Zimbabwe: Things to see and do

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe's second largest city, is a major commercial, industrial and tourist centre. The city is rich in historical associations and is the home of the National Museum. Nearby are the ancient Khami Ruins, while to the south is the Rhodes Matopos National Park, notable for its exotic formations of huge granite boulders. Dams with excellent fishing, caves with rock paintings, Cecil Rhodes' grave and a well-stocked game park make this area popular with visitors.

Canoeing safari

Apart from the traditional way of driving along the parks' game viewing roads, canoeing and boat safaris are popular alternatives. At Lake Kariba, which has abundant elephant, buffalo, rhino and smaller game living on its banks, boats can be hired for a day or for over a week. Canoeing safaris ranging from three to 10 days are especially popular between April and November along the Zambezi River past the Mana Pools flood plains.

Eastern Highlands

The string of mountains and the lush countryside in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands, which form a natural border with neighbouring Mozambique, are particularly sought after by walkers and trekkers. Climbing Zimbabwe's highest mountain, Mt Nyangani, takes around one hour 30 minutes. The World's View offers a panoramic view across northern Zimbabwe. From here, a steep footpath leads to the road to Nyanga village with its English gardens, village common and church.

Freshwater fishing

Zimbabwe offers excellent freshwater fishing, the best locations being Lake Kariba (famous for its tigerfish), the Zambezi River above the Victoria Falls (known for its giant catfish), the streams of the Eastern Highlands and the many lakes.

Great Zimbabwe National Monument

A holiday in Zimbabwe would be incomplete without a visit to the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, the largest complex of ruins in Africa south of the pyramids in Egypt. The Main Enclosure, or Temple, has walls over 9m tall, 4m thick and over 228m in circumference, giving approximately 485 521 cubic metres of hand-trimmed mortarless stonework. The remains are what is left of a city-state that flourished between the 13th and 15th centuries, trading in gold. Lake Kyle National Park is not far away; there is a well-organised campsite close to the lake.

Harare

Harare, the capital, is Zimbabwe's commercial and industrial centre and also the usual starting point for any visit. It is a clean and sophisticated city, characterised by flowering trees, colourful parks and contemporary architecture. Local sightseeing includes the modern museum and art gallery, the Robert McIlwaine Recreational Park, which has a lake and game reserve, the Lion and Cheetah Park, the Larvon Bird Gardens and the landscaped gardens of aloes and cycads at Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens. Due to its pleasant climate, Harare is known as the “Sunshine City”.

Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park, Hwange National Park is one of Zimbabwe's largest parks, both in size, 14 620 sq km and in the variety of animals and birds that may be seen. Hwange is one of the last of the great elephant sanctuaries in Africa, with over 40 000 living in the national park.

Lake Kariba

Situated in the northwest of the country on the Zambian border, Lake Kariba covers 7 770 sq km and holds a million gallons of water. Game can be viewed from the comfort of various safari camps, or from well-appointed cruise vessels and self-contained safari-crafts.

Mana Pools National Park

Mana Pools National Park is one of Zimbabwe's most beautiful national parks, occupying 2 196 sq km of forest along the shores of the Zambezi River. The animal population includes hippo, elephant, rhino, buffalo and many types of antelope. Game-viewing on foot is allowed. The birdlife along the river and in the bush is particularly prolific. It is possible to fish for tigerfish, bream and the giant vundu.

Victoria Falls

Made known to the wider world by the famous British explorer David Livingstone in 1855, the Victoria Falls, which form0 a natural border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, are one of Africa's best-known natural wonders and one of the world's most impressive waterfalls. The falls, which Livingstone named after Queen Victoria, were known to native Kololo tribes in the 18th century as Mosioa-Tunya, meaning “the smoke that thunders”, and the spray that they generate can be seen for miles around. The cascade is formed as the calm, 2kmwide Zambezi River spills out of a flat basalt lip and plunges into the gorge below. At their highest, the Victoria Falls drop a distance of 108m, almost twice as far as the Niagara Falls.