Victoria Falls is located on the Zambezi River, about
1000km from its source, the Victoria Falls are Zimbabwe's best known
geographical feature and tourist attraction.
Great Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe. This Iron Age site, the symbol
and namesake of modern Zimbabwe, lies 27km south-east of Masvingo and is
the remains of an extensive town built between 1200 and 1450AD. The word
"Zimbabwe" is derived from the Shona words dzimba dzamabwe and means
"house of stone"
The Matobo Hills
The Matobo Hills, are located
40km south of Bulawayo, they are remarkable for their unusual
scenery and the diversity of their flora and fauna. They are
also a focal point of much of Zimbabwe's history and prehistory.
The hills were the scene of the famous indaba
between Cecil Rhodes and Ndebele leaders in 1896.
Rhodes
and
several other leading early settlers are buried on the summit of Malindizimu, the "hill of the spirit's", 44 km south of Bulawayo.
Lake Kariba
Kariba Dam was constructed between 1955 and 1959 on
the Zambezi River, 620km downstream of Victoria Falls, to provide
hydro-electric power to Zambia and Zimbabwe. Before the dam was
built a major resettlement exercise was undertaken to relocate the
Tonga
people living in the area to be flooded. Wild animals were moved to
higher ground and Operation Noah was instituted to rescue animals
threatened with drowning or with starvation from being marooned
The Eastern Highlands
The Eastern Highlands are Zimbabwe's eastern border
area is dominated for 300km by a series of hills and mountains that form
the edge of the country's central plateau and are known collectively as
the Eastern Highlands. They extend from the rolling down lands and
steep scarps near Nyanga in the north to the sheer cliffs of the
Chimanimani Mountains in the south.
A great holiday area providing trout fishing, horse
riding and golf.
Pictures of Zimbabwe
The Cities and
Towns...
Harare
Harare (formerly Salisbury) is the
capital of Zimbabwe and the largest city in the country. It is
situated in the north-west of the country. It is the seat of
government and the and the administrative centre for three Mashonaland
provinces. It is a focal point of road, rail and air services and
has an international airport.
Masvingo
This town (formerly Fort Victoria)
lies on the main Harare-Beitbridge road,292km south of Harare and 288km
north of Beitbridge.
Masvingo was founded in 1890 as the first permanent settlement for
whites and a fort, named in honour of Queen Victoria, was built.
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is Zimbabwe's second
largest city and the administrative, commercial and industrial capital
of Matebeleland North and South. It is situated towards the south
of Zimbabwe 111km from the Botswana Border. Bulawayo was
originally known as GuBulawayo, meaning 'the place of slaughter'.
The name was given by Lobengula after battles he fought with other
regiments of his people before he established himself as King.
Mutare
The city of Mutare (formerly Umtali) is Zimbabwe's
fourth largest city. It is the capital of Manicaland province and
is situated in the Eastern Highlands. Lying in a gap through which
the main road and railway link between Zimbabwe and Mozambique pass, the
town being 8km from the Mozambique border.
Luminous murals painted by
Italian prisoners of war adorn the ceilings and walls of St. Francis
Church in Masvingo built in 1940.
Flamboyant trees line many streets
in the Harare
One of the many sky lines of Harare
- Zimbabwe capital city
Pictures of Zimbabwe
The Wilderness and Game Parks...
Lake Kariba
Kariba - is a favourite place for some relaxing on one of the many
houseboats that can be hired to explore the islands, channels and vast
expansions of water. The unforgettable scenes of the drowned trees
and herds of buffalo and elephant that adorn the shores together with
the orange and gold sunsets - will leave its impression on one forever.
Home to many animals and birds the most favourite being the Fish Eagle
who lonely cry can be heard through out the lake.
Lake Kariba is home to many species of fish, with the Tiger fish
being one of the most exciting fish to catch. The lights of the
many kapenta rigs can be seen at night as they pull in ton after ton of
the little sardine type fish that will be dried and salted and forms one
of the main staple dishes of the local Zimbabwean.
Houseboats on Lake Kariba
A view of the many dead trees that
haunt Lake Kariba
The haunting beauty of Lake Kariba's
drowned forests
Bumi Hills Safari Lodge overlooking
the shores of Lake Kariba
Caribbea Bay a resort on the shores
of Lake Kariba
Kapenta fishing rig on Lake Kariba
The shores of Lake Kariba - appear
as undisturbed Eden.
