You will be met on arrival and assisted through immigration, baggage collection and customs. You will then be shown to your awaiting transfer vehicle and transferred to the Peech Hotel, your hotel for the evening.
This morning you will be transferred back to OR Tambo International Airport for your regional flight to Harare and then onward charter flight to Mahenye in south eastern Zimbabwe. On arrival at the airstrip you will be met by a lodge representative and transferred to Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge.
This evening you meet Clive Stockil, winner of the inaugural lifetime achievement award in conservation that was awarded by HRH Prince William on behalf of Tusk. Clive will give an overview of his work to establish the first CAMPFIRE programme which has since been replicated across Africa, together with his other work on Conservation and Community. This is important preparation for the following day, which will be spent with the community.
This morning set off with Clive to Mahenye Village, including visits to the secondary School and the local clinic. It will be a colourful and informative morning and you are encouraged to interact with the local villagers. This is a unique opportunity to spend time exploring an authentic village and watch daily village life in one of Zimbabwe’s remotest corners.
A picnic lunch will be taken on Ngwachumeni island, where CAMPFIRE originated 35 years ago. In the afternoon visit the local palm Forest to meet the resident palm wine maker. He will explain how palm wine is produced as well as providing different samples for tasting. Return to the lodge to freshen up before traditional braai/barbecue and drinks.
This morning set off to Mahenye village to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Mahenye Festival. There are a variety of different dancers and singers, together with viewing some of the local craft and art work. After the festival stop on return to the lodge for sundowners on the banks of the Save River.
This morning depart early for a full day safari drive in Gonarezhou National Park to visit the iconic Chilojo cliffs, as well as the pristine wilderness and fabulous animal experiences that the park has to offer. A picnic breakfast including teas and coffees will be served on top of the Chilojo cliffs for you to take in the breathtakingly beautiful views. Later have a picnic lunch served by the guides overlooking the Runde River and looking back at the impressive sandstone Chilojo cliffs. Later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
This morning depart for the Great Zimbabwe Ruins with picnic lunch and meet your guide at the ruins, Paul Hubbard. Paul is the pre-eminent authority on the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. A National Monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Zimbabwe Monument was once the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe and an important gold and ivory trading centre. Abandoned in the 15th century all that is left of this ancient civilization is a complex of walled ruins.
Dating back to the 11th century, the ruins of Great Zimbabwe is one of the most important ancient monuments in Africa and the oldest structure in southern Africa. Built entirely of stone by the ancestors of the Shona, one of Zimbabwe's many Bantu-speaking groups, this ancient city is believed to have housed an empire of up to 25,000 people who controlled much of southern Africa for centuries.
Far more than a mere collection of stones, the site of the ruins extends over 2.7 km2 and is an astonishing example of the skill of ancient builders. The site can be divided into three distinct architectural groups known as the Hill Complex, the Great Enclosure and the Valley Complex. The Hill Complex is where the king and his entourage stayed, the Great Enclosure is where the wives and villagers lived, and the Valley Complex is divided into the Upper and Lower Valley Ruins, with different periods of occupation.
Arrive at Great Zimbabwe Hotel, a simple but clean overnight.
After breakfast this morning, we set off via Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city, for the Matobo National Park. Some 40 kilometres south of the city of Bulawayo in southern Zimbabwe, the Matobo Hills and Matobo National Park is a wilderness of ancient granite kopjes and wooded valleys. An area of outstanding natural beauty this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most mysterious and spiritual places in Zimbabwe. The landscape is like no other as massive rocky outcrops have been sculpted and shaped by the elements to create weird and wonderful balancing formations that appear to defy gravity.
Offering a window into the nation's past it is an area of great cultural and historical significance and is the final resting place of the first king of the Ndebele people, Mzilikazi Khumalo, and arch-imperialist Cecil John Rhodes. The rocky granite topography boasts more than 2000 sites of San (Bushman) rock art dating back centuries and there are several famous rocks that, to this day, hold spiritual significance of bygone rituals.
Due to the varied habitat there is a variety of flora and fauna and a high density of predator species, especially leopard and raptors (of which there are over 35 species). Birdlife in general is excellent and there are more than 260 species of trees. Tracking endangered black and white rhino on foot is a thrilling experience and is possible in the fenced Whovi sector of the park.
Despite its relatively small size there is a huge amount to do and see in the Matobo National Park and fascinating surrounds.
This morning set off to explore the beauty of the Matobo area, its history and inhabitants in the company of your guide. Depending on fitness levels, walking may be in the form of a gentle walk to visit nearby San rock art sites or on a more strenuous full day hike to Nanke Cave (on request and weather permitting). Tracking both white and black rhino on foot in the company of a professional guide is an incredibly rewarding experience. Drive through the park as you explore in the footsteps of Cecil John Rhodes and King Mzilikaze, chief of the Matabele, before visiting Rhodes’ final resting place atop 'View of the World' where we will have sundowners.
This morning after breakfast we will be transferred back to Bulawayo airport for your onward flight.
