peter Roberts is a freelance researcher writer and author of ‘Sun, Steel and Spray – A history of the Victoria Falls Bridge’ (www.sunsteelandspray.com).

The Victoria Falls Bridge is a landmark almost as famous as its setting. This engineering marvel, built in 1905, soon became a popular tourism attraction in its own right, offering new and unique views of the Falls

building the bridgeThe contract for the manufacture and construction of the Victoria Falls Bridge was won by a British firm, and all the parts were manufactured in england before being shipped some 13,500 kilometres to the port of Beira in Mozambique. They were then transported on the newly constructed railway inland to the Victoria Falls.The bridge was then assembled simultaneously from both sides of the gorge, the parts for the northern side being transported across the river by means of an ingenious cableway system. The bridge arches were ready to be connected on the evening of 31st March 1905 – however the parts overlapped by about three centimetres, and the engineers had a nervous wait before they could try again. The following morning they found that the steelwork structure had contracted with the cooler overnight temperatures and the final sections dropped perfectly into place. Z

imba

bwe

Nat

iona

l A

rch

ives

Opposite from top: An aerial view of the bridge as it is today; early construction of the main arch; Guests gather for the official opening of the bridge on the 12 September 1905.

Above: High-wire adrenalin activities based from the Victoria Falls Bridge include a bungee jump, bungee swing and zip-line.


Despite suffering huge declines across much of Africa, Hwange’s lions are thriving and the Park is an important

stronghold for the species.

By Peter Roberts

Situated in the north-western corner of Zimbabwe, about 200 kilometres south of Victoria Falls (250 kilometres northwest of Bulawayo), and covering an area of more than 14,500 square kilometres, Hwange National Park is the country’s largest National Park and a haven for wildlife. The area supports over 100 larger mammals and more than 400 bird species.

Known as ‘Zimbabwe’s Kruger’, the visitor is likely to be rewarded with comparable wildlife viewing op-portunities, but without the crowds of its more famous cousin. Lack of tourist congestion means the Park can be explored at a more leisurely pace – and there is no need for speed-traps on Hwange’s broken tar and dirt roads! Indeed it is Hwange’s rather forgotten nature which makes it such an appealing and special place to explore.

The Park is part of a largely unfenced and unbound-ed region extending north to the Victoria Falls and west into neighbouring Botswana, and forming one of the largest and most important transfrontier conserva-tion areas in the world. This extensive wilderness is home to Africa’s largest population of elephants, and supports significant numbers of lion, wild dog, cheetah

and many other species of conservation concern.The Park has a rich cultural history: originally in-

habited by nomadic bushmen and home to iron-age cultures including the Nambya (descendants of the stone builders of Great Zimbabwe), the Park was also a royal hunting ground of the great Ndebele king, Mzilikazi.

The Park takes its name from Chief Wange, the dynastic title of the Nambya people. The Nambya, who traditionally inhabited its northern regions, have many sacred sites scattered within the boundaries of the reserve, including the remains of their old capital, the Bumbusi ruins, which date from the 1830s.

The old north road used by early European hunters and traders, avoiding Ndebele territory through which they required the king’s permission to travel, forms the eastern border of the park, and the international border between Zimbabwe and Botswana.

In these early days the wildlife did not escape the attentions of the big game hunters. During the late 1800s and early 1900s many hunted here, including Frederick Courteney Selous who favoured its northern areas. In 1873, whilst camped on the Dete Vlei near

Want to experience true ‘big game country’ where elephants roam free and lions rule – but without the crowds? Hwange National Park, one of Africa’s prime safari locations, is a lesser known gem that offers

all of this and more...

Hwange National Park

Phot

o: H

eiko

Wol

f

32 Hwange National Park 33

Zebra stallions fight for dominance, with head and neck wrestling and biting which can even lead to flailing and kicking. Kicking is also a useful defence when being chased by predators such as lion.

Photo: Heiko W

olf


Left: The agitated alarm calls of baboons during the dark of night can often reveal the

presence of leopard or other rarely seen hunters. The light of the full moon however

offers the advantage to the hunted.Above: A majestic sable bull desperate for water

as a rapidly drying waterhole turns to mud. every year with the seasons much of Hwange

suffers drought, with artificially pumped water holes the only relief for the Park’s wildlife.

Photo: Clyde Elgar Photo: Clyde Elgar


A herd of elephant kick up dust as they hasten to the water-hole. Hwange is

famed for its elephants, boasting a huge population which concentrates in the dry

season around the pumped pans in the north of the Park.

Phot

o: C

lyde

Elg

ar

38 Hwange National Park

today’s Sikumi Tree Lodge just outside the boundaries of the Park, Selous recorded the last white rhino to be seen in the area before their re-introduction to the Park in the 1960s. In fact much of the Park’s wildlife was hunted out before the area was finally gazetted as a game reserve in 1928. It was over two decades later, in 1949, that the National Parks Act upgraded Hwange to the status of a fully protected National Park.

