Republic of Zimbabwe: attractions, features and interesting facts

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Zimbabwe is one of the ten poorest countries in the world, 70% of the state's population lives below the poverty line. It was here that the most impressive inflation occurred, when the local population went to the market with wheelbarrows of money. Despite this, there is a whole list of Zimbabwe attractions that can rightly be called unique.

Huenj National Park (Hwange)

The park was founded in 1928 by twenty-two year old Tad Davison. The attraction is part of the Kavango-Zambezi transboundary reserve.

Poachers often operate on the territory of Huenj, six years ago, about two dozen animals were killed in the reserve zone, among which were elephants, lions and buffaloes.

And four years ago, in October, the most massive death of animals in the last 25 years due to human fault was recorded in South Africa. About 100 carcasses were found during aerial photography. As it turned out, the cause of the mass death of our brotherslesser was cyanide-poisoned water in the well.

The park is located near the Kalahari Desert, a region with low water resources and rare xerophilic (dry-loving) vegetation. Among the plants, teak and bauhinia dominate. Mopan forests predominate in the north and northwest of the park.

If you arrived in South Africa and you are interested in what to see in Zimbabwe, feel free to go to this park. There are more than 100 species of mammals and 400 species of birds, including 19 large herbivores and eight large carnivores. All protected animals of Zimbabwe are located in Hwang.

Grazing herbivores are more common in the wild area of the Main Camp and Linkwash Airstrip. Distribution fluctuates seasonally, with large herbivores concentrating in areas where high water pumping is maintained during the dry season.

Kariba Reservoir

This man-made lake is considered one of the largest in the world. It was formed after the construction of the Kabor hydroelectric power station. This landmark of the Republic of Zimbabwe attracts tourists with its history.

The construction of a dam of this magnitude and a reservoir that provides electricity to the two countries required serious preparation. During the "Operation Noah" all the animals that had taken refuge from the "flood" on the formed islands were taken out. For this, special boats were used. The bottom of the territory of the current reservoir was burned.

In addition to the unlimited benefits, this lake has also provoked a number of natural troubles. Tons of water began to put pressure on the earth's crust, which provoked cracks, and, consequently, earthquakes. During the existence of the lake, more than 20 cases with a strength of 5 magnitudes on the Richter scale were recorded.

Matobo National Park

This park is famous for its rock formations. The rocky hills were formed over 2 billion years ago when granite was forced to the surface. The area is strewn with boulders and alternates with vegetation, which is why it was called "Bald Heads".

Description of Zimbabwe sights defies any logic. Balancing stones look very surreal. How can huge boulders lie on top of each other and not roll anywhere?

The hills cover an area of about 3,100 km² , of which 424 km^{2are National Park, and the rest is communal land and commercial farmland.}

A small area of the park is reserved for entertainment. The real attraction of Zimbabwe is Cape Gulati - the highest point of the hills.

Matobo Park is considered the oldest in Zimbabwe. It was created in 1926, and the hills are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Victoria Falls

Zimbabwe's most famous and significant attraction is the Victoria Falls. It is not the biggestnot the widest in the world, but has several unique features that make it one of the greatest.

The first is a heartbreaking roar and roar. No wonder the ancient tribes gave the waterfall the name "Thundering Smoke". There is such a noise near him that you can hardly hear your own voice.

The second is the unchanging cloud of spray above him. The discoverer mistook the waterfall for a fire in the savannah.

Victoria Falls is also famous for its rainbows, they live here all the time. Here you can even see a circular rainbow, and if you come on a full moon - a lunar rainbow, and this is a very rare occurrence.

The first European to see the falls was David Livingstone.

Victoria is beautiful from any angle, but the most profitable is to fly over it on a hang glider. Even for trained and spoiled tourists, the sight of a waterfall evokes the strongest positive emotions that can even result in tears of delight.

"I witnessed the most wonderful sight in Africa!" - wrote David Livingston.

Currency of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has become famous throughout the world for how incredibly depreciated the local currency - the Zimbabwean dollar. Due to the mediocre policies of local President Robert Mugabe, money turned into useless pieces of paper in a day.

The local currency collapsed so much that people went to the market with wheelbarrows of money, and instead of toilet paper they used banknotes (it was cheaper).

Every day more and more new zeros were added to them. There was even a bill with fourteenzeros - one hundred trillion Zimbabwean dollars, which was worth 0.28 US dollars.

Then they already spat and decided to use the American currency, and rare pieces of local money are now being sold to tourists as a souvenir.

If you do not know what to see in Zimbabwe, the sights no longer attract you, then go to the Mbaremusika market. There you can buy a whole pack of Zimbabwean currency for $10-20 and hold a hundred trillion dollar bill in your hands.

Mbaremusika Market

For a European tourist, this is no less a sight of Zimbabwe than the Victoria Falls. Firstly, here you can buy fruits, souvenirs, medicinal drugs, handicrafts and just immerse yourself in the true African atmosphere of the slums.

There are aisles with humanitarian aid, cheap clothes and food. You can also find shops with goods for shamans and sorcerers: potions, medicines, shamanic gizmos, love spells, love spells, cow placenta, everted hedgehog skin and a bunch of other funny little things.

A European person would not immediately figure out what to do with it, but the Zimbabweans know.

For example, a decoction is made from the inside out skin of a hedgehog and smeared with it to become stronger and more courageous, and the nest of a weaver bird must be hung in the house so that there is harmony in the family.

African Acropolis

This is one of Africa's biggest mysteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Archaeologists namedthese ruins are the Acropolis, because the construction clearly had a sacred meaning. Whether it was a temple or the tomb of the leader - no one knows. It is only clear that this is one of the most distinctive and authentic sights of Zimbabwe.

At one time, gold was found there, which became one of the sources of income for local residents.

Some archaeologists suggest that the complex is not of African origin, as evidenced by the excavated ceramics, tips and molds for jewelry.

Scientists believe that the complex was built 1000 years ago.

Another assumption is that a separate highly developed civilization lived on the site of the Acropolis, which had communication by sea with the countries of Asia.

The question arises: why did the inhabitants leave this area? It is likely that the answer lies in a series of dry years and the attack of wild animals.

Unfortunately, scientists have not yet found any information about the origin or why this territory was abandoned.