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Travel with Peter Matika
IN the heart of southern Africa, land-locked Zimbabwe is a vibrant country with dramatic landscapes, impressive national parks and welcoming people. It is one of the best if not the best countries that offer magnificent safari experiences.
Home to abundant wildlife, top-of-the-range guides and luxurious lodges, Zimbabwe possesses all the perfect elements for the ultimate safari holiday.
Topping the list is the majestic Victoria Falls, which also now boasts of a new international airport and is now able to accommodate larger wide-bodied aircraft, potentially increasing travel options with direct flights.
A large number of lodges are opening across the country and a convenient univisa for access to both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
All of this bodes well for Zimbabwe to be idolised as a superb safari destination. Zimbabwe is bordered by two rivers, the Zambezi to the north and the Limpopo to the south.
In between is an inland plateau filled with kopjes (granite outcrops), beautiful national parks, rugged mountains and lush forests. There is a huge variety of things to see and with relatively few visitors and no mass tourism, plenty of opportunity to find peace and quiet.
A Zimbabwe safari can be exceedingly varied. You can go on a game drive in Hwange National Park, take a canoe safari or a walking safari in Mana Pools National Park, fly over Victoria Falls on a Flight of Angels or view the granite boulders and rock art in Matobo Hills National Park. For many visitors, a trip to Victoria Falls (Mosi-ao-Tunya — the Smoke that Thunders) is a highlight of their time in Zimbabwe.
Focusing on the majestic Victoria Falls, it has serene lovely scenes that must be seen from above.
‘‘Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by Angels in their flight’’ was the often-quoted note that David Livingstone made when he first saw this breathtaking waterfall.
Victoria Falls was formed where the Zambezi drops 100m into a narrow gorge. During the wet season over 5 million cubic metres of water cascade over the falls every minute. From the road, you can hear the roar of the water and see the spray of this immense waterfall rising up towards the sky as you approach.
Situated in a small town on the southern side of the falls, just across the river from the Zambian town of Livingstone, Victoria Falls is a crossroads for travellers who can participate in the many adventurous activities on offer, besides marveling at the waterfall.
These include enchanting sightseeing flights over the falls, called The Flight of Angels, which can be done by helicopter.
Those seeking further adrenaline pumping excitement can bungee-jump over the mighty Zambezi, zip-wire or gorge-swing across its vast width, canoe among its hippos and crocodiles, or raft down it on one of the world’s toughest stretches of white water.
Online Reporter