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ZIMBABWE
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Zimbabwe
is bordered by Zambia to
the northwest, Mozambique
to the north and east,
South Africa to the south
and Botswana to the
southwest. The central
zone of hills gives rise
to many rivers, which
drain into the manmade
Lake Kariba to the
northwest, the marshes of
Botswana to the west or
into the Zambezi River to
the northeast. The
highveld landscape is
dotted with kopjes
(massive granite
outcrops). Along the
eastern border for some
350km (220 miles) is a
high mountainous region of
great scenic beauty,
rising to 2592m (8504ft)
at Mount Inyangani, the
country’s highest point.
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Harare |
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Harare, the
capital, is Zimbabwe's commercial and industrial centre
and also the usual starting point for any visit. It is a
clean and sophisticated city, characterised by flowering
trees, colourful parks and contemporary architecture.
Local sightseeing includes the modern museum and art
gallery, the Robert McIlwaine Recreational Park, which
has a lake and game reserve, the Lion & Cheetah
Park, the Larvon Bird Gardens and the landscaped gardens
of aloes and cycads at Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens. Due
to its pleasant climate, Harare is known as the
'Sunshine City'.
AAA
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Bulawayo |
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Bulawayo,
Zimbabwe's second city, is a major commercial,
industrial and tourist centre. The city is rich in
historical associations and is the home of the National
Museum. Nearby are the ancient Khami ruins, while to the
south is the Rhodes Matopos National Park, notable for
its exotic formations of huge granite boulders. Dams
with excellent fishing, caves with rock paintings, Cecil
Rhodes' grave and a well-stocked game park make this
area popular with visitors.
A holiday in Zimbabwe would be incomplete without a
visit to the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, the
largest complex of ruins in Africa south of the pyramids
in Egypt. The Main Enclosure, or Temple, has walls over
9m (30ft) tall, 4m (14ft) thick and over 228m (250
yards) in circumference, giving approximately 485,521
cubic metres (635,000 cubic ft) of hand-trimmed
mortarless stonework. The remains are what is left of a
city-state that flourished between the 13th and 15th
centuries, trading in gold. Lake Kyle National Park is
not far away; there is a well-organised campsite close
to the lake.
AAA
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Victoria
Falls |
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Victoria Falls.
120km (75 miles) from the Hwange National Park are the
largest waterfalls in the world – at 2.5km (1.5 miles)
wide, 550 million litres of water plunge 100m (330ft)
into a narrow chasm every minute; the spray can be seen
30km (20 miles) away. To gain an overall impression of
the Falls, the 'Flight of the Angels' light plane trip
is a must, as is a cruise up the mighty Zambezi River.
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