Of the four public camps, all situated in the north-ern section of the Park, Main Camp is, not surprisingly, the largest and most easily accessible for the independ-ent traveller. In the northwest of the Park, Sinamatella, perched on a ridge with magnificent views across the plain below, and Robins and Nantwich Camps offer more remote but equally rewarding safari options.

The north-western Sinamatella section consists of an exposed basalt area, draining into the Deka river system, which holds perennial water and supports a different ecology to the majority of the Park. Much of the central and southern sector is an inaccessible wilderness and rarely visited.

To the east of Main Camp are several private safari

concessions. These exclusive camps provide luxury safari accommodation and professional guided tours in some of the most ecologically interesting sections of the Park and offer some of the best safari experi-ences in Africa.

A great way to discover Hwange is through special-ist walking safaris with a highly experienced guide. They will lead you on multi-day walks with overnight stops in temporary tented camps (with surprisingly high levels of comfort and catering). With every care given to respecting the natural surroundings, they will ensure that your footprints are the only trace you leave behind. Guided walks are particularly recommended in the Sinamatella region of the Park.

The landscape of the Park is dominated by Kalahari sand, blown in from Namibia and Botswana and blanketing much of the central and southern sections. The remnants of long east-west orientated sand dunes, stabilised by vegetation, run parallel to each other, some for over 25 kilometres. Here there are no perma-nent rivers or pans, only fossil drainage lines which have long since lost their waters. During the rains a

vast number of seasonal pans develop, hosting a wealth of birdlife.

This geography supports a complex mosaic of woodland habitats and open savannah; dense teak forest in the north gives way to grassland in the south. In between, open grassy vleis lined with acacia scrub lie alongside mopane wood-land and islands of palm trees.

If you fly from Johannesburg into Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls or Living-stone in Zambia you will fly over the Park, giving you the opportunity to view this distinctive landscape from above. The varying ecology of the landscape is illustrated by the different tree and bush species dominating the higher ridges of the dunes.

Movements of animals are governed by the annual rains and availability of water in a landscape which transforms with the season. During the hot summer rains between December and March the bush becomes thick with growth, surface water is abundant and the wild-life disperses over wide areas. Between the winter months of June and October the bush rapidly dries out and the few waterholes that remain become increas-ingly important focal points for thirsty animals.

Ted Davison, the visionary warden who oversaw the Park’s early develop-ment from its conception to the early 1960s, realised that water was the key factor governing animal populations in his new reserve. In 1939 the first bore-holes were sunk in order to feed what was to become a network of roughly 50 pumped pans providing artificial water points throughout the northern section of the Park.

Hwange is at its most alluring dur-ing the dry season when these pumped waterholes attract large concentrations of elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, kudu, roan, sable, impala and many other species. Never too far away will be the watching eyes of lion, leopard, cheetah or wild dog, waiting for the opportune moment to strike at the weak or unwary. The lions here are known to bring down elephant given the opportunity.

In 2005, a serious drought caused nearly all of the waterholes to dry up. Demand for water outstripped the rate at which it could be pumped, and des-perate scenes were witnessed as herds of elephant, buffalo and antelope, travel-

Photographic and Film Services

VICTORIA FALLSPRODUCTIONS

� Script Support and Research� On the Ground Logistics and Location Scouting � Professional Guiding � Filming, Fixing, Ground Handling � Private Clients, Groups and Events, incuding Weddings� Special Commissioned Projects

Cell: +263 712 616 874 Tel: + 263 13 406 79email: [email protected] www.vicfallsproductions.com

Specialising in Wildlife and NaturalHistory, Victoria Falls and Beyond

The Rainbow Towers Hotel provides the premier business environment to please the most discerning guest. Whether it is in its distinctive deluxe rooms, suites or conference facilities, The Rainbow Towers Hotel offers just the right ambience.

No. 1 Pennefather Avenue, Samora Machel Avenue West, P.O Box 10029, Harare, Zimbabwe

Tel: +263 (4) 772633-9, Fax: +263 (4) 772593,

Website: www.rtgafrica.com, Email; [email protected]

40 Hwange National Park

During the heat of the dry season a playful swim can bring much relief, although slippery slopes can prove tricky obstacles to youngsters.

ling long distances in search of water, arrived only to find dry or muddy pans. Thousands of animals are believed to have perished.

An independent charity, the Friends of Hwange, was established to assist National Parks in maintaining and pumping these waterholes throughout the year. This ensures that water levels are maintained throughout the dry season hopefully preventing a re-occurrence of the tragic drought.

Despite the appeal of game viewing during the dry season, Hwange has much to offer throughout the year. The summer rains transform the Park into a verdant landscape, and although game animals can be harder to find, a trip at this time of year can be equally rewarding, especially for the enthusiastic birdwatcher.

