Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube in Masvingo
HARDLY 25 kilometres south-east of Masvingo lies one of the ancient landmarks, the Great Zimbabwe.
It is a national monument that was proclaimed in 1937 and enlisted a World Heritage Site in 1986.
Great Zimbabwe was built over four centuries between 1150AD and 1500AD by the Rozwi State and is is the largest of the several stone wall structures that are scattered across Central and Southern Africa.
In the country, the monument, situated in the mountains and valleys in Chief Mugabe area, Great Zimbabwe is one of the heritage sites that are the country’s tourism draw cards together with Khami Ruins outside Bulawayo, Matopo Hills also outside Bulawayo, Mana Pools in Mashonaland West and Victoria Falls.
While some may say there is nothing new in visiting Great Zimbabwe, there are parts and history of the monument that are yet to be explored and remain untapped as a tourism resource making it a real hidden gem within the old existing attraction.
Great Zimbabwe was the last Shona kingdom, and its history links with others in eastern Botswana known as Domboshova, Tulamela, Mapungubwe in South Africa and another on the border with Mozambique.
The Great Zimbabwe monuments are accessible from Masvingo city direction and are a walkable distance from Great Zimbabwe Hotel.
The smooth tarred road makes it accessible both for self drives and guided tourists.
For those used to visiting other places like Hwange, Matopos, Victoria Falls and Mana Pools where the sight of wildlife is synonymous to the attraction, at Great Zimbabwe one is welcomed by a small tribe of monkeys whose actions are driven by desire for food left overs.
A herd of cattle within the valley probably completes the story that Great Zimbabwe was as a state.
The monument comprises a Museum which houses six stone Zimbabwe birds, one is a replica, and several artifacts.
The great enclosure lies in the valley with the Shona village on the eastern side and spirit mediums huts on the southern side.
To the north is the hill complex with an ancient ascent that gives a sharp steep up the hill for adrenalin and fun lovers and modern ascent routes for softies.
It is an exhilarating experience to climb up the hill to the hill complex which was the king’s residence from where one can have a clear view of the valley, surrounding mountains and the giant Lake Mutirikwi.
Up the hill complex lies lots of untold stories in the closed tunnel, the several layers of ancient huts, each depicting a reign of each of the kings as his huts were destroyed after his death with new ones erected on top of the rubble, said tour guide Mr Champion Ndigunei.
The hidden tunnels remain a mystery and give an opportunity for archaeological research in as much as they are a huge potential for tourism over and above the grand Great Zimbabwe.
The stone structures still stand, a testament of the skills by the builders, hence the monument remains a major attraction for tourists and as an education resource centre, especially the mass grave where Allan Wilson and his troops were buried before being exhumed to Matopo Hills in 1904.
Some tunnels lead nowhere as they were constructed as a security measure so that if an enemy intruded, they would not reach the king, it was learnt.
While the modern world uses technology for communication, on top of the hill is a cave which the Rozvi people used for communication as one call out from inside and the echoes from the voice cuts across the valley.
It is all these mysteries that make the Great Zimbabwe still stand tall as a major tourist attraction.
Only the Egyptian pyramids can beat the stone structures at Great Zimbabwe.
“Many huts were built in the hill complex which was the king’s residence. When a king died, all the huts were leveled and new ones built. There is a sacred place in the hill complex where rituals were done and a site that was used as a high court,” said Mr Ndigunei.
With accessible roads from Masvingo city and Lake Mutirikwi side, several hotels and lodges around the Great Zimbabwe is really accessible and welcoming for tourists.
The visit to the monument was part of the pre-tours ahead of the 17th edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo that starts Thursday at the Zimbabwe Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo.
The expo is an important platform for local tourism operators, especially small and medium enterprises to interact with the world to grow their businesses, and as part of the expo, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority brings in buyers and markets who comprise travel agents and journalists and takes them on a tour of facilities and activities to have an appreciation of the tourism resource to market domestic tourism and help promote the brand Zimbabwe initiative.
-@ncubeleon
Online Reporter