Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
INSPIRED by the breath-taking view of the sunset and the barren splendour of natural surroundings, Beitbridge businessman, Mr Roy “Cooper” Muleya decided to transform his three-bedroomed farmhouse into a world class tourism facility, which fully embraces the environment.
Perched on a hill overlooking a picturesque rugged landscape dotted with shrubby Mopane trees in the Mazunga forests, about 50km west of the bustling border town of Beitbridge in Matabeleland South province, Zebra Hilltop Lodge is a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The lodge is not very far from Zhovhe Dam and the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), a vast safari land jointly owned by Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana.
The luxurious facility is an example of how Zimbabweans are embracing the New Dispensation’s vision of turning the entire country into tourism spots where the country’s rich culture and stunning natural vistas can be shared with the world.
With unique architecture and timeless interior designs, the wooden modular self-contained chalets are elegantly designed and fully furnished with quality appliances. The lodge, which is reminiscent of a classic alpine chalet, boasts of bedrooms with ensuite facilities, rooms with double and twin beds, trendy kitchens with fridges and stoves and living rooms.
The master suites in particular come with private dressing rooms and afford long views across the gardens from the bay window.
There is also solar powered running water and electricity and a back-up generator in the event of power outages.
The 40-roomed lodge, which can accommodate up to 100 guests, is an impeccable work of art, bringing together the best of both worlds in a private and verdant setting deep in the bush where you wake up to the birds chirping sounds.
The rooms are undeniably luxurious and spacious with elegant décor that creates a warm, welcoming look.
The scenery outside is refreshing coupled with an ample space for outdoor sporting activities such as bushwalks, hiking and quadbikes.
Most of the material used in the construction of the lodge was imported. The designs were used to explore architectural ideas that dovetail with the concerns of art.
The bathrooms are fitted with a Paris basin, a reproduction of a 20th-century French fireclay design, chosen to suit the size of the room.
Some of the bathrooms have frameless glass screens that prevent water splashing from the shower area, allowing the beauty of the book-matched Carrara marble wall to be enjoyed.
The interior space is connected to the timber clad exterior through the large windows and skylights, allowing you to interact with nature intimately.
Mr Muleya said he opted to construct his lodge using the wooden modular style following a holiday trip to Maldives.
“I was actually charmed by the vast open spaces, biodiversity of wildlife, majestic sunset and the tranquillity to turn my farmhouse into a lodge. I embraced the wooden modular style lodges following my holiday trip to Maldives,” he said.
“In addition to being recyclable and biodegradable, wood is also a source of energy that allows for good insulation, not to mention conservation and sustainability-friendly design.”
Mr Muleya said the timber, which was used in the construction of the chalets was sourced from Lupane.
“When we built our farmhouse, we wanted it to be far from farm where there was privacy. However, soon after constructing our three bedroomed farmhouse on a hilltop, we realised that the view of sunset was amazing,” he said.
“We could see a lot of zebras among other game from the farmhouse and that is when we realised that this place has potential for tourism. We thought it would be an ideal place where people can visit and enjoy the beauty of the place hence we decided to transform it into a lodge.” The name of the lodge is derived from his totem (Muleya/Dube).
“In addition to that there are a lot of zebras in this area and again the lodge is situated on a hill, which is the reason we named it Zebra Hilltop Lodge,” said Mr Muleya.
He said they expect to benefit from the ongoing modernisation of Beitbridge Border Post which is likely to result in an influx of international travellers passing through the modern border town.
“We are also targeting international travellers that ply this route given that Beitbridge is one of the busiest inland ports of entry in sub-Saharan Africa. With the ongoing modernisation of the border post, there will be an increased volume of traffic passing through and to us it’s an opportunity to tap into the international market,” said Mr Muleya.
He said plans are underway to introduce excursions to Greater Mapungubwe TFCA.
“We also want to tap into the international market by introducing excursions to Greater Mapungubwe where people can be able to see dinosaur fossils and the abundance of wildlife in surrounding tourist facilities.
“We are also targeting domestic market particularly during this time of Covid-19 when the industry is highly driven by locals,” said Mr Muleya.
“We also have a lot of people coming here to do research on conservation issues within this region and this is precisely the reason why we have self-catering facilities. We want to tap into that market because they usually stay longer while doing their research.”
Mr Muleya said the project is being implemented in phases with most of the work complete ahead of official opening in December.
“Construction of the lodge started five years ago and we are doing this project in phases and when its fully complete there will be 50 individual units. This is also going to be a place for events such as weddings, conventions and conferences as we can accommodate up to 700 delegate,” he said.
Mr Muleya said the long-term plan was to have a harbour at Zhovhe Dam for clients’ boat cruises.
“There is also going to be a 9-hole golf course and an Olympic size swimming pool,” he said.
There are also spacious camping sites where families can enjoy the intimate bush experience.-@mashnets
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