Shallow depressions become water-filled pans, supporting beautiful water-lilies and a multitude of wetland birds including ducks, grebes, waders and storks. Arid dusty plains are transformed into fields

of grassland, attracting an enormous influx of migrant and nomadic birds. Brilliantly coloured bee-eaters and rollers abound, providing a challenge for the photographer – approach slowly and they will watch you inquisitively, but point a camera in their direction and they almost always fly off to another bush!

Whatever your safari dream, Hwange can deliver. From lounging in luxury camps overlooking a wa-terhole; taking a back seat on your game drive whilst searching for the ‘Big Five’; or ‘roughing it’ in the bush on a walking safari. It is also a place which will demand you return, as many people do, time and time again, to explore and experience the wonder that is Hwange. ■

Peter Roberts is an ecologist and recently spent close to a year living and working in Hwange National Park assisting with the Oxford University supported Lion Research Project.

Experience this spectacular World Heritage Site with a company that epitomises the ‘Old Africa’ in a new era for today’s modern traveller. African Bush Camps proudly offer guests the opportunity to experience luxury tented accommodation in the untouched wilderness of Mana Pools through two differing perspectives. Kanga Camp is set in-land, an hour from the Zambezi River, and is nestled under the Mahogany and Mopane woodlands surrounding Kanga Pan. Teaming with wildlife, Kanga offers you unique and up-close-and-personal encounters with Africa’s most beautiful animals and birdlife. One of the main highlights on offer is ‘Kanga Under the Stars’ – open platforms allowing guests to sleep under the magnificent star-studded African sky surrounded by wildlife.Zambezi Lifestyles Camp is set-up alongside the river and offers guests the look and feel of a mobile safari but with the same luxury offered at a permanent camp. Offering a wide range of activities at both camps, guests are able to include canoeing, fishing and walking into their safari, tailoring it according to their interests.

MANA POOLS, ZAMBEZI RIVER | Kanga Camp | Zambezi Lifestyles Camp

Contact us at: +263 9 234 307 | [email protected] | www.africanbushcamps.com

Safari .Life. Experiences

Photo: Clyde Elgar


The granite outcrops of the Matobo Hills offer a chance to loose oneself in nature and thought.

Over half of Zimbabwe’s land surface is exposed granite, part of an ancient landmass containing some of the oldest rock formations in the world, eroded by the weather and passage of time. Nowhere is this more dramatically evident than in the Matobo Hills, 40 kil-ometres south of Zimbabwe’s second city, Bulawayo.

This 320,000 hectare World Heritage Site is a sur-real landscape; a giant’s playground of granite hills, with irregular blocks of rock precariously stacked on top of each other forming castle-like walls, and huge boulders balanced like great marbles waiting for a push to send them rolling downhill.

The erosive effects of wind and rain, of temperature changes, and repeated expansion and contraction over millions of years have caused stress fractures and faults in the volcanic rock shaping them in the most spectacular ways. The weird and wonderful forma-tions include large individual vertical rocks (known as inselbergs); castellated ridges, pillars and stacks; and large hump-backed domes (known as whalebacks or ‘dwalas’). Nowhere else in Zimbabwe, if not the world,

can one find such a concentration of these landforms.The landscape provides abundant natural shelters

that have long been associated with human occupa-tion. The area, described as one of the richest cultural landscapes on Earth, is one of the few sites in the world shown to have been inhabited continuously for over 40,000 years.

The Matobo Hills have one of the highest concen-trations of rock art in southern Africa – the caves, boulders and cliffs hosting fabulous rock art galleries depicting the bushmen artists, their hunter-gatherer lifestyles and the animals that shared their world.

Bambata Cave is of particular note, with its images of spear-carrying hunters and their prey, including several antelope species, zebra and giraffe. These bush-men left behind such a vibrant artistic legacy that it is hard to believe they are many thousands of years old.

It was the great Ndebele king Mzilikazi, coming to the area with his people during the first half of the 19th century, who nicknamed the bare domed rocks ‘Matobo’, ‘The Bald Heads’, after his ‘indunas’ (chiefs).

This breathtaking and timeless landscape of exposed granite outcrops – sculpted and shaped by the elements of nature to create an area of outstanding natural beauty – has enchanted Ndebele kings and

European visitors alike.

Matobo Hills


44 Matobo 45

Mzilikazi died in 1868 and was entombed in a cave in the Matobo Hills, its entrance sealed.

The Ndebele established their capital at Bulawayo and the Matobo Hills became a spiritual landscape of significant importance to them. They are still re-garded as sacred and contain shrines to Mwali, the god of their ancestors, where spiritual leaders petition for rain.

The Hills became a stronghold for Ndebele war-riors rebelling against the forces of white colonisation towards the end of the 19th century. It was the scene of the famous indaba between Ndebele leaders and Cecil Rhodes in 1896, to facilitate negotiations for a peaceful end to the rebellion.

