Online Reporter
Liberty Dube
Tourism Correspondent
WHEN the world gathers in Manicaland for the upcoming Sanganai/Hlanganani/Khumbanayi World Tourism Expo from September 10 to 12, much of the spotlight will naturally fall on the province’s celebrated treasures which include the majestic Mutarazi Falls and Zipline, the mystical Nyanga Mountains, the serene Nyangombe Falls, the scenic Vumba Mountains and the winding beauty of Christmas Pass.
Yet beyond these familiar attractions lie two of Manicaland’s most intriguing secrets, which are Diana’s Vow Rock Art Site in Rusape and Muromo Rock Art Site in Zimunya.
For a discerning traveller seeking an experience that goes beyond the ordinary, these sites are, not just stops on an itinerary, but they are living galleries, silent storytellers of Zimbabwe’s ancient past, and testaments to the creativity of societies that thrived thousands of years ago.
Diana’s Vow — Rusape’s ancient canvas
Just 20 kilometres along the Rusape–Nyanga Highway rests Diana’s Vow, a remarkable rock art site that has earned its place as a national monument.
Unlike many rock paintings hidden in remote caves or perched high on inaccessible cliffs, Diana’s Vow rests comfortably on a large overhang boulder at ground level, inviting visitors to walk straight into history.
The paintings are a fascinating blend of human and animal figures, intricately detailed with white pigment dots and stripes that hint at ritual, identity, and storytelling.
The central friezes of human figures march across the stone in rhythmic harmony, offering a window into how the San people once perceived their world.
To stand before Diana’s Vow is to stand before adialogue between humanity and nature, rendered in ochre and white.
It is art that is at once beautiful and deeply spiritual.
It is a cultural inheritance that continues to inspire awe among those who take the time to explore it.
Muromo Rock Art — A labyrinth of mystery
On the other side of the province, along the Mutare — Chimanimani Highway, lies the equally striking Muromo Rock Art Site, nestled within Muromo Farm in Zimunya. Declared a national monument, this site captivates with one of the most intricate and puzzling rock paintings in Zimbabwe.
Its dominant feature is a maze-like design, a complex pattern that invites speculation.
Was it a spiritual symbol, a map, or perhaps a representation of the cycles of life? Scholars continue to debate its meaning, and therein lies its magic as visitors are invited to interpret, to wonder, to connect.
Unlike waterfalls or mountain ranges, whose grandeur overwhelms with scale, Muromo Rock Art fascinates through intimacy and mystery.
Each line, each curve, is a question waiting to be answered.
Why Rock art matters?
Rock art in Zimbabwe is a reflection of the society that created it, a visual archive of values, beliefs, and ways of life.
These works reveal the spiritual practices of early communities, their relationship with animals, their rituals, and their cosmology.
Across the world, travellers are increasingly drawn to such sites. From the Lascaux Caves in France to the Bhimbetka rock shelters in India, from the Tassili n’Ajjer in Algeria to Australia’s Kakadu National Park, rock art has become a magnet for cultural tourism.
Visitors marvel, not only at the artistry, but also at the chance to connect with the shared human story written in stone.
Diana’s Vow and Muromo stand shoulder to shoulder with these world-class attractions.
They are part of Zimbabwe’s contribution to the global heritage of rock art, and Manicaland is privileged to host both of them.
