It is still dark when we leave for Zimbabwe. The morning mist from the Victoria Falls shrouds the land in a thick fog and we can’t see anything as we cross the bridge from Zambia. The Zimbabwean immigration office is worn and run down. A faded poster peeling off the wall advises that the office is committed to “fairness-transparency-honesty”. My boyfriend and I see it at the same time and glance at each other out of the corners of our eyes. But we do not comment out loud.

I’d be lying if I said I felt comfortable being here. We were warned against coming to Zimbabwe by our guide, the Government and our insurance company, who said we wouldn’t be covered if something happened.

Which leaves us between a rock and a hard place, given our activity: we’re going to walk with lions.

African Impact runs lion walks at the Masuwe River Concession, a private game reserve adjacent to Zambezi National Park and 10 minutes’ drive from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. There are no fences, cages or leashes – we’ll simply be out in the wild with the lions. Despite the dangers of walking with lions and the dangers of visiting one of the world’s most unstable countries, this is an opportunity too good to miss.

We’re met by a second driver and transferred to a bigger minibus. His warm manner, coupled with the excited chatter of other tourists, helps us relax. Outside, the sun has begun to rise and the mist is beginning to clear.

We set off on foot through the scrub with our guide, handler and scouts. Although it’s cold, the rising sun warms our backs and it’s a pleasure to be out walking in the African bush – most safari activities leave you restless and confined to a car.

I walk straight past them. Sprawled in the early morning sunshine, their pale yellow fur is the perfect camouflage in the thick yellow grass of the savannah.

They’re not bothered in the slightest by our presence. They raise their heads, blink nonchalantly and then go back to doing what cats do best – lazing about doing nothing at all.

Our head guide explains the rules. Never turn your back on the lions – they are sneaky. Don’t touch their heads – you may lose a limb. Don’t sit on the ground – always be ready to stand.

He demonstrates how to use the metre-long sticks to distract the lions, giving them something other than your fingers to chew on.

The lions have been fed before we see them and are content to do very little walking on a full stomach. But with gentle prodding from the guides, they start their amble.

Although Echo and Etosha are technically still cubs at 13 months and 14 months old, they’re huge. Their characteristic mane has only just begun to grow like an adolescent’s fuzzy stubble and while they still have the spotted legs of the cubs, their paws are the size of an adult’s.

These are gangly, lazy teenagers wanting to sleep all day.

The lions cut their own path through the grass. Echo walks up to me. I stop to let him pass, careful not to turn my back to him. He affectionately headbutts my legs and almost takes me down. He’s as strong as a first-grade rugby league player. I regain my balance and reach down to pat him. Sated, he slumps down to the ground to sleep, using my foot as a pillow.

Crouching down, I stroke Echo’s neck. He tilts his head to the side so I’m scratching the spot under his ear. His coat is matted and grimy, oily and filled with sediment.

It is coarser than I expect. I slip my other hand around and rub under his chin and he meets my touch with a throaty growl, a lion-sized purr, similar to the thrum of a motorcycle. Echo arches his nose in a salute to the sun, his face masked in the contented smugness only a cat can pull off. Then it hits me: I am in Zimbabwe scratching a lion under his chin. It is surreal.

The Lion Encounter is part of a rehabilitation program aimed at increasing the lion population throughout Africa, by breeding and releasing lions into the wild.

It is an ambitious project for a country that is struggling to provide food, medical care and schooling for its people. But it is also a source of income for the area, employing a large number of staff from across Zimbabwe.

After walking with the lions for an hour, we leave them to snooze and head off for a hearty English breakfast. Our guide joins us and the conversation turns to the state of the town. Yes, Victoria Falls is suffering but it is better off than other parts of Zimbabwe. And the lion walks attract sufficient visitors to be sustainable.

“We’re grateful,” our guide says. “It doesn’t help when people don’t come. It is better they come and see what is happening for themselves.”

We browse a series of hand-drawn sketches of the lions near the exit. Chatting with the artists, we’re easily charmed into parting with our money. One of the artists grasps my hand and smiles: “You must go home now and tell your friends to come here.”

The midday sun is now high in a cloudless blue sky. Our morning trip to Zimbabwe hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface of what’s really going on in this place; who the people are, what their story is. And as I cross the bridge back over the Victoria Falls to Zambia, it only leaves me more determined to come back.