Early missionaries who had trouble pronouncing Matobo introduced the names Matopo or Matopos, by which the area used to be widely known. Cecil Rhodes was so enchanted by the area that, at his request, he was buried there in 1902 atop a scenic hill known as ‘Malindidzimu’, ‘place of celestial spirits’, but which he called ‘The View of the World’.

The geography of the Matobo Hills creates a land-scape of highly varied habitats including caves and broken rock, wooded slopes, forest, grasslands, streams and river valleys. Within these habitats there is a great variety of flora and fauna. Of particular note are the high densities of predator species, especially raptors and leopards. The area is of considerable importance

for birds of prey, especially eagles, and includes the largest population of the endangered Verreaux’s (black) eagle to be found anywhere in the world. Other rap-tors include Wahlberg’s eagle, tawny eagle, secretary bird, snake eagle and peregrine falcon. The area also supports a wealth of other birdlife.

The Park is home to a variety of antelope species such as the agile klipspringer and elegant sable, as well as being home to Zimbabwe’s highest density of leopard and an abundance of reptiles.

Matobo National Park, although one of the coun-try’s smaller parks, has a rather special attraction: Rhino, both black and white, have been successfully reintroduced. Their historic presence in the area is

documented in the rock art of the area.The fenced, western sector of the park, known as

the Whovi, is the game viewing area of the Park. The must-do activity here is to hire the services of a professional guide and track rhino on foot, armed just with your camera – one of the most rewarding wildlife experiences in Africa and highly recommended.

The rhino are kept within an intensive protection area where they are monitored closely and guarded against poachers. Most of the animals have been de-horned to protect them from this menace.

The Matobo Hills offers a magical landscape full of interest and mystery. As with so many before you, one visit will leave you captivated. ■

Left: eroded by the elements and coloured by the setting sun, the balancing boulders of the Matobo Hills create a magical landscape.Above: The area has a rich human history with many caves hosting fine galleries of bushman rock art.

46 Matobo 47

The Zambezi ValleyLake Kariba not only dominates the land, but also the

skies, influencing local weather patterns. The Lake covers some 5,500 square kilometres and the shoreline is even

affected by tidal movementsPhoto: Tom Varley

48 The Zambezi Valley 49

Above: The fish eagle is common along most of the Zambezi and has made itself

at home along the fringes of the Lake, with ample fishing opportunities for this

specialist hunter. Left: Cheetah and other endangered

predators such as the African wild dog do well in the wilderness of the Mana

Pools National Park, where impala form a favoured prey.

Photo: Tom Varley Photo: Heiko Wolf


Buffalo often form large and intimidating herds, yet are often prey for lion. Here

this group’s excitement, probably at reaching water, has disturbed the

oxpeckers which hitch a ride, feeding off ticks and other insect pests.

Phot

o: C

lyde

Elg

ar


Stretching to the top, elephants can even rise up on their hind legs to reach their favoured browse.

The river here is of a very different nature to the con-stricted turbulent forces below the Victoria Falls. Now it has become a wide, shallow and meandering river, liberally sprinkled with sandbars and islands. It flows through a huge valley bordered by the dramatic Zambezi Escarpment which rises to over 1,000 metres from the valley floor.

Mana Pools National Park, together with the Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas, forms the core of a sub-stantial conservation area and unesco World Heritage Site. In 2010 the entire region, an area extending down from Lake Kariba and the Matusadona National Park and including Mana Pools, was declared a unesco Biosphere Reserve. And with good reason – this is wilderness at its wildest.

On the opposite side of the river lies Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, forming a contiguous transfrontier conservation area. Sadly the Zambian side is yet to receive protection under any unesco listing.

Protected by the Zambezi River to the north and the steep escarpment to the south, this remote region is home to large concentrations of elephant and buf-falo, sizeable populations of zebra, waterbuck, kudu and many other antelope species. Accompanying predators include lion, leopard, wild dog, hyena and the indomitable honey badger. The river is also no-table for its considerable number of hippopotamus and crocodile.

Resident and migratory birdlife is abundant with over 380 species recorded: African skimmers and rock pratincole nest on the sandbanks; carmine bee-eaters visit in the dry months to nest in colonies on the river banks; fish eagles and many species of egret, stork, heron and other wetland specialists are common; and rare treats include the elusive Pel’s fishing-owl and Livingstone’s flycatcher.

The elephant here are especially known for their relaxed nature, and are often found investigating the Park’s unfenced campsites, ambling past surprised

By Beks NdlovuPhotos by Heiko Wolf

Mana Pools National ParkFlowing onward from Kariba, through its now broad and

wide valley, the Zambezi River carries you towards a wildlife jewel – the legendary Mana Pools National Park, famous for its canoeing and walking safaris and where close encounters with

big game are commonplace.

54 Mana Pools National Park 55

campers and sometimes even pinching a treat. At night hyena prowl the bush – be warned, these opportunists will take whatever catches their fancy; a pair of leather boots left outside a tent is an irresistible favourite!

