Zimbabwe, A True African Jewel

An African Jewel located in the heart of Southern Region of Africa, Zimbabwe is bordered by Botswana to the West, Mozam­bique to the east, South Africa to the south and Zambia to the north. It is renowned for its numerous internationally acclaimed tourist destinations that offer site seeing, game and bird viewing, camping, sporting such as white-water rafting and bungie jumping, hunting, fishing and boat cruising. Wildlife in Zimbabwe flourishes and the country offers unforgettable moments as it provides some of the finest safaris and hotels in Af­rica.

Over and above the unique flora and fauna, the ancient historical monuments, the scenic views, Zimbabwe’s na­tional treasures are reputed to be its hospitable and friend­ly people.A few of the world-class tourist destinations include:

Victoria Falls

The 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 one of Africa’s most scenic and enchanting sites. On seeing the falls for the first time, the great British explorer, David Livingstone wrote “No one can imagine the beauty of the view from any­thing witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes, but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight” (Livingstone 1857).

Victoria Falls town is surrounded by National Parks and wildlife areas. This is what makes it such a unique and wonderful place, man and animal do co-exist here.

Hwange National Park

Wildlife is the very essence of Zimbabwe’s tourism. Hwange National Park south of the Victoria Falls is Zim­babwe’s largest game reserve with over 100 animal species and more than 400 types of birds. In this vast game are some of the largest herds of African elephants and buffa­lo on the continent. Hwange National Park is also home to other members of the Big Five, namely, Lions, Rhino and Leopard.

Zimbabwe also hosts more than 10 other smaller but equally significant National Parks that include a World Heritage Site, Mana Pools.

Lake Kariba

Lake Kariba is the Largest man-made lake in Africa and one of the largest in the world. The Kariba dam wall is an impressive unit built across the Zambezi River, provid­ing a bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Kariba is a small and spread-out resort town which is the starting point for tourism activities centred on the lake.

Eastern Highlands

The Eastern Highlands, along the Zimbabwe border with Mozambique, is noted for its scenic beauty. The main gateway to the region is Mutare, a city that lies cupped within the mountains. A short drive away is the scenic Vumba, an area of ancient forest, sub-tropic plants and arrays of ferns and flower gardens at the Vumba Botanic Gardens. North of Mutare is Nyanga, a region of moun­tains, waterfalls and trout streams. To the south of the city beyond the Vumba mountains are the Chimanimani Mountains and waterfalls as well.Cool temperatures are usual in Nyanga with summer temperature around 26 de­grees Celsius and winter cold temperatures of -3 degrees Celsius.These are complimented by a wet summer.

Great Zimbabwe Ruins

Twenty-eight (28) kilometres south of Masvingo is a national monument of renown, The Great Zimbabwe Ruins. The Great Zimbabwe Ruins are the largest ancient buildings in Africa outside the Egyptian pyramids. They were declared a World Heritage site in 1986. Great Zim­babwe was the heart of a thriving trading empire know as the Kingdom of Mutapa or the Mutapa Empire from the 11th to the 15th centuries. The country’s name Zimbabwe, was in fact derived from the ruins who’s name “Dzimba Dzemahwe” is a literal Shona term meaning “Houses of Stone.”

The following airlines fly direct into Zimbabwe: Ethi­opian Airlines, Rwanda Air, South African Airways and Emirates.

For more details on tourism in Zimbabwe please visit https://www.zimbabwetourism.net/

You can also consult via the Embassy’s email address: zimabuja@yahoo.co.uk