National Parks are currently promoting some of their lodges with special offer rates, an excellent idea, as these super facilities are definitely underutilised and deserve far more visitors.
OutDoor with Rosie Mitchell
Their accommodation is very good value even without discounts, and we recently spent a long weekend in the Parks Lodges at Rhodes Dam in Nyanga National Park and were well-impressed.
The lodges are in excellent condition and very well-equipped in all respects — right down to providing solar lamps for the power cuts.
The Parks staff were very friendly and helpful — including tactfully intervening on behalf of the more law-abiding visitors, to enforce the long standing legal prohibition against the playing of any music in a National Parks Rest Camp.
Unfortunately, very inconsiderate fellow guests appeared unaware of or unconcerned by this very useful regulation and were playing their car radios full blast outside their lodges, despite polite requests from other guests to refrain.
One does not go to a National Park to be blasted by pop music, but to enjoy the peace and quiet of nature. It would be useful for Parks to re-introduce sign boards by the office at every rest camp listing all the regulations — amongst which, this one is paramount if visitors are going to enjoy their stay!
We had an excellent time in Nyanga, exploring this wonderfully scenic part of the country primarily on mountain bikes — some running and walking thrown in.
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This is a great way to enjoy the magnificent views and clear mountain air, albeit, the altitude difference between Harare and Nyanga is considerable and one’s breath, consequently short! This sort of exertion in thinner air than usual is of course, as three of us indeed were, excellent training for a major sporting event!
Two Oceans Marathon is now just six weeks away and Harare Athletics Club (HAC) lined up a superb means to inspire and motivate those who are running it by securing famous ultra marathon runner and nine times Comrades Marathon winner, Bruce Fordyce, as an after dinner speaker this week!
We enjoyed spotting wildlife, including duiker, reedbuck, wildebeest and zebra, and found civet spoor, leopard droppings and a porcupine quill along our Nyanga way.
We watched the mist drop suddenly over Mount Inyangani and were sadly reminded of the recent disappearance of Zayd Dada. Meeting a Parks anti-poaching patrol, they advised that following this tragedy, for the time being, climbers are not allowed up there.
We also visited Nyangwe Ruins, and Ziwa Ruins, which truly were fascinating. While Nyangwe is evidence of a small 15th century settlement atop a fine viewing point, Ziwa, dating back at least as far, is on a massive scale.
Dry stone walling — terraces and remnants of homes — spread far and wide, covering over 3 000 hectares.
There is an excellent museum with lots of interesting, informative displays and artefacts at the foot of Ziwa mountain and a friendly National Museums and Monuments Guide who has been there 22 years and is extremely knowledgeable and took us on a fascinating afternoon’s tour.
Ziwa fully deserves more visitors — very few came last year — and the drive there, and area, are scenically very beautiful and rich with the history of early man.