Mana Pools is famed for the extensive acacia wood-lands which grow on its floodplains. The trees’ seed-pods form a favourite food for elephant and buffalo and are a particularly valuable source of nourishment. The trees have a reverse foliage cycle meaning their leaves and seeds develop during the dry season, when food can be in short supply.

‘Mana’, in the Shona language, means ‘four’ and refers to the four large pools situated on the alluvial floodplain. The pools are former river channels which have been left isolated by its slow changing path and

hold water all year round. Long Pool is the largest of the four pools, extending some six kilometres in a west-east direction. The pool has a large population of hippo and crocodile and is a favourite of the large herds of elephant that come to drink.

Even this seemingly untouched wilderness has been influenced by man’s activities. The Kariba Dam has tamed and controlled the seasonal floods of the river which shaped and sculpted an ever-changing pattern of islands and sandbanks. Now these features have become more permanent with vegetation growth stabilising and protecting them from erosion.

From the beginning of the dry season (May/June), soon after the rains end and when food and water in the deep bush begins to dry out, large numbers of

animals begin to move towards the river margins to find sustenance. The Zambezi Valley bakes in the latter part of the season and by October, before the rains bring relief, Mana’s abundant wildlife is concentrated around the pools and river margins – offering fantastic chances for game viewing.

In addition to the regular game drive options, Mana is famed for the freedom to explore the bush on foot, recommended only for those with true bush experi-ence or in the company of a knowledgeable local guide. However, the river offers a third way to experience its wonders – via canoe. With due diligence given to hippo and crocodiles, a canoe safari can bring you closer to wildlife than you ever expected, past grazing elephants and buffalo, who take little notice as you

silently drift by.However you choose to experience Mana, you will

be left with unforgettable memories of the African bush – acacia thorn trees silhouetted against sunset skies; the deep grunting of hippo wallowing in the shallows; and lions lounging on the banks of the Zambezi, capturing the last rays of the sun and waiting patiently for the cloak of darkness to provide cover for the hunt. They all make Mana Pools one of Africa’s most incredible wilderness experiences. ■

Beks Ndlovu is a professional guide and owner of African Bush Camps (www.africanbushcamps.com), which oper-ate lodges and safari tours in Mana Pools and Hwange National Parks.

Above: Sunset on the Zambezi, with a careful eye out for the crocs!Right: Casual and relaxed, the elephants of Mana are known for their inquisitive and friendly nature, often strolling into camp sites and picnic spots.

56 Mana Pools National Park 57

The remains of drowned trees still stand in the shallow shores of the Lake. The changing levels of the Lake

can submerge or expose trunks, creating a hazard for unwary boat pilots.

Lake Kariba, at the time of its creation the largest man-made lake the world had ever seen, is almost 300 kilometres in length and more than 40 kilometres wide at its widest point. The dam was completed in the late 1950s and the little town, which developed haphazardly on the hills surrounding the gorge as the dam was being constructed, carries the same name. It is thought to derive from the word ‘Kariwa’ used by local Tonga people to describe a distinctive overhang-ing rock situated at the entrance to the narrow gorge where the dam was built.

The Lake has since become an attractive and popu-lar holiday destination – Zimbabwe’s ‘inland Riviera’. This vast expanse of water forms the boundary between Zimbabwe and Zambia; islands dot the surface – a picture-postcard blue against a stark backdrop of high mountain hills; its extensive and attractive shorelines home to large populations of wildlife. The ‘big sky sunsets’ over the Lake are legendary: the calm water turns to golden silk at dusk and the bare branches of its famous half-drowned trees are silhouetted against orange skies.

Kariba is a laid-back holiday playground with a wide choice of activities. Visitors, particularly families, can enjoy a hot, tropical climate with fantastic fishing, motorboating, sailing, water sports and use of house-

boats, while the wildlife and safari opportunities are second-to-none.

Most people visiting Kariba take a boat across the Lake for several days, stopping off at islands or in the tranquil bays and creeks on the Lake’s southern shore. One popular stopover is the Matusadona National Park. Here the abundance of wildlife includes all of the ‘Big Five’ mammals and a staggering variety of other animal life and waterbirds.

Fishing is excellent sport in Kariba’s waters. The magnificent tigerfish, endemic to the Zambezi River, is a thrilling catch for the avid angler and the focus of an International Tigerfishing Tournament held an-nually in Kariba every October. Various other species to catch, including several types of bream, make good eating. Bait is available from the boat harbours and fishing tackle can be hired, but it is advisable to bring your own if possible. Be especially careful when fishing or walking near the shoreline, and never swim in the Lake. Kariba has a very large population of crocodiles!

Kariba was the focus of the world’s attention in the early 1960s when Rupert Fothergill and his team undertook ‘Operation Noah’ – the world’s largest animal rescue attempt. An epic drama unfolded as the steadily rising waters of the new Lake Kariba engulfed the valley and animals of all shapes and sizes were

Lake KaribaAfter passing for over 100 kilometres through the Batoka Gorge, the river enters the middle Zambezi Valley. Blocked by the Kariba Dam,

the Zambezi forms another wonder – and one of the largest man-made lakes in the world – Lake Kariba.

