Escape to the Highlights

[ Aberfoyle Lodge ]

Escape to THE HIGHLANDS

[WRITER: Mana Brightman of Wild Goat Travel ] [ PHOTO: Christopher Cragg ] [ Mutarazi SkyWalk ]

I love taking road trips (who doesn’t?!) and the drive to Nyanga and the Honde Valley in Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe has fast become one of my favourites.

Driving out of Harare, making that left turn at Rusape and entering the Juliasdale area, one can almost feel the tension in your shoulders release. Has anyone else noticed that slight temperature drop, that the air is crisper, fresher and you can’t help taking a gulp of the pure, clean air into your lungs? If someone could find a way to bottle it, you’d make millions. We often forget how much pollution is in the air around us until you head out of town where traffic is less and trees, fields of grass, flowers and birdlife abound and the imprint of mankind is not as noticeable. I frequently find myself thinking how we always seem to constantly be building in the name of ‘progress’ yet I honestly crave wide, open spaces and the sound of silence with not a soul in sight. Surely this is what we should be preserving instead?

There is something for everyone when it comes to accommodation in the Eastern Highlands. Thanks to Far & Wide, the SkyDeck Mountain Retreat and Aberfoyle Lodge there is now accommodation that suits everyone’s needs and budget.

Far & Wide offers a range of self-catering cottages ranging from the Mutarazi cottages (of which there are three cottages, each sleeping six) perfectly designed for coziness and comfort, and even come with their own heated saunas. After an icey-cold dip in the mountain streams whilst hiking, it feels like pure heaven!

There is Pamushana Cottage which sleeps six adults and two children comfortably and is ideal for a family wanting privacy during their stay. You almost feel like you’re the only ones around when staying in this secluded spot.

Next there are the two Pungwe Drift cottages which are more remote, rustic fishermen cottages located right next to the gurgling upper Pungwe River. If you want more of an adventure and to be submersed in nature, these are the ideal cottages for you. Each sleep five, with a double bed and three single beds; they don’t have electricity but paraffin lamps are provided along with a gas stove, solar fridge, cosey fireplace and the sounds of the river all night long. What more could one want?

It is about a 4-4.5 hour drive from Harare to Far & Wide and although during most of the year the roads are fine and even the adventurous Honda Fit has been known to make it, one definitely needs a 4x4 during the rainy season to get to them. [ Pungwe Drift Cottages ]

[ SkyDeck Mountain Retreat ] The SkyDeck Mountain Retreat is a fairly new establishment to have been built in the Nyanga area. It is perched on the edge of the Honde Valley escarpment surrounded by beautiful afro-montane forests with the most stunning panoramic views of Mount Inyangani. The SkyDeck brings the ‘luxury’ aspect to the area and staying here, one is afforded absolute exclusivity, with a butler, private chef and private guide to see to one’s every need. It sleeps four in two en-suite rooms at opposite ends of the building. Picture yourself sitting in a hot tub, drink of choice in hand, a slight nip in the air but the heated, bubbling water keeping you nice and toasty and the view, my goodness, that view! One has to be there to fully appreciate its wonder.

In upcoming exciting news, three beautiful luxury Villas are set to open mid-April 2022 adding more capacity to the property so a larger group of friends or family can be accommodated. Watch their social media pages for the first images to be released of these elegantly designed rooms, they are not to be missed and will have you wanting to book your weekend-getaway right away! There is a variety of activities one is able to do whilst staying at Far & Wide and the SkyDeck starting from the SkyWalk and SkyLine activities which are walking across two bridges (definitely not advisable for one scared of heights) stretched across the Mutarazi Falls, Africa’s second highest waterfall. The SkyLine is then a Zipline across this expanse as well. They are both incredibly exhilarating experiences!

[ Mount Inyangani in the distance ]

There are two obstacle Confidence courses, a Family Orienteering course, a giant swing if you dare, white water rafting/river bugging but this is seasonal, birding hikes with phenomenal guides, what is becoming a very popular Turaco Trail and finally the SkyRun which is held annually and growing in popularity for those wanting to test their fitness levels to the maximum.

Taking a winding, roughly two-hour scenic drive further down the Honde Valley escarpment, we then come to another special, hidden gem of this intriguing country. It’s a place where one almost doesn’t even feel like you’re in Zimbabwe. Surrounded by rolling shades of green and hills covered in tea plantations, taking in the surrounding scenery you wind your way and come to the increasingly popular Aberfoyle Lodge.

With only 15 rooms and one self-catering house called Hornbill House sleeping seven, this lodge and property is small enough to allow you privacy and attention to detail during your stay. Their rates are Full Board which include all meals, teas and coffees and complimentary access to the golf course (yes, a golf course too!) during your stay. Each lodge room is named and designed with a similar colour scheme of the birds found in the area. For example, some of the rooms are called Seedcracker, Tchagra, Bushshrike, Kingfisher, Blue Swallow, African Pitta to name but a few.

Activities on offer here include guided or self-hikes, a tea factory tour (per group of up to eight), a Tree Canopy Tour which is zip-lining through the forest of trees with trickling, crystal-clear streams and foliage below you, fishing at Wamba dam where you are able to bring your own boat as there is a bay for docking and loading boats, and birding with wellknown bird guide Morgan, who is often much sought-after. There is a small putt-putt course and a swimming pool to keep the children entertained along with dormitory rooms to allow parents a quiet and relaxing stay while all the children are together. The drive from Harare straight to Aberfoyle would probably take you roughly six hours or so, with the last two hours being very slow because of the winding roads, but one hardly notices this whilst taking in the beautiful scenery along the way. There are also various other private self-cottages to be found in Nyanga and in conclusion, the Eastern Highlands is a very popular destination both for locals and internationals alike, offering something for everyone. [ Aberfoyle Lodge] [ Mutarazi Cottage ]

[ Wamba Dam View, Aberfoyle ]

[ Honde Valley Views ]