Introduction to Zimbabwe

Most people are familiar with brilliant photographs of the iconic Victoria Falls, but few know of the cool mists and tumbling streams in the Vumba and Chimanimani Mountains, or the chain of long-vacated stone “palaces” stretching across southern Zimbabwe, smaller cousins of Great Zimbabwe, once a thriving centre of trade and culture. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of people have enjoyed the thrill of the “Falls,” entirely oblivious to the fact that they are on the doorstep of another of the country’s gems, the Zambezi National Park, which stretches all the way to Botswana and forms part of a giant ecosystem encompassing the game-rich Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta vast areas to the north in Zambia and Angola.

Together with its neighbours, including South Africa and Mozambique, the country helps protect some of the most diverse large-game populations in the world. These countries are home to two-thirds of all the elephants in Africa, as well as boasting thriving numbers of antelope, giraffe, buffalo, and predators, including lions and wild dogs, which are in decline in many other regions.

Although Zimbabwe is best known for its wildlife and adventure tourism, cultural treasures, some seldom visited, abound. The Matobo Hills, 40 km south of the city of Bulawayo, boast some of the richest concentrations of rock painting in southern Africa. Some of the art dates back 13 000 years and provides a fascinating insight into the lives of the hunter-gatherers who first lived in the area.

Although political uncertainty and the global travel shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted severely the country’s tourism industry visitor numbers are rebounding quickly. Lodge operators, national parks authorities, adventure travel specialists, and others have geared up for this growth and it is increasingly easy for travellers to get to the capital Harare and major tourism hubs. Many of the more upmarket lodges in remote areas also offer fly-in safaris.

The country’s economic fragility is well documented, and tourism creates, and will increasingly do so, critically important jobs, particularly in rural areas. Unemployment rates are high in Zimbabwe and those fortunate enough to be employed usually support both immediate and extended families. Without tourists visiting the country the plight of many poor people would worsen.

Tourism operators and lodges also play an important role in providing financial support for anti-poaching efforts around the country. Without this support, many anti-poaching operations would grind to a halt.

The Landscape

Zimbabwe, which is about the size of Norway or the American state of Montana, lies across a high central plateau averaging 900 – 1400 m above sea level, with the hot low-lying Zambezi and Limpopo River valleys dominating the northern and south/southeastern parts of the country.

The plateau is warm in summer and cool in winter, but lower altitude regions are very hot in summer.

The vegetation of the plateau is miombo woodland and grassland savanna, whereas mopane woodland, interspersed by giant baobab trees and thickets of forest along the rivers, dominates the northern and southern regions.

The Eastern Highlands, where the highest peak, Mount Inyangani soars to 2592 m, forms part of the border with Mozambique. The Highlands are generally cool but can get very cold in winter.

Zimbabwe also shares, with Zambia, the gigantic 230 km long Lake Kariba, which is built as one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. Most of the Zimbabwean shoreline of the lake has been designated as wildlife areas. It is a favourite destination for anglers, particularly those in search of predatory tiger fish, birdwatchers, boat-based game viewing, and for anyone who likes peace and quiet out on the vast waters of the lake. The star watching from a houseboat on the lake is spectacular because there is very little artificial light.

The National Parks (clockwise from Victoria Falls)

Zimbabwe has 11 national parks, and a variety of other protected areas, but significant numbers of wild animals, including elephants, live outside of these areas.

Lions, for example, are known to move through communal lands between the Chizarira and Hwange National Parks, a distance of some 220 km, and elephants regularly move between protected areas.

Antelope is found in many farming areas, often living alongside domestic livestock and in the south and southeast of the country private conservancies support large wildlife populations.

Many of the national parks are situated on the periphery of Zimbabwe close to its borders and are part of transboundary conservation areas (see below). Transboundary conservation involves countries agreeing to cooperate in the management of wildlife areas that stretch across borders. This improves biodiversity management and offers broader tourism opportunities.

Other Parks and Conservation Areas

Zimbabwe has many other game reserves, recreational parks, and botanical gardens. There are also several trophy hunting areas close to protected areas. Although trophy hunting is controversial the Zimbabwean government believes that revenue from trophy hunting can be used help to alleviate poverty in rural areas.

Zimbabwe is involved in the development of several transboundary conservation initiatives which are intended to contribute to improved wild area management through international cooperation. Transboundary parks are also intended to improve tourism opportunities.

These include:

• Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique);
• Limpopo/Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Areas (Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana;
• The Kavango-Okavango Transfrontier Conservation Area – KAZA – (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Angola);
• Zimbabwe-Mozambique-Zambia Transfrontier Park with the Lower Zambezi Valley at the core of this initiative;
• Zambezi Valley- Mana Pools Transfrontier Conservation Area (Zimbabwe and Zambia);
• Chimanimani Transfrontier Conservation Area (Zimbabwe and Mozambique).

The country is home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites including both environmental and historical sites, which are:

• Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls
• Matobo Hills;
• Mana Pools;
• Great Zimbabwe;
• Khami Ruins.

Cultural Sites

Great Zimbabwe is by far the best-known historical site in the country. The stone ruins, spread across 80 hectares, were between the 12^th and 15^th centuries the centre of a powerful kingdom that spread its influence amongst communities across much of what is now southern Zimbabwe. The first inhabitants of the settlement arrived in about the 12^th century, having left the Mapungubwe Kingdom on the banks of the Limpopo River in what is now South Africa.

The citizens of Great Zimbabwe developed sophisticated social, political, and economic systems and established trade links with business people from the Indian Ocean Coast. Artifacts from as far afield as China and Egypt bear testimony to this trade.

Six stone bird sculptures, each about 40 cm high and mounted on 90 cm high bases, were also unearthed here and are unique to the area. These sculptures play an important role in Zimbabwean cultural history and an image of one of these birds is represented on the Zimbabwean flag.

The Khami Ruins near Bulawayo represent a similar, although small centre of power. There are dozens of similar ruins spread across southern Zimbabwe, Botswana, and northern South Africa.

Conclusion

Everything we have outlined above is merely the backbone of what Zimbabwe offers visitors. There is much more to learn about each region, the hidden gems, often forgotten stories about wildlife and people, and the role the country plays in the jigsaw puzzle of conservation and tourism in the region. This is the first article in what will be an ongoing series that will provide in-depth information to anyone interested in Zimbabwe.