'The Smoke that Thunders' - never was such an evocative name so apt as the translation of the local name, Mosi-Oa-Tunya, for Victoria Falls. Columns of spray ascending from the near two-kilometre wide cliff-edge can be seen from several miles away when the Falls are at their heaviest, the sheer drop transforming the wide, placid Zambezi River into a ferocious torrent, cutting its way through jagged gorges. Simply spectacular, and a haven for white water rafting enthusiasts. Long regarded as one of the premium wildlife destinations of Africa, land-locked Zimbabwe is gradually re-establishing itself after a difficult period of political and economic struggles. The country’s name derives from the spectacular stone structures of the Great Zimbabwe ruins, a World Heritage Site with a mysterious origin. The country is home to another four World Heritage sites, including the rugged granite outcrops of the Matobo Hills, the spectacular conservation area of Mana Pools and of course, the magnificent Victoria Falls themselves. The world’s largest man-made reservoir, the vast waters of Lake Kariba are home to the fierce tiger fish, renowned among avid anglers, while herds of wildlife wander its shores, especially in Matusadona National Park. Below the dam, the lower Zambezi, Mana Pools is an iconic safari destination high on the list of avid safari-goers with some of the best walking safari terrain. Meanwhile on the western fringes of the country, the country’s largest national park, Hwange, plays host to the largest concentration of elephants on the continent, as well as over 100 mammals and 400 species of bird. Meanwhile, on the southern border with Mozambique, Gonarezhou is one of te most rugged, beautiful and unexplored parks in Southern Africa, again with excellent walking terrain. Tucked between the mighty Zambezi and the rolling Limpopo River, Zimbabwe is best known for the magnificent spectacle of the Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls Gonarezhou NP Hwange NP Matobo NP Chizarira NP Matusadona NP Mana Pools NP Bulawayo HARARE Lake Kariba Malilangwe
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