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GEOGRAPHY
On its northern border with Zambia the country boasts one of the natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls. Further east, the Zambezi is bordered in the south by South Africa, by Mozambique on the east and north east, and by Botswana on the south west. It is part of the great plateau which is a major feature of geography of Southern Africa.

HISTORY
Around A.D 1000 Bantu speaking people - the Shona group - infiltrated Zimbabwe during a southward migration. The land was already populated with Bushman and Hottentots who had settled there 500 years prior. The Bantu easily overshadowed the indigenous subsistence farmers, introduced a stronger form of government, and are credited with building walled city states. Up until the 19th century they flourished and brought abundant wealth to the country through gold trade routes to Tanzania coast and offshore islands. Not long after this era began to crumble mainly due to raids by the Zulu people. One of these Zulu groups settled in Bulawayo and overshadowed the Shona in this area. It was not until the 19th century that European traders and missionaries made their way into the Zimbabwe interior. The British South African Company controlled the territory for many years, making a fortune from diamond and gold mining, until their charter was dissolved in 1923, and the country was named Southern Rhodesia and become a self-governing colony of England. For many decades to follow, the country was beset by internal racial conflict and disputes between white settlers who wanted their freedom, and England who was not willing to grant independence. In 1965, a coalition of white settlers declared a Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain, thus earning the status of an international “outlaw”. But internal racial problems continued to intensify, and after many years of guerrilla warfare, the white population and British Government agreed to the formation on an independent nation in 1980, which the citizens soon renamed Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe became the first president and remains in office today.

ECONOMY
The major potion of Zimbabwe’s foreign exchange comes from its extensive mining industry. Two thirds of the world’s reserves of chrome are found within its borders. Other major mineral deposits include coal, asbestos, copper, nickel, gold and iron ore.

CLIMATE
Summer is from October to April. Days are hot and generally sunny in the morning with possible afternoon thunder storms. Day temperatures reach about 30C and night temperatures drop to 14C - 16C. I can also be considerably warmer all year round in the low-lying areas such as Kariba, Victoria Falls, and Zambezi Valley. The rainy season from November to March, although the Eastern Highlands are damp for most of the year.
Winter is from May to September, days are dry, sunny and cool to warm (20C) while evening temperatures drop sharply (5C). Exceptionally cold spells can occur so it its recommended to bring appropriate clothing, just in case.

PLACES TO VISIT

HARARE
Formerly called Salisbury, Harare is the capital and largest city. Although a commercial and industrial centre, the flowering trees, colourful parks and contemporary architecture lend an air of spaciousness. Points of interest include the National Museum, National Art Gallery, Botanical Gardens, Houses of Parliament and the Tobacco Auction Floors. A short drive from Harare are the Lavon Bird Gardens, Ewanrig Botanical Gardens, Mazoe Citrus Estates and Lake McIlwane Game Park.

BULAWAYO
Bulawayo is Zimbabwe’s second largest city and is a major commercial, industrial and tourist centre. The city is rich in historical associations and is home of the National museum. Nearby are the ancient Khami ruins, while to the south is the Matopos National Park with its huge granite boulders, dams with excellent fishing, caves with rock paintings, Rhodes grave and a well stocked game reserve.

LAKE KARIBA
Created by the damming of the Zambezi river, it consists of 2,000 square miles of water studded with islands and surrounded by mountains, providing a year round supply of water for abundant animal and bird life. Lake Kariba is a playground for watersports enthusiasts as well as provide excellent fresh water fishing.

MATUSADONA NATIONAL PARK
Situated on the southern shore of Lake Kariba and bounded on the east by the Sanyati Gorge and the west by the Umi river, this scenic 600 square mile park has an abundance of elephant, Kudu, impala and buffalo. Game viewing by boat near shore, fishing and walking safaris are available.

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The Hide | Zimbabwe Safari Lodge

I dream of a journey; some days I dream of nothing else. I travel with a small bag and the clothes on my back. I leave my Irish home and walk to the bus stop at the end of my lane. I wait there for a bus. A Bulawayo bound bus, with ‘Zupco’ written on its cream exterior, the rust-eroded exhaust pipe billowing black smoke as it approaches. I see it coming towards me, a large tin contraption likely to fall apart with the slightest discrepancy in the flattened tarmac. The metal roof racks boast layers of suitcases and plastic, multi-coloured holdalls. An intricate rope system ties the load together. The vehicle groans and squeals to a stop on the road beside me. Inquisitive black faces peer through the dust-clad windowpanes at the new arrival. There is no money exchanged for my journey, just a familiar, firm African handshake and a loud “Yebo Mankazana” from the toothless driver. The wide eyes of passengers swim in a sea of dark skin and wiry hair as I take my seat near the front of the bus.