By Sally Wynn

Photo: Tom Varley

58 Lake Kariba

rescued from the shrinking islands. In recent years, in the face of exceptionally high flood waters, rescue operations on a smaller scale have saved many animals from becoming stranded on islands and potentially dying of starvation as a result.

The sad reality of Kariba is that the Lake also dis-placed some 57,000 of the Zambezi Valley’s original inhabitants, the Tonga. They were evacuated from their ancestral lands, riverside fields and fishing grounds to a harsh new life in arid farmlands to the south.

The Tonga were convinced that Nyaminyami, their river god of the Zambezi, angry at the building of the dam, would one day wreak havoc and destroy the wall. They credit him with several attempts, including two major floods during the dam’s construction. These swells of the 1950s, and still the largest on record, suc-ceeded in breaching the coffer dam and setting back progress for many months. However, Nyaminyami’s wrath was eventually overcome and the wall has held

back the waters ever since.The legend of Nyaminyami has inspired art, sculp-

ture and crafts in the Kariba area. This provides a livelihood for local people who sell intricately carved wooden walking sticks depicting this snake-like river god. At the western end of the Lake, around the Binga area, traditional Tonga skills of woodcarving and bas-ket weaving have developed into thriving industries, providing tourists with perfect keepsakes of their visit to this incredible region. ■

Sally Wynn is founder and Director of Wild Zambezi (www.wildzambezi.com) which provides independent information and promotes travel opportunities to the wild areas of the Zambezi River and Kariba. She is also voluntary PRO for The Zambezi Society (www zamsoc.org) a non-profit organisation focused on conserving the Zambezi River’s valuable wildlife and wilderness resources.

The great semi-circular dam wall, 128 metres high and 25 metres thick at its base, holds back an estimated 150 billion tonnes of water. Such is the erosive force of the water released by the floodgates that they are rarely all opened at the same time as shown.

Photo: Clyde Elgar

60 Lake Kariba 61

The ruins of Great Zimbabwe hug the landscape and natural rock formations around which they are built.


This magnificent complex of walled ruins, the remains of a city that flourished for hundreds of years before its eventual decline, stand in silent testimony to the lost civilisation of the country’s ancestors. They have given rise to legends and inspired the awe and imagination of adventurers, travellers and indeed Zimbabweans themselves.

On top of the hill, a dry stone citadel is set amongst giant boulders overlooking the valley and offering remarkable panoramas. Below is an enclosure 250 metres in diameter with double walls up to 10 metres tall protecting a huge conical tower, smaller towers and many lesser enclosures linked by sunken passageways and walls. Every structure was built using a dry-stone technique – entirely without mortar – involving mil-lions of stones, each one supporting the other. Extend-ing across 270 hectares, they are the largest and most well preserved of over 150 such sites across the country and were declared a World Heritage Site in 1986.

The ruins became a powerful symbol during the liberation struggle, and gave their name to the country upon independence in 1980. The word ‘dzimbabwe’ is derived from the Shona words ‘dzimba dza ma-bwe’ meaning ‘houses of stone’. It is also where several beautifully carved soapstone bird statues were found. Adopted to become the new country’s national symbol,

one of these beautifully stylised sculptures can be seen at the site museum.

The hill attracted the first Iron Age settlers in the region in the eighth century and a growing community based on agriculture, cattle farming, and gold and iron mining developed. It was a natural stronghold, easy to defend and dominating the valley. The settle-ment became the capital of an extensive commercial kingdom, flourishing from the 11th century, when it is believed the first stone wall structures were built. Ruled by a succession of kings spanning four centuries, its influence spread throughout what is now Zimbabwe.

Its wealth, particularly gold, was traded through Arab trading posts on the East African coast to the Middle East and beyond to Asia. Fragments of Persian and Chinese pottery, traded in return, have been found at the site.

Great Zimbabwe was suddenly abandoned in the 15th century; its collapse into terminal decline is be-lieved to have been caused by overusing the natural resources it needed to sustain itself. It is thought the city was then simply abandoned over time as other centres developed and a new capital was established at Khami.

The area, known to the outside world only by legend for over 300 years, inspired myths and stories of great

The enigmatic ruins of Great Zimbabwe, the remains of an ancient city and thriving civilisation, are one of the most importance ancient

monuments in Africa, second only to the Egyptian pyramids in archaeological significance.

Great Zimbabwe

62 Great Zimbabwe 63

Narrow passageways and steps are squeezed between natural boulders and rock-forms.Left: The solid 10-metre high Conical Tower within the Great enclosure is one of the main features of the ruins, yet its purpose remains unknown.

wealth. By the time the Portuguese arrived in search of gold, Great Zimbabwe had already fallen into ruin. They heard tales of its citadels and fortresses, its im-mense wealth and far-reaching power and concluded that it must indeed be the Biblical kingdom of Ophir which they had been searching for.

