Zimbabwe Z
emerging Introducing
BY DAVID READING
GENERAL INFO Capital: Harare
Languages: English, Shona, Ndebele Time Zone: + 2 hours Visas: Single entry US$55.00 - Double Entry US$70.00 Curency: USD $ (£1 = $1.52) Cilmate: Tropical or moderate by altitude; rainy Nov-March. Useful contacts:
zimbabwetourism.net talkingstickmktg.com Talking Stick represents a range of products including: Africa Albida Tourism, The Amalinda Collection, Bumi Hills Safari Lodge, Shearwater Adventures,Wild Frontiers Zimbabwe
BOOK IT 2by2 Holidays’
Zimbabwe: Bulawayo, Hwange and Victoria Falls package is from £2,975pp for November 15-24, 2013. Includes game drives, Zambezi cruise and accommodation in four resorts.
2by2holidays.co.uk
GETTING THERE
emirates.com;
batraveltrade.com;
KLM.com;
Flysaa.com
imbabwe – a landlocked country in Southern Africa – was once a land
of blissful wealth with a healthy tourism sector. For many reasons, the last de- cade or so has not been good to Zimbabwe, but despite this the tourism industry has remained mostly resilient. However, since the country
moved to the US dollar economy, international tourism has been steadily increasing. Sadly, however, UK visitors – who once comprised around 25% of all arrivals – remain at a relatively low level, due mainly to negative perceptions of the country. It was against this backdrop that I undertook a three-week visit to the country – to see it for myself and to try to understand why the UK market is hesitant when it comes to returning to Zimbabwe. As things stand, the most
visited area of Zimbabwe is the western side around Victoria Falls. Mana Pools and Lake Kariba come a close second. I chose the western side for my trip. I fl ew into Harare with Emirates, (subsequently KLM and Air France have introduced a service, hoping to capitalise on the expected visitor boom). I
32 April 2013
then took the new luxury coach service ‘Pathfi nder’ to Bulawayo. The service continues through
to Victoria Falls, but I chose to drive to the iconic natural landmark. My plan was to use some of the local transport and combine with a self-drive – a fantastic way to see the country. The roads are good, very safe and the fuel is plentiful!
Adventure capital Victoria Falls is one of Africa’s
adventure capitals and from here visitors can participate in a whole variety of activities. I joined up with Shearwater Victoria Falls, a company specialising in activities such as game drives, bridge activities, rafting, helicopter trips and sunset cruises. As for many visitors, the adrenaline activities were a big highlight for me; rafting gives participants the opportunity to experience the Batoka Gorge as well as the mighty rapids of the Zambezi River. The breathtaking Victoria Falls Safari Lodge remains the fl agship property in Victoria Falls. A hotel highlight is the Buffalo Bar which overlooks a waterhole that attracts a large amount of wildlife to drink.
www.sellinglonghaul.com
The Boma is the ‘place of eating’ and offers visitors a true taste of African culture and traditional foods. A recent addition to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge is the Victoria Falls Safari Club, which comprises 20 club rooms with a private check-in, high tea, butler service and a ‘club lounge’.
Room with a view My return journey on the
Pathfi nder bus to Hwange National Park, from Victoria Falls, was stress free. I stayed at Ivory Safari Lodge, which is part of the Amalinda Collection. It offers a combination of tree- house rooms and suites. A truly unique experience is
to look over the lodge’s water hole, where 300 elephant and sometimes herds of more than 350 buffalo arrive to quench their thirst. My trip ended at Camp Amalinda in the Matopos. This area offers a mixed experience of wildlife and culture and is one of the best places to view bushmen paintings in Africa. An expert guide adds much
to the whole experience and mine, Paul Hubbard, was quite exceptional. He described each painting and explained the
Left to right: Camp Amalinda room; Buffalo at sunset; Infi nity
pool, Camp Amalinda; An elephant drops by Ivory Safari Lodge;
Accommodation at Ivory Safari Lodge.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68