I squeeze my thin Caucasian frame between a large African breast, dangling a newborn from its nipple, and an old gentleman with many layers of clothing; a sign of wealth in Zimbabwe.

I travel for many hours to the nearest port where the rusty old bus can board a large steamboat. During the hours on the crowded bus the clicking and clucking of the Ndebele language rises in unison as the passengers around me talk of their journeys home. I feel at ease as my thoughts blend into the chattering.

They resemble a riotous percussion band where each musician hopes that their instrument will be heard above the rest. The animated faces of my fellow travellers are a marked contrast from the emotionless masks of the people in Northern Ireland. One lady seated to my left is telling a story with her entire body despite the lack of elbowroom around her. These people are truly alive and yet they have so little.

Through the glass I see the Irish countryside in all of its winter glory. The wind is ravishing the tall trees, stripping them of their innocence. They are left leafless and naked. The rain, in a desperate attempt to make its mark, pounds the ground with ferocious intensity. The stones are forced to dance with the rain-drops and the earth disposes of the water deep underneath its surface. I am glad to be leaving the cold weather and even colder reality of Ireland for a while. I want to feel the unmistakeable warmth of the Zimbabwean sun upon my face.

I yearn to awaken every one of my senses and allow my entire body to be swept away in an African afternoon. The cold in Ireland is so invasive, it steals quietly into my blood and freezes me from the inside out.

As we draw towards the border of land and sea, the rain no longer seems to have a definite purpose. It is tired of its constant seaside cycle and showers in bursts upon the soggy landscape. We drive along a rugged coastline, awkward rock formations jut into the restless ocean that writhes in agony. I sense the fascination of the other passengers as conversation lulls and they fix their eyes on the seascape outside the bus. Many, if not all, of those in the bus have lived their entire lives in landlocked Zimbabwe and have never seen the sea before. By the end of the next leg of our journey they will have had more than enough of the wind, waves and water. We finally approach the docks and the tired, over-loaded bus climbs the ramp onto a large, steel steamboat. I am completely unaware how long the boat will take to sail from Ireland to the coast of far-away Africa. I have no time-table or desire to mark the progress of my journey. The longer my journey takes the better; that is why I took a bus in the first place.I need to take time to re-adjust, a transitional period between one life and the next.

Surely a thirteen-hour plane ride is too short to prepare myself for a new beginning in my familiar past.

The time spent aboard the boat is purely to create a longing and desire to walk on Zimbabwean earth beneath the never-ending blue. My appetite craves sun-ripened mangoes and paupaus that dribble their juice on my chin. My tears want to be dried by the balmy afternoons spent under the shade of a Jacaranda tree, its purple petals crowning me lucky as they fall on my head. If I strain to listen I can hear the insistent chorus of insects that bring the world to life with their songs of sandpaper gently grating a rough surface. I cannot sleep without recalling that memory. With time it grows faint; so I must return.

On board the bus again we touch down on South African soil having travelled by boat all the way down to the southerly point of the continent.

Here the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet at what is called Cape Point. We stop to admit new passengers, one of which has an interesting piece of luggage. He is a small, old man with a curved spine from years spent toiling in the fields. He is carrying a plastic bag encompassing the body of a goat with a rope tied loosely around its neck. He clambers up the back of the bus and secures his parcel on the roof rack. It appears to be normal to have a goat sweating in plastic in temperatures of almost thirty-five degrees centigrade. There is something endearing about the African people; they are so unaware of their own peculiarities.

We journey through the picturesque paradise of the Garden route that runs along the South African coastline. The greenness here is so unlike that of Ireland. Here the foliage has a tropical mystique surrounding it; in Ireland the countryside is beautiful, but steeped in reassuring familiarity.

We enter the contrasting scenery of the Karoo desert, it is barren and painfully sun-scorched. The dry, cracked earth breathes hot steam from its pores begging the sky for relief from the unrelenting savannah sunshine. Leafless trees stretch skyward in agony like the tortured souls of Adam and Eve, crying out to God to clothe their naked flesh. The heat in the bus becomes unbearable. The midday sun pierces the glass and a foul stench of sweat hovers in the stagnant air around me. I open a small window and can smell the dusty desert road, beneath the balled tires of the bus. It is a haunting drive through no mans land. 

