Although a small land locked country, Zimbabwe has something to offer for everyone: active adventurers, outdoor enthusiasts and those with an exquisite eye for beauty alike.
Victoria Falls is indeed one the world’s greatest geographical sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The two mile wide curtain of water plunges into Zambezi Gorge creating a ‘smoke that thunders’ and rises almost 500m skyward. A sight not to be missed.
With a number of national parks wildlife in Zimbabwe flourishes all year round. Walk with the lions and watch them roam freely amongst the hippo, buffalo, crocodiles and elephants, or observe the leopards, zebras, monkeys and rhino (black and white) from atop an elephant or within a canoe. Some of the finest canoe safaris in Africa take place at Mana Pools.
The Matobo Hills are a profusion of densely packed granite landforms, creating a sea of hills. The Mwari religion, which is still practised in the area and may date back to as far as the Iron Age, is the most powerful oracular religion in Southern Africa. The Matobo rocks are seen as the seat of God and ancestral spirits.
Great Zimbabwe, the country’s capital during the Iron Age (1100-1450), is home to the UNESCO world heritage site of The Great Zimbabwe Ruins. Beautifully set at the head of the Mutirikiwi River, in a lush and flourishing valley, the ruins spread over 722-ha. Here, men moulded structures around existing granite outcrops and balancing boulders.
As a result of the social and political woes in Zimbabwe over the past decade or so, together with the economy in a fragile state, many potential travellers have been deterred from visiting Zimbabwe and experiencing some of the most breath-taking scenery and first-class safaris in Africa. However, the country’s reputation for stability is improving rapidly and tourism in Zimbabwe is flourishing once more.