Karl Mauch is credited with rediscovering the site in modern times, being the first to publish detailed descriptions of them. Hearing rumours of the lost ruins of a great civilisation, he set off on a personal quest to find them. He first saw the ruins in late 1871, record-ing: “I stumbled over masses of rubbles and parts of walls…dense thickets and big trees prevented me from gaining an overall view.”

Wild theories abounded. Mauch chose to believe, like the Portuguese, that these were the ruins of Ophir. Others believed that Great Zimbabwe was built by the Arabians, Egyptians or even the Greeks. It wasn’t until 1929 that archaeologist Gertrude Caton-Thompson categorically proved that Great Zimbabwe was built by black Africans.

Despite overwhelming evidence, colonial adminis-trations as late as the 1970s still denied that Africans could be the creators of this once great city, stemming from the blunt belief that structures of such complexity could not be the work of African hands.

The ruins are spread out over three main areas: the Hill Ruins, the Great Enclosure and the Valley Ruins,

a series of living ensembles scattered throughout the valley.

The ruins on the hill are the oldest and believed to have been the home of the king, his personal warriors and priests. It was in the east enclosure where several upright posts topped with delicately sculptured birds were found. The walls and structures hug the land-scape, with huge immovable boulders incorporated into their design.

The site’s biggest structure, the Great Enclosure, is a huge elliptical wall nine metres high and, in places, six metres thick, with a circumference of more than 250 metres. At the northwest entrance, where work build-ing the wall clearly began, the stonework is irregular

and uneven. As work progressed, in an anticlockwise direction, the stone is cut and laid with greater sym-metry and skill. It is estimated the wall contains more than one million granite bricks weighing 15,000 tonnes and took two centuries to complete.

The enclosure is dominated by a magnificent Conical tower, a solid stone structure rising more than 11 metres with a base circumference of five metres. Since the in-habitants left no written records – neither inscriptions nor documents – the tower’s purpose remains a mystery.

This is one of Zimbabwe’s wonders which has to be experienced if you want to understand the country, its history, its present and its people. You won’t be disappointed. ■

64 Great Zimbabwe 65

By Peter RobertsPhotos by Tom Varley

The Mutarazi Falls, the second highest waterfall in Africa, drops 760 metres into the Honde

Valley. The spray supports a rich flora and fauna in the area of the Falls.

eastern Highlands

Forming a natural barrier between Zimbabwe and Mozambique, this range of mountains is divided by dramatic valleys and gorges containing waterfalls, rivers and lakes.

With its refreshing mountain climate, the High-lands are the coolest parts of the country and receive the highest amount of rainfall, offering tourists a dramatic contrast to the hot and dry Zambezi Valley and the rest of the country. The region was compared to Scotland, although perhaps with better weather, by the early European pioneers who settled here.

The border town of Mutare, perched picturesquely amongst the hills and mountains, still has a strong colonial feel – its tree-lined streets flower in a blaze of colours – and is the provincial capital and focal point for the area. The region has a well developed road net-work making many areas of interest easily accessible.

The high rainfall supports the most southerly ex-tension of tropical rainforest in Africa, home to some rare and unusual wildlife including the blue duiker, southern Africa’s smallest antelope, and the Saman-go monkey. But the area is most widely known as a

birdwatcher’s paradise, providing the opportunity to discover a host of species endemic to this region.

The landscape of the Highlands varies greatly be-tween the gently rolling countryside of Nyanga in the north and the rugged granite of Chimanimani in the south. A rich agricultural area, much of the landscape is given over to plantations and commercial forestry. However, two National Parks (Nyanga and Chimanimani) and several protected reserves offer havens for wildlife.

The main attraction of the region is the fabulous scenery and beautiful landscapes, making this region a hiker’s wonderland. The absence of dangerous game allows visitors the opportunity to walk and explore with freedom, and leisure activities abound.

Many of the dams and lakes in the area are famous for their good trout and bass fishing, there are several excellent golf courses, fantastic horse riding trails and mountain hikes, as well as excellent rock climbing and abseiling for more specialist climbers.

There are three main tourism areas, each a destina-tion in its own right: the Nyanga National Park in the

On Zimbabwe’s eastern border, running some 300 kilometres from north to south, are the Eastern Highlands – a beautiful landscape of rolling hills and rugged mountains, national parks and secluded

holiday hideaways.

66 Eastern Highlands 67

Nyanga’s high plateau is the source of several rivers, including the Pungwe,

which drops from the escarpment in a series of waterfalls.

68 Eastern Highlands

north, Bvumba near Mutare, and the Chimanimani ranges in the south.

As an Eastern Highlands appetiser, here is a closer look at the Nyanga National Park.

Nyanga National ParkNyanga National Park lies in one of the most pictur-esque areas of Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands.

