Why you should visit Zimbabwe

When it comes to African safaris and holidays, Zimbabwe may not be top if most people's list. In fact it has a positively tarnished image, with its ongoing political and social unrest and a deteriorating economy. But looking beyond that, at the country itself, we can see it had a great deal to offer.

Laurence Isaacson helps run the Chizarira Wilderness Lodge, the only lodge serving the Chizarira National Park area, so he's got a vested interest in making a case for visiting the country – but when you see the photographs and read what he has to say, he does make a very good case ...

The case for visiting Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has a wild beauty, a variety of primordial landscape unspoilt by large-scale tourism. You will see animals and birds in profusion, and have the reserves almost to yourself. The country is affordable, friendly and easy to get around. With a little extra trouble and forward planning you can get to truly remote areas which remain quintessentially African.

Zimbabwe has 4 unique major attractions:
1. Victoria Falls – a World Heritage Site, spectacular and one-of-a-kind.
2. Great Zimbabwe – a stone-built African mediaeval city; there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world, it's an archaeological and architectural must.
3. Rock Art – the biggest and best 'collection' of sites displaying ancient San (Bushman) rock paintings.
4. Fauna and flora – a string of National Parks and nature reserves renowned for their wildness, where you will see animals, birds and landscapes unmarred by crowds and vehicles – you will be truly in the bush.

Misconceptions about Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is perceived as unsafe. This is a mistake. The country is quite safe for tourists and the current regime does not care whether you visit or not. The people, however, do care. Many Zimbabweans rely on tourism for their livelihoods, your money goes a long way (for you and for them) and contact with the outside world is a morale booster. Current economic policies have not affected the quality of Zimbabwe's safaris – but they do mean that safari companies and local people have cut their prices to a bare minimum simply to stay in business. The savvy traveller can get an incredible deal while still funnelling much-needed foreign currency into conservation and local communities.

Chizarira National Park, a special place in Zimbabwe
Chizarira National Park is as remote as it gets. 200,000 hectares of exciting terrain and abundant wild life, including lion, elephant, buffalo and leopard (a black rhino reintroduction programme is in the offing). Only one small, exclusive lodge serves this huge area.

Chizarira Wilderness Lodge, perched on a shelf of the great Zambezi escarpment, is set in its own superb nature reserve. From here you can access the park and participate in game walks guided by the lodge's own game ranger (experienced and armed) and after an energetic day you can enjoy the simple comforts of the lodge: drinks, a pool, great views good food, a hot shower.

The lodge management also run a camp in equally remote (but quite different) Mana Pools in the Zambezi Valley: so it is easy to set up a 3 centre safari. Fly to Victoria Falls then air charter or 4x4 to Chizarira and on to Mana, then back to the Falls. You can fly to Victoria Falls from Johannesburg or Harare and thence to London.

Text © Laurence Isaacson and travel-quest 2006
Photographs © Chizarira Wilderness Lodge 2006