Eastern Zimbabwe by car

8 to 22 November 1993

Journal

Friday 8th October 1993

I decided that I could undertake this trip in a car, partly because I was going to spend some time staying with friends, but also because virtually everywhere I was to visit was on tar roads. I was driving a 1991 Volkswagen Citi Golf, which has a reasonably high ground clearance.

I left Johannesburg at about 06h00 and drove up through Beit Bridge to arrive in Harare before it was dark. I stayed in Borrowdale, with friends.

 

Saturday 9th October 1993

I spent much of the day at the Mukuvisi Reserve in Harare, staying the night with the friends in Borrowdale.

 

Sunday 10th to Thursday 14th October 1993

I was to meet the friends in Nyanga, but we would travel separately as I wanted to visit the Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens en route. I spent about three hours in the gardens before continuing on to Nyanga, reaching there in the late afternoon. We stayed at the lodge for 5 nights.

 

Friday 15th October 1993

Leaving in mid-morning I drove the short distance from the Nyanga uplands down to the Honde Valley to the east, and stayed two nights at the Tea Estate - they have a beautiful lodge there

Saturday 16th October 1993

I spend the day walking around the area, and found many special birds in the area - including Anchieta's Tchagra.

 

Sunday 17th October 1993

In mid-morning I drove on to Kiledo Lodge near Chipinge. I spent the afternoon wandering around in the local forest.

 

Monday 18th October 1993

Leaving early in the morning I drove slowly down to the Vimba forest, returning in the late afternoon. This was the one rough road I had to travel on, and the car handled it fine.

 

Tuesday 19th October 1993

Again I made a day trip to the Vimba Forest.

 

Wednesday 20th October 1993

Leaving Kiledo Lodge in the early morning I drove south to Chirinda Forest, where I spent most of the day. In the late afternoon, I drove west to stay at a lodge near Chiredzi.

 

Thursday 21st October 1993

I spent the day in the Gona-re-Zhou reserve, although being in a car limited the places I could visit to some extent.

 

Friday 22nd October 1993

Leaving early in the morning, I drove straight back to Johannesburg.