With a stunning landscape of hills, lakes, rivers and waterfalls, mountain meadows and forested slopes, Nyanga National Park provides the perfect recreational getaway and a place to rest and relax amongst nature’s rich bounty.

The Park includes Zimbabwe’s highest peak, Mount Nyangani (2,593 metres), which stands sentinel over a landscape sprinkled with numerous streams and waterfalls. The Mutarazi Falls, the second highest in Africa, drops 760 metres into the Honde Valley.

The varied altitude provides a cool and relatively temperate climate and supports a rich flora and fauna. At higher altitudes low scrub dominates with a large variety of herbaceous plants. On the eastern slopes, as well as in the steeper valleys, diverse tropical rainforests predominate, often shrouded in mist. Tree ferns in par-ticular are a very noticeable part of the Nyanga flora.

Nyanga National Park is not a big game park, al-though there are various antelope species and even leopard present. The African clawless otter can be found hunting along rivers and birdlife is abundant,

with many species to excite the enthusiastic bird-watcher. In the summer months the open grassland areas in the north of the Park are home to the highly endangered blue swallow which breeds here.

The core area of the Park was once the private estate of Cecil Rhodes who spent the last years of his life based here. The Park is one of the oldest in country, established at the bequest of Rhodes. His old home-stead, built in 1896 and overlooking the Nyanga Dam, is now the Rhodes Nyanga Hotel. The accompanying stable block houses a small and interesting local his-tory museum.

The central and western sections are the most devel-oped parts of the Park, with three rest camps and five dams offering a selection of recreational opportunities. Places of local interest include Bushman cave paintings and several significant archaeological sites.

The ruins and remains of many Iron Age agricul-tural settlements, dating from between the 15th and 17th centuries, are found throughout the region. They consist mainly of small homesteads and associated walled pit structures, thought to have been used as cattle-pens, as well as larger hill-top settlements re-ferred to as forts. Often associated with the ruins are extensive agricultural terracing and irrigation furrows.

As a taster for the Eastern Highlands the Nyanga National Park is but a starting point for your travels. The wider region offers much more to explore, and will reward any visitor to this unique part of the country. ■

STAY AT

Twin Room Double Room Family Room

Camping SiteParking space available

Swimming pool

ADVENTURE LODGE

Reservations [email protected]

www.adventurezonevicfalls.com

Telephone+263 13 44424 / 42051 / 42054

Photo Tours, Courses and Safaris in Southern AfricaSouth Africa · Zimbabwe · Namibia · Botswana · since 1995 · small groups · standard or customised programmes ·

Heiko Wolf Professional Photographer & Tour [email protected] · www.fotoafrika.com

foto afrika

photography& publications

for the travel and tourism industry

wolf photography & [email protected]

www.wolfphotography.com

The Discover series are high quality publications designed to show your destination off at its best.

They’re produced by an experienced team of writers, researchers and design professionals; who together, have over 80 years involvement in advertising, media and publishing.

The magazines are picture led. The emphasis is given to the photography, so the photos are carefully chosen. We pick the best images out of as many as 2500 originals. Then place them together for maximum impact.

The text is taken seriously. Facts are checked and cross-checked. Stories are researched and made as engaging as possible. And they’re written by people with first hand knowledge, so you’ll always get a true local flavour.

If you know a destination that deserves this much care and attention, call us on: +267 316 7480 or +44 1372 47 9898

Because we’ll work as hard as we can to make you look as good as you can.

Email: [email protected]

We’ll search through 2500 photographs to make you look as good as possible

OmanDiscover the Sultanate of

a p h O t O g r a p h i c j O u r n e y

2 0 1 1

F O u r t h e d i t i O n

DISCOVER ZIMBABWE

A PHOTO JOURNEY THROUGH ZIMBABWEVICTORIA FALLS, LAKE KARIBA, MANA POOLS, GREAT ZIMBABWE, EASTERN HIGHLANDS,

HWANGE NATIONAL PARK, MATOBO HILLS

NEW2012 discover botswana

a photographic journey 2011

okavango, selinda, maun, savute, boteti, central kalahari game reserve, northern tuli game reserve, culture and the arts, animals in action

Felicia munjaidiUnited KingdomMobile: +44 7930454099Email: [email protected]

monica LiuChinaMobile: +8613522515422Email: [email protected]

colleta beitchmanGermanyMobile: +496921995415Email: [email protected]

Ndaipanei mukwenaSouth AfricaMobile: +27723452586Email: [email protected]@yahoo.co.uk

evelyn chidyausikuUnited States of AmericaMobile:+1 212 486 3444 [email protected]

Tesa chikaponya: Executive Director Destination Marketing Mobile:+263 712 320 432 Email: [email protected]

Zimbabwe Tourism auTHoriTy rePreseNTaTive oFFiceswww.zimbabwetourism.net

Documents

Discover Zimbabwe 2012