 Overview: For a small, landlocked country in southern Africa, Zimbabwe
offers an astounding variety of natural beauty and spectacular
scenery. The country holds great appeal for active adventurers,
outdoor enthusiasts and those with an appreciative eye for
exquisite beauty - from the majesty of the famous Victoria Falls,
to the giant marble-like boulders of the Motopo Hills, the verdant
mountains of the Eastern Highlands, the national parks teeming with
wildlife and the Great Zimbabwe ancient ruins to the country's
impressive capital city, Harare. It is a great tragedy that Robert
Mugabe and his corrupt regime reduced this great country to an
impoverished, cholera-ridden failed state, where neither the rule
of law nor the economy functioned to any meaningful degree.
Although the economy is slowly improving, mass unemployment,
disease and food shortages are still rife. The Victoria Falls are
Zimbabwe's most popular tourist destination and one of the greatest
natural wonders of the world. Their mile-wide (2km) curtain of
water plunges deep into the Zambezi Gorge creating a cloud of mist
that can be seen up to 20 miles (32km) away. The area is renowned
for being the 'adventure capital of Africa', offering a variety of
high adrenaline activities, including one of the wildest days of
white water rafting on earth, and a 364 feet (111m) bungee jump
into the Zambezi River gorge from the bridge linking Zimbabwe to
Zambia. If you'd rather lay back and relax, there are scenic
flights over the area, game viewing adventures and tranquil
sundowner cruises above the falls. Wildlife flourishes in the
untamed wilderness of the Zambezi Valley, in national parks, and on
the shores of Lake Kariba, where hippo, crocodiles, buffalo, rhino,
elephant and lion roam freely. Remote and protected wildlife
reserves line the banks of the Zambezi River and the region offers
some of the finest canoe safaris in Southern Africa, particularly
the World Heritage site at Mana Pools, which is renowned for its
outstanding variety of game. The saltpans and grassy plains of
Hwange National Park support one of the largest concentrations of
animals in the world, and is the largest game reserve in the
country. Lake Kariba is treasured as a source of hydro-electricity,
as well as for its fishing resources. It is a beautiful stretch of
water studded with islands and the sun-bleached branches of dead
trees, surrounded by mountains and forests. Houseboats offer a
wonderful opportunity to relax and take in the spectacular sunsets,
enjoy a variety of water sports, and spot the vast quantities of
game attracted to the lake, including huge Nile crocodiles and
hippo. The ongoing social and political unrest in Zimbabwe,
together with an economy near to total collapse, has deterred many
potential travellers from visiting Zimbabwe and experiencing some
of the most breathtaking scenery and first-class game viewing
safaris in Africa. Although visitors to the country are urged to
exercise caution at all times and to remain aware of recent
developments, the main tourist areas, and national parks in
particular, have been largely unaffected by the political
situation, being far from the cities where much of the instability
exists. Ivory poaching - particularly of Black Rhino horn - has
become a significant challenge for conservationists. In a desperate
attempt to attract business, many game lodges are offering
extremely competitive prices to travellers.
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