Harare - The "Sunshine City," Zimbabwe

Having toured all the East African countries, it was time to go explore down south. As a child, we lived in southern Africa, growing up in Swaziland and later Zambia. I had sketchy memories of those countries - a few friends here and there, the school my siblings and I went to, and surviving near-drowning at home. Thanks to Hellen, a Ugandan family friend who jumped into the pool to save my life, I am still alive today. I had not visited southern Africa since we relocated, and with my sabbatical, I now had time to explore and see what was out there. Zimbabwe is a country that I have always been fascinated by - I admired the beautiful national parks I read about in National Geographic magazines. It was now an opportune time to visit; my elder cousin worked in Zimbabwe and had his family in town when I planned to visit.

To get to Harare, I took a two-and-a-half-hour direct flight from Kigali on RwandAir in the wee hours of the morning. I landed at Robert Mugabe International Airport mid-morning and was welcomed by Harare’s cold, dry winter. Fortunately, a jet bridge connected the plane to the building, so I didn’t have to get out of the plane and take a bus to arrivals like in many African airports. I still felt the cold, nonetheless, since most airports are fond of keeping their temperatures low - a thing I struggle to understand. The arrival process was straightforward - there was no need for a Covid test as I had proof of vaccination and a letter of invitation and did not need a visa to enter the country. I found the driver waiting in the car, and my 19-year-old niece came waving at me from the other side of the airport.

While we waited for my cousin and nephew to arrive from Swaziland, or Eswatini as they call it nowadays, we went to an airport booth to buy a sim card. Unlike most countries I have been to, I didn’t have to go through the hustle of looking for a forex bureau to convert dollars to local currency; thanks to the “dollarisation” of the Zimbabwean dollar, it made transactions easy. You could transact in US dollars anywhere, anytime - it had a downside though; you had to deal with getting rid of the old notes by ensuring that they were all spent in Zimbabwe. No bank or forex bureau would accept overused tired-looking US dollar notes from Zimbabwe. We didn’t wait too long before they arrived, and we were out of the airport within thirty minutes and ready to see Harare.

Nestled in the northeastern part of Zimbabwe in the Mashonaland region, Harare is one of the scenic cities. Being the capital, Harare is a lovely place to visit, surrounded by spectacular scenery - home to lions, zebras, wildebeests, and more. Until 1982, the city was known as Salisbury but was rechristened as Harare on the 2nd Zimbabwean Independence Day. Harare was established as early as the 1890s, giving it a unique colonial touch. The capital’s cosmopolitan population reflects the city’s rich history and provides visitors with a warm welcome. After independence, Harare grew quickly, and the city centre is now a fascinating mix of the old and the new, where you will find gleaming office blocks towering over 100-year-old churches. At an altitude of 1,438 metres, Harare is a city of modern buildings, wide thoroughfares, and numerous parks and gardens. A city whose streets are lined with flowering trees and a wonderful and refreshing climate, it is frequently referred to as Zimbabwe’s Garden or Sunshine City.

Places to visit in Harare

When I wasn’t giggling with my niece about all the nonsensical things that I did in college - ranging from inappropriate Halloween costumes to failed attempts at ice skating, I was wallowing in the pretty parks and wandering between the jacarandas that famously pepper the roadways. Zimbabwe offers a wealth of beautiful landscapes - from mountains to low veld, with tropical climate mitigated by the country’s elevation. Over the past decade, the portrayal of Zimbabwe by the international media has been harsh, with western nations warning their citizens against traveling to the country. The political turmoil and the record-breaking hyperinflation often tainted Zimbabwe’s reputation. However, the country is more stable now than it has been for decades, and slowly tourism is returning. Over my 10-day trip, I was delighted to visit these beautiful places:

Lion Park

The Lion Park is a game park in Harare Metropolitan Province, near lake Chivero. It is a sanctuary for lions, situated only a thirty-minute drive or about 23 km from Harare along Bulawayo road. This sanctuary has been around for many years (formerly known as the Lion and Cheetah Park) and continues to be a place of adventure, learning, and relaxation for the young and old. Besides lions, the park has a wide range of animals to see - ranging from Alaskan malamutes, bush pigs, ostriches, camels and a 200-year tortoise. The Park allows visitors to go on self-drive game viewing, where one can see zebras, giraffes, impalas, and more. The roads suit all vehicles, so everyone can enjoy this little piece of nature. All the animals in the game park are wild but are used to cars so visitors can get very close to them from the safety and comfort of their vehicles.

We ended the tour with a visit to the Snake World, a 3-minute drive from the Lion Park. The Snake World is where people can learn more about reptiles, particularly Zimbabwe’s common snakes. There are various types of snakes, from the common house snake to the Mozambique Spitting Cobra - each kind in its own enclosure. The guide gave an informative talk about the habits of all the snakes. They also had some turtles, a baby crocodile, and some chameleons. Those brave enough got a chance to hold some harmless ones, presenting a rare photo opportunity that would make an exciting snapshot for social media. After some provocation, the snakes would slither close to the window display and show some mean faces looking somewhat irritated by the disturbance.