After several hours on a long straight road we pull into a small service station. There is an old petroleum pump and small corrugated iron shack where the petrol is paid for. A stone building beside the African petrol station has ‘Chimbuku’ written above the door. It sells the local brew and there are several pew-like benches inside where locals can enjoy their beverage out of the sun’s ugly glare. I am given a key on a piece of yarn from a small man in the service station and directed to the ‘toilet’. I unlock a mesh fence and there is a square slab of concrete with a hole in the middle for my relief. Vulnerable to the elements and anyone’s peeping glances I squat awkwardly over the unhygienic lavatory. After returning the key we journey onwards and upwards to the Beitbridge border between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

And it is here that my journey must end, for Bulawayo is three hours the other side of the border. I cannot imagine arriving in that town. It is impossible to be met by ghosts of friends that have deserted the home of their birth. I yearn to go back, travel in time to a place embedded in my past. But alas, my African dream is only that…a dream..

Article Source: http://www.escapeartist.com/index.html

Zimbabwe Safari Lodge | The Hide

Article Source:The Herald (Harare)

Harare

THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority will soon standardise prices that foreign tourists are charged in an effort to protect them from unscrupulous operators, an official said last Saturday.

Speaking at the Sanganai/ Hlanganani World Travel and Tourism Africa Fair, ZTA chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke said the authority would promptly address overcharging.

Mr Kaseke said uniformity of pricing structures had become critical as operators charged prices that could seriously hamper the inflow of foreign tourists.

The ZTA boss was responding to a call by tourism sector’s patron Vice President Joice Mujuru who officiated at the fair last Friday.

The Vice President noted that unfair pricing “could discourage tourism.”

“It has come to our attention that some unscrupulous operators charged ridiculous prices for instance a bottle of beer bought at wholesale price was being sold for 20 rand,” he said.

A bottle of beer is supposed to cost less than half the prices which were being charged.

Hotels and tour operators in Bulawayo are alleged to have increased prices during the tourism showcase to maximise profits.

International buyers attending the inaugural fair complained of outrageous prices, which were different for the same product that foreign tourists have had to contend with.

In her speech, VP Mujuru called on “tourism regulatory authorities to come up with mutually acceptable pricing formula.”

“When the Presidium says something to us, that is policy and we will not delay in implementing ideas suggested,” Mr Kaseke said.

The Hide | Zimbabwe Safari Lodge

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Zimbabwe’s Civil Aviation Authority as not being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Zimbabwe’s air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa. 

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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:  The U.S. Embassy does not receive notification of the arrest of American citizens by the Zimbabwean police. Further, the Government of Zimbabwe does not always grant immediate or repeated visits to detained or incarcerated Americans by Embassy consular officers. In April 2007, two Americans were detained by Zimbabwean police in Harare. They were not charged with any crime, they were not asked if they would like legal representation, and they were not arraigned before a magistrate. The police failed to give consular notification, failed to grant consular visitation, and refused to provide Embassy staff any information about their whereabouts, despite repeated inquiries. In this case, the police officer in charge made comments which suggested that their refusal to provide information or consular access was at least partially motivated by political considerations and the strained state of U.S.-Zimbabwe relations. In August 2007, two more Americans arrested under similar circumstances were detained for two days and deported. Zimbabwean officials failed to notify U.S. consular officials of the arrests; after U.S. officials became aware of the detentions they were refused visitation. 

U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry a copy of their U.S. passports with them at all times so that, if questioned by local officials, proof of identity and U.S. citizenship is readily available. If arrested, American citizens should ask to contact the American Embassy.

Under Executive Order 13288 of March 7, 2003, the United States placed sanctions on the property and economic assets of certain Zimbabwean government officials deemed most responsible for undermining Zimbabwe’s democratic institutions. Under U.S. law, it is illegal for American citizens or residents to engage in any transaction or dealing with the targeted individuals or other entities designated by the Secretary of the Treasury under this sanctions program. It is not otherwise illegal for American citizens to transact business with Zimbabwean firms. U.S. citizens intending to engage in business or financial transactions in Zimbabwe are advised to consult the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control web site at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/ for up-to-date information on these sanctions.