The far reaching shores of Lake
Kariba with the Matusadona Mountains in the back ground.
The Southern Bell the largest house
boat on Lake Kariba
Rays of sunlight through the clouds
over the islands in Lake Kariba
Pictures of Zimbabwe
Matobo Hills
The Matobo Hills cover about 320 000ha
and have been eroded from an exposed granite batholith thought to be
over 3 000 million years old. Hump-backed domes have resulted from
exfoliation of the granite often forming remarkable 'balancing rock'
formations. The Matobo region is particularly well known for the
number and quality of its Stone Age rock art site.
Moon rising over the Matobo Hills
Natures fascinating rock sculptures
adorn the Matobo Hills
Cecil Rhodes raised this monument on
top of World's view in the Matobo Hills in honour of Allan Wilson and
the men who fell to the Ndebele at Shangani in 1893.
Balancing rocks are often seen in parts of Zimbabwe
Pictures of Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe
The site of Great Zimbabwe covers over 720ha and comprises mainly
stone
wall enclosures and areas of hut remains. The two main
geographical areas of stone wall enclosures are ; the Hill Complex,
on the long, steep-sided granite hill that rises 80m above the
surrounding ground; and the land below this hill where the Valley
Enclosures and the Great Enclosure are situated.
The stone walls, up to 6m thick and 11m high, are built of
granite blocks without the use of mortar. Natural granite
boulders are often incorporated into a wall which usually follows a
curved line. The purpose of the walls was primarily to enclose
areas within which clay structures and smaller partition walls were
constructed.
Great Zimbabwe's great enclosure with conical tower a shrine to
both past and future.
The Mana Pools National Park is 219 600ha and forms
part of the extensive middle Zambezi River valley wilderness complex
stretching from Kariba Dam downstream to the Mozambique border.
Widely recognised as one of the finest and least developed wildlife and
wilderness parks in southern Africa. It has good numbers of most
indigenous mammals and a wealth of birds species.
One of the many seasonal ponds in
Mana Pools National Park
The peaceful
Zambezi river seen
flowing past Mana Pools
The unforgettable Mana Pools
Pictures of Zimbabwe
Nyanga National Park
The Nyanga National Park lies at the northern end of
Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. It is well watered by numerous
streams and rivers and holds a number of exotic pine forests.
The park is dominated by Mount Inyangani which lies at its north-eastern
extremity and is the highest mountain in Zimbabwe at 2 592M. The Pungwe
River rises at the foot of the mountain and flows southwards through the
park before dropping 240m into the densely wooded Pungwe Gorge.
The Mtarazi Falls, a few kilometres south of the Pungwe Gorge, have a
762m drop and thus are Zimbabwe's highest waterfall.
Worlds View Nyanga Mountains
in the Eastern Highlands
Granite out crops in the Chimanimani
Mountains
Pictures of Zimbabwe
Birchenough Bridge
Birchenough Bridge spans the wide
meandering reaches of the Save River and links the road to Mutare and
Masvingo
Pictures of Zimbabwe
The People....
The largest of the indigenous communities
are the Shona and secondly the Ndebele. Others communities are the Tongo people of the
Zambezi Valley, most of whom were displaced and resettled when Lake
Kariba was formed, the Sotho, the Hlengwe of the south, and the Vendao,
a small group of hunter-gathers.
A young tea picker with child
Two pupils of Prince Edward School - one of the well
known schools in Harare
Bath time in a bucket
Smiling youngster
An old man
A smiling young girl
A market in Zimbabwe
Bath time in a local village
Hard times are seen around the
country
Pictures of Zimbabwe
The Sport...
Zimbabwe cricket team
celebrating a win.
Kirsty Coventry (Swimming) a
Zimbabwe heroine with three medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics in
Athens and another 4 medals in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
stone
wall enclosures and areas of hut remains. The two main
geographical areas of stone wall enclosures are ; the Hill Complex,
on the long, steep-sided granite hill that rises 80m above the
surrounding ground; and the land below this hill where the Valley
Enclosures and the Great Enclosure are situated.