Domboshava

Located 30 km from Harare off the Borrowdale/Domboshawa road or a 35-minute drive, Domboshava is popular for its breath-taking natural terrain, outdoor adventure activities, and famed sunset views. According to Rasmusen and Rubert’s Historical Dictionary of Zimbabwe, the name Domboshawa is derived from the Chishona words “dombo” (large stone or rock) and shawa (red), and at least half a dozen sites in Mashonaland bear this name. Domboshava is known for its granite outcrops containing several shelters and notable rock paintings. These include fine animal and human depictions of several different styles, with some of the human figures believed to be San representations of Bantu-speaking people.

Domboshava is a hiker’s marvel - it has so many places to hike. The most popular is Ngomakurira Mountain, where one would test their endurance, but after conquering the climb, one would have an incredible view from the top of the hill. Ngomakurira is also popular with believers, who pray at the top of the mountain. However, it is said that in old times, this mountain was one of the places where the Shona people held traditional ceremonies such as rainmaking and offerings. The sound of the beating drum would be heard from the low-lying communal area, and the people thought it was the hill producing the sound of a drumbeat, so they called it Ngomakurira, which means beating drums

Chapungu Sculpture Park

Chapungu Sculpture Park is located a 20-minute drive from the city centre. For the past 50 years, Zimbabwe stone sculpture has been a contemporary art phenomenon that has played a significant role in the development of art from Africa. The sculptures are handmade of stone from Zimbabwe and are direct, powerful, and deeply expressive. They elicit an experience that reminds the viewer of those matters so important in traditional African families and to all humanity. The Park organizes several exhibitions during the year when the works are displayed at other locations such as the National Art Gallery and the Botanical Gardens. Visitors can also browse for smaller souvenirs in the shops at the Park.

Restaurants, Cafes and Pubs

As a tourist with family in Zimbabwe, it was also time to wine, dine and indulge with them. You see, food is powerful - it has the ability to shape your journey and define your memories. Food is an essential part of life and community - it is what makes us who we are as a people. Without it there’s no authentic travel experience and it’s the times that we congregate around a dinner table with family and friends or take time for a picnic that we remember the most. Not necessarily because of the food itself, although that’s an added bonus, but because those are the moments when the best memories are made - sitting and actually talking to each other, about everything - society, politics, children or even the weather. It’s admirable. Food is and always has been an important part of culture. Through food, we can learn about a country’s history, traditions and societal norms. We tried out several places in Harare and here are my favourite

Imba Matombo

Perched on a hill on the edge of Harare, Imba Matombo is an exclusive, secluded hotel with a spectacular view across the hills of Domboshawa and Gletwyn forest. The main house was built in the early 1990s and has since maintained its proud position as one of Harare’s better-known locations. We parked beside the flood-lit tennis court and were welcomed by a 25-metre-long Wedgwood blue swimming pool. Imba Matombo’s public rooms: restaurant, lounge, drawing rooms, conservatory dining room, bar, staircase, and connecting corridors boast breathtaking décor with priceless antique furniture, ceramics, and paintings. All the food was fresh, with incredible flavours and excellent choices. We settled for the Father’s Day menu, which had cream of forest mushroom soup with croutons, garlic smothered shrimp, and avocado cocktail for starters. The mains had pan-fried bream fillet, smothered baby chicken, and braised oxtail j’ardinere served with fried fruity basmati-turmeric rice, traditional pap, sautéed mixed vegetables, and fried covo. The dessert had deep-fried ice cream with fresh fruit compote, hot apple crumble with almond-scented custard, and fresh fruit salad.

The Bottom Drawer

The Bottom Drawer is an outdoor café set in a leafy garden and is the ideal place to unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city. Their delightful décor affords the perfect setting for breakfast, lunch, or tea, accompanied by a decadent treat, be it sweet or savoury. The lunch menu offers a wide selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads and quiches, and homemade pot pies. Treat yourself to one of these; they are the ultimate comfort food with rich gravy and melt-in-the-mouth buttery pastry! They also have daily specials, and banting options on some dishes are available. Every dish is beautifully plated, and your mouth will be watering before you take your first bite. We placed three orders; a chicken and mayo wrap with cold sautéed chicken breast tossed in a light tangy mayonnaise and cream dressing, delicately flavoured with sweet paprika, and served on a slice of homemade cheese bread. Then the Bacon & Avo Sandwich, the chef’s favourite - crispy bacon and wedges of creamy avo, served on a slice of homemade bread. And lastly, a ginger and garlic chicken salad with chicken breast stir-fried in garlic and ginger olive oil. All lunches are served with freshly picked garden salads and are dressed with a special “Steph” dressing.

Queen of Hearts

Just as the queen of hearts in a pack of cards represents beauty and an attractive woman who offers unconditional love to all, the founders of Queen of Hearts Cafe wanted to bring to Harare a place that feels like you are in the house of close friends surrounded by fine food and drinks. Located in Highlands, an upmarket suburb of Harare, Queen of Hearts is breathtakingly beautiful and elegant, offering great food. During the daytime, the focus is on social interaction and light dining, while evenings and weekends focus on specialized sushi content. There is a wide selection of food to choose from, ranging from burgers, grills, seafood, sushi, pizza, and spicy Indian cuisine with a lively atmosphere filled with energy, and the music and live bands in the background makes for a nice touch. The place has a great ambiance and caters to the whole family. In the gardens, you can find craft shops, hair salons, a gym, yoga rooms and boutique shops, flowers and home decor, a wine cellar, a spa, and a learning centre. You would never run out of things to do here. It is a modern fusion of fun.