It is illegal to exchange foreign currency for local currency with anyone other than an authorized currency dealer affiliated with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Authorized currency dealers include the major banks, such as Standard Chartered and Barclays. Street vendors and private individuals may also offer this service, but they should be avoided. Travelers observed by the police engaging in illegal money transactions will be immediately arrested and jailed pending a hearing before a magistrate court.

Travelers to Zimbabwe should carefully consider the method of payment used for lodging and other expenses. Due to high rates of inflation, prices may fluctuate dramatically. Internationally convertible currency such as U.S. dollars or British pounds may be required for certain travel-related expenses such as hotel bills and airfare, but is illegal to use for most other expenses. Even in instances where use of foreign exchange is required or permitted, traveler’s checks may not be accepted. Similarly, many banks and foreign exchange windows refuse to accept traveler’s checks for conversion to local currency, and virtually none will cash them for foreign exchange. There have been recent instances in which Zimbabwean authorities seized foreign currency from tourists/visitors who were unable to present documentation that they declared these funds when entering the country. Using a credit card could significantly increase the cost of purchases, as credit card companies calculate the U.S. dollar equivalent using the official government rate, which may be significantly lower than that used by local shopkeepers and vendors. Visitors are encouraged to assess the currency situation in Zimbabwe at the actual time of travel. 

Zimbabwe offers opportunities for observation of wildlife in its natural habitat and many tour operators still offer structured, safe excursions into parks and other wildlife viewing areas for close observation of flora and fauna. However, standards and training have declined markedly and it is a good idea to ascertain whether operators are trained and licensed. Even animals marketed as “tame” should be respected as wild and extremely dangerous. Two foreign visitors were killed by an elephant on a “safari walk” in Hwange National Park in March 2007. A foreign tourist died in August 2005 after an attack during a “lion walk” at The Lion and Cheetah Park, a game preserve near Harare. In February 2007 another foreign visitor was seriously injured during a “lion walk” with young lions at the same park. In 2004, an American tourist was killed by a crocodile while in a canoe at Mana Pools on the Zambezi River. U.S. citizens participating in nature excursions in Zimbabwe should be aware that even organized and licensed tour operators may encourage or allow tourists to participate in activities, such as walking or canoe safaris, which could pose great risks to personal safety. Travelers should keep a safe distance from animals at all times, remaining in vehicles or other protected enclosures when venturing into game parks.

There have been a few instances in which tourists have faced last-minute cancellations or have had to leave a game park earlier than planned as a result of labor unrest and/or ownership disputes. Visitors to Nyanga should avoid Pungwe Falls, Mterazi Falls, and the Honde Falls, as there have been numerous incidents of armed robbery, theft, assaults, and attempted rapes reported at these sites. Land mines along the Mozambique border, situated beyond the main tourist areas, make travel to that border area potentially hazardous.

Tourists who wish to hunt in Zimbabwe must be accompanied by a licensed operator, who is required to be registered and licensed by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Environment and Tourism. Travelers to Zimbabwe should ask for the operator’s license number when booking a hunt and should check the authenticity of the license by contacting the Zimbabwe Association of Tour and Safari Operators (ZATSO) at: pangeti@zct.co.zw or bown@zct.co.zw. 

U.S. citizens who are temporarily carrying firearms and ammunition into Zimbabwe for purposes of hunting, and who cannot qualify for an exemption under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), may need an approved temporary export license (DSP73) from Department of State’s Office of Defense Trade Controls. U.S. citizens should also contact the Embassy of Zimbabwe in Washington, D.C. to find out what permits are required by the government of Zimbabwe for importing weapons into the country. Travelers are advised to make sure that all of the necessary documentation is in order before departing the United States. The weapons also must be cleared through U.S. Customs when leaving the United States and upon reentry at the conclusion of one’s trip. 

Please see our Customs Information.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country’s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Zimbabwe’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Zimbabwe are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties. 

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CHILDREN’S ISSUES: For information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction. 

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REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION:  Americans living or traveling in Zimbabwe are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Zimbabwe. Americans withoutInternet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare, telephone (263-4) 250-593/4, after-hours telephone (263-4) 250-595; fax (263-4) 250-343. American citizen service hours are from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and from 8:00 am to 11:30 am on Fridays, except U.S. and Zimbabwean holidays. The mailing address is P.O. Box 3340, Harare. The e-mail address is ConsularHarare@state.gov. 

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This replaces the Country Specific Information dated June 26, 2008 to update sections on Safety and Securit and Medical Facilities and Health Information.