Chronicle Editor
Zimbabwe has some of the best tourism attractions in Africa. It also has impressive accommodation facilities from five star hotels and lodges to smaller establishments like votels, those uniquely Zimbabwean village hotels in Matabeleland South. Below, we feature some of the attractions:
Victoria Falls
The majestic Victoria Falls is an obvious must do, must visit and must see destination. Victoria Falls town and resort boasts a multitude of activities which make it a great place to visit. Besides the roaring falls that stand before the raging Zambezi River which in themselves are the true reason for the visit, there are a number of other exhilarating activities that one can partake in.
Bungee jumping, white water rafting, abseiling and of course the luxurious river boat cruises are all available in one place.
Victoria Falls known as the “Smoke that thunders” in the local Tonga language, is the largest single curtain of falling water in the world and 70% of the exquisite views are seen from the Zimbabwe rain forest. The rain forest which has constant rain 24/7 from the never ending spray of the Falls, has unique ecosystem.
It is a botanists dream and bird lovers’ paradise. There are species here that don’t occur anywhere else, and our recommendation is to look just a little beyond the pathway and the numerous viewpoints. One of the beauties is that the area has not become over commercialised.
In fact, once you are standing by the Falls your view will not be much different to that of David Livingstone’s who first saw the Falls in 1855. Walking within the Falls is a couple of kilometres and it does get very hot.
Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park is the largest and most popular park in Zimbabwe. It offers excellent wildlife viewing, and most big safari animals can be seen, including the Big Five.
Hwange is most known for the impressive concentration of elephant that are attracted to the park’s waterholes during the dry season.
Hwange is well known too for its bird watching, the best time to visit for birdwatching is from November to April as migratory birds return from Europe and Northern Africa.
As one of the best-kept game parks on the continent, Hwange offers an experience like no other, from walking safaris to exciting game drives.
Visitors can look forward to a private and secluded safari in a pristine environment. Whether you take a day trip to Hwange or spend whole week here, you can be sure of a memorable African Wildlife Experience!
Khami
Khami is dominated by a series of terraced stone ruins, often highly decorated. The largest comprises of three, tiered platforms that was the home of the King and his family. The imposing front façade marked the main entrance.
Nearby are the Cross Ruin with its mysterious stone Dominican Cross and the Northern Platform once used to process gold. The Precipice Ruin was a ritual centre that has the longest decorated stonewall of its kind.
The nearby Passage Ruin consists of two adjoining semicircular platforms accessed by a narrow passageway.
Like many of the other smaller platforms, it is likely that it was once occupied by one of the elite officials of the state.
Visitors are able to wander around the site on several paths taking in the site’s unique cultural and natural heritage. It makes a perfect day out for visitors looking to gain a sense of Zimbabwean history.
Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area
It is a wealth of wild life and scenery and its cultural, historical assets has the potential to become a major new southern African Tourist destination.
It is situated at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers and it measures 5909 square kilometres. The park boasts a range of cultural and natural history activities. Cul-tural history activities include The Lost City at Mapungubwe Hill, a range of Heritage Tours, an interpretation centre and a number of heritage routes and trails.
Wildlife tourism includes game drives, a number of tented, caravan and bush camps, as well as picnic sites across the park. Adventure tourism activities are also being introduced, including the annual Tour de Tuli, which is attended by cyclists from across the world, and offering participants a chance to visit all three countries while cycling through wild areas.
Great Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe monument is a Unesco World Heritage Site, it’s full of history and provides a perfect day out for visitors in Zimbabwe. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe during the country’s Late Iron Age.
Great Zimbabwe served as a royal palace for the Zimbabwean monarch and was used as the seat of political power. One of its most prominent features were the walls, some of which were over five metres high and which were constructed without mortar.
There are 200 such sites in southern Africa, such as Bumbusi in Zimbabwe and Manyikeni in Mozambique, with monumental, mortarless walls but none as large and intact as those of Great Zimbabwe. – Zimbabwe Tourism Authority/Chronicle Reporter
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