Zimbabwe is among 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 cars of money. Despite this, there is a whole list of Zimbabwean attractions that can rightly be called unique.
Huange National Park (Hwange)
The park was founded in 1928 by the twenty-two-year-old Ted Davison. The attraction is included in the transboundary reserve Kavango-Zambezi.
On the territory of Huange, poachers often operate, six years ago about two dozen animals were killed in the reserve area, among which were elephants, lions and buffaloes.
And four years ago, in October, the most massive animal death in the past 25 years was attributed to human beings in South Africa. About 100 carcasses were discovered during aerial photography. As it turned out, the cause of the mass death of our smaller brothers was cyanide poisoned water in the well.
The park is located near the Kalahari desert, a region with low water resources and rare xerophilous (dry-loving) vegetation. Among the plants, teak and bauhinia dominate. In the north and northwest of the park, mopane forests predominate.
If you have arrived in South Africa and 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 Zimbabwean protected animals are in Hwang.
Grazing herbivores are more likely to be found in the wild of the Main Camp and Linkwash Runway. The distribution fluctuates seasonally, with large herbivores concentrating in areas where intense water transfer is maintained during the dry season.
Carib 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 attraction of the Republic of Zimbabwe attracts tourists with its history.
The construction of a dam of such magnitude and a reservoir that provides electricity to the two countries required serious preparation. During Operation Noah, all the animals that took refuge from the "flood" on the formed islands were taken out. For this, special boats were used. The bottom of the current reservoir was burned out.
In addition to unlimited benefits, this lake 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 were recorded with a magnitude of 5 magnitudes on the Richter scale.
Matobo National Park
This park is famous for its stone formations. Rocky hills were formed over 2 billion years ago when granite was pushed to the surface. The area is strewn with boulders and alternates with vegetation, so it was called "Bald Heads".
Description of Attractions Zimbabwe does not lend itself to any logic. Balancing stones look very surreal. How can huge boulders lie on top of each other and not slide anywhere?
The hills cover an area of about 3,100 km 2 , of which 424 km 2 are the National Park, and the rest of the territory is communal land and commercial agricultural land.
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
The most famous and significant landmark of Zimbabwe is Victoria Falls. It is not the largest and not the widest in the world, but it 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 an unchanging cloud of spray above it. The discoverer took the waterfall for a fire in the savannah.
And Victoria Falls is famous for its rainbows, they live here constantly. Here you can even see a circular rainbow, and if you come to the full moon - a moon rainbow, and this is a very rare occurrence.
The first European to see the waterfall was David Livingston.
Victoria is beautiful from any angle, but the most profitable is a flight above her in a hang glider. Even for trained and spoiled tourists, the view of the waterfall causes the strongest positive emotions that can even lead to tears of delight.
“I witnessed the most wonderful sight in Africa!” - wrote David Livingston.
Zimbabwe Currency
Zimbabwe has become famous throughout the world for how incredibly depreciated the local currency - the Zimbabwean dollar. Due to the incompetent policies of local President Robert Mugabe, money for the day turned into useless pieces of paper.
The local currency collapsed so 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. Even a bill with fourteen zeros was issued - one hundred trillion Zimbabwean dollars, which cost 0.28 US dollars.
Then they already spat and decided to use the American currency, and rare pieces of local money are now sold to tourists as a souvenir.
If you do not know what to see in Zimbabwe, the sights do not attract you anymore, then head to the Mbaremusik market. There you can buy for $ 10-20 a whole pack of Zimbabwean currency and hold in your hands a bill in denominations of one hundred trillion dollars.
Mbaremusika Market
For a European tourist, this is no less an attraction in Zimbabwe than Victoria Falls. Firstly, here you can buy fruits, souvenirs, medicinal potions, handicrafts and just plunge into the truly African atmosphere of slums.
There are ranks with humanitarian aid, cheap clothes and food. You can also find shops with goods for shamans and sorcerers: potions, medicines, shaman things, love spells for love, love spells, a cow placenta, an inverted 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 turned-out skin of a hedgehog and is spread with it to become stronger and bolder, and the nest of a weaver bird needs to be hung in the house so that there is harmony in the family.
Acropolis of Africa
This is one of the greatest mysteries of Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Archaeologists called these ruins the Acropolis, because the structure 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 ceramics found during excavations, tips and forms 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 sea links with Asian countries.
The question arises: why did the residents leave this area? It is likely that the solution lies in a series of dry years and the attack of wild animals.
Unfortunately, scientists have not yet found information about the origin, or about why this territory was abandoned.