These ancient city ruins have intrigued both locals and visitors for centuries. The local name for the area was “Dzimba dza mabwe” (roughly “Houses of Stone”) or simply “Zimbabwe”. When Rhodesia became independent in 1980, the nation was named after this city, and the country itself was called Zimbabwe. The ruins of the ancient city then became known as “Great Zimbabwe”.
I visited Great Zimbabwe Monument in August, on a damp, overcast day – unusual weather for the time of year. But, in a sense, it was the perfect atmosphere to explore the great Houses of Stone, whose origins have been … Continued
The pyramids. Stonehenge. Machu Picchu. The Acropolis. These man-made structures point to early civilisations, some of which are still shrouded in mystery. Yet these sites have become symbols of their modern-day countries. Zimbabwe has its own such monument in the south-east … Continued
The Khami (Kame) Ruins is perhaps the least known of Zimbabwe’s five World Heritage sites. Situated just 22km (14 miles) outside of Bulawayo, Khami was the capital of the Torwa state between 1450 and around 1650, after the capital at … Continued
After a fantastic few days in Victoria Falls, we drove south to Bulawayo. Our first night in Bulawayo would also be the last night with our friends from Oxford – they were going back to the UK after our two-week … Continued
There are few words to express how I feel about the passing of a man who has changed the course of history. Nelson Mandela was a man of stirring words, but his actions were far more powerful. He was no … Continued
The Boma – Place of Eating has fast become one of the most popular eating venues in Victoria Falls. It is undeniably touristy and can feel a little OTT at times, but the enthralling drumming session after each meal makes … Continued
Netflights photography competition: We spent a magical few hours watching the sun go down over the Matobo Hills (Matopos) when we were in Bulawayo. I’ve just been told that one of the photos from that night has made it to … Continued
Doris Lessing, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature and author of The Grass is Singing, has recently died, and it would be amiss not to mark it here. Lessing was, in my eyes, one of Rhodiesia’s (and now Zimbabwe’s) … Continued
Although you need to book ahead for a number of activities in Victoria Falls, there are still plenty of things to do if you’re feeling spontaneous. Seeing the Victoria Falls themselves is one such example – all you need to do … Continued
Here’s a quick video showing a little bit of our helicopter flight in Victoria Falls – the word “beautiful” is an understatement! We went in August which is the dry, low water season. It was a spectacular sight – but if … Continued
The helicopter flight over Victoria Falls, aptly named “Flight of the Angels”, was a highlight of my 2013 Zimbabwe holiday; an experience that I’ll savour for the rest of my life. I’ve been saving this post for last (of the … Continued
The Gorge Swing and Zipline are part of Victoria Falls’ hard-core adrenalin activities, with a similar fear factor to bungee jumping and white-water rafting. Wild Horizons operates a number of adventure slides, but these two activities in particular are the ultimate lose-your-stomach … Continued
There’s been a new kid on the Victoria Falls activity block this year. Wild Horizons launched the Canopy Tour in June 2013: a series of cable swings over the Zambezi River gorge. The tour consists of wooden walkways, rope bridges, ziplines … Continued
