Africa's Famous Places

The ancient beauty of Africa's landscapes never fails to awe and compel

by Patrick Madden, 1 April 2006

Great Zimbabwe Ruins

South-east of Masvingo, on an open wooded plain surrounded by hills, the ruined city of Great Zimbabwe tells of the mysterious historical presence of an advanced and ancient African civilisation.

Known around the 16th century as Symbaoe (signifying "court"), the walled city was the centre of the Monomatapa empire, whose influence extended over much of southern Africa. The huge Monomatapa empire included the present-day states of Zimbabwe (whose name originated from the city's modern name) and Mozambique.

Along the boundary of Zambia and Zimbabwe, the mighty Zambezi River falls 128 sheer metres to create the largest curtain of falling water on Earth.

The city consists of three archaeologically distinct groups of structures; the Hill Complex (or the Acropolis), the Valley Complex and the Great Enclosure. The walls in all three groups were constructed using dry-stone techniques, the granite stones having to be carefully shaped so as to fit together precisely.

Significant portions of Great Zimbabwe's structures, including impressively tall towers and walls, remain standing to this day. Great Zimbabwe itself covers nearly 18km² and may have housed as many as 18 000 inhabitants at its peak.

Considerable and unresolved debate has ensued over the causes of Great Zimbabwe's arising, the ethnicity of its builders and inhabitants, and its subsequent abandonment and ruin. The civilisation's architecture was extremely advanced for its time, especially by comparison with contemporary neighbouring civilisations, and the city was probably central to the gold trade in the region.

It may have been abandoned when the gold trade was no longer lucrative, or destroyed in conquest. A World Heritage Site since 1986, the ancient ruins of Great Zimbabwe make a fascinating visit for anyone with half an interest in history. Do a bit of reading about it beforehand, though; the more you know, the more wonder and fascination you'll experience from a visit to this mysterious ruined city.

Victoria Falls

Along the boundary of Zambia and Zimbabwe, midway along its course to the Indian Ocean, the mighty Zambezi River falls 128 sheer metres to create the largest curtain of falling water on Earth. A full mile wide, the Victoria Falls are among the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, falling as they do into a jagging, slot-like ravine that allows you to view them face-on from the opposite bank.

The waterfall is called Mosi oa Tunya (the smoke that thunders) by the locals. Its spray is visible from 30km away, and you'll hear the thrilling and awe-inspiring rumble of the waterfall long before you reach the falls themselves.

In the rainy season (April and May) the Zambezi flows at a rate of up to 9 100m³/s. The Victoria Falls are an unbroken cascade of water, and the bottom of the ravine is obscured by a thick haze of spray and mist that's decorated by rainbows in the sunlight. At the height of the dry season just a few cataracts remain and you can see to the bottom of the jagged gorge.

The Khoi people called the Cape Peninsula's flat-topped mountain Hoerikiwaggo - the mountain in the sea.

Victoria Falls offers many expeditions focused around the incredible natural wonder. You can don a raincoat for the spray and explore the waterfall's lush and beautiful surrounds, or you can take a canoe trip on the river upstream from the falls, a relatively placid expanse of water, home to hippopotami and crocodiles.

For the more adventurous, the Victoria Falls bungee jump was until recently the highest commercial jump in the world (the Bloukrans in South Africa is the current title-holder). Alternatively, you can fly a microlight over the falls, or go white-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge below the falls, braving the most thrilling commercially runnable rapids in the world.

Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls town has, fortunately, been a haven of calm in an otherwise politically unstable country. For accommodation in the area, you could hardly do better than stay at Zimbabwe's opulent Matetsi Water Lodge.

Table Mountain

The Khoi people, who were the Cape Peninsula's original inhabitants, called its flat-topped mountain Hoerikiwaggo - the mountain in the sea. On the Cape Peninsula that divides the Indian and Atlantic oceans, Table Mountain is now the main attraction of the beautiful city of Cape Town, and the most famous icon (perhaps alongside Nelson Mandela) of South Africa worldwide.

Much more complex in shape than the famous front-on view implies, the mountain is actually part of a range that twists and buckles down the Cape Peninsula toward the dramatic Cape Point Nature Reserve. Numerous walks and trails crisscross the sides and top of the mountain, and a cable-car provides an easy ascent to the top, where the view of the peninsula and the city bowl is spectacular.

Table Mountain is rich in the unique vegetation of fynbos (literally fine bush), of which it has a staggering diversity. As many as 1 470 species can be found on the mountain, many of which are of the famous protea genus.

The mountain's most prevalent animals are rock hyraxes, or dassies, which look like bunny-sized brown guinea pigs and are, amazingly, closely related to the African elephant. For accommodation in Cape Town, take a look at the luxurious Bridge House, a modern and stunningly stylish guest lodge on the slopes of Table Mountain.

Olduvai Gorge

In Tanzania in the 1970s, while looking for butterflies, Mary and Louis Leakey discovered the 3,7-million-year-old footprints of an ancient hominid - Australopithecus afarensis. The location was Olduvai Gorge, a steep-sided ravine averaging 90m in depth and running about 50km from the Ngorongoro Crater Conservancy toward the Serengeti.

The Leakeys' discovery was revelatory in the archaeological world; even today the unearthed fossils remain the oldest known evolutionary forerunners of homo sapiens, modern humankind. The discoveries suggested that Olduvai - called Oldupai by the Maasai - was the site of the earliest human civilisation. It was dubbed the Cradle of Mankind.

For any human interested in the birthplace of his or her species, Oldupai Gorge is a must. Surrounded by the unremittingly spectacular Serengeti scenery, the atmosphere in the gorge is a spookily resonant throwback to primal Africa - especially when you consider the contents of the ground beneath your feet.

The beauty is in the detail of life in Zanzibar; the crumbling walls and the thick-trunked baobabs...

There's no accommodation at Olduvai proper, but the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge at the nearby Ngorongoro Crater is a romantic hideaway. Alternatively, for an itinerary that covers Oldupai as well as Tanzania's other northerly highlights (like the incredible Ngorongoro Crater), take a look at our Kifaru Safari.

Zanzibar

A jewel of traditional Africa just off the east coast of Tanzania, Zanzibar is not just a single island but comprised of two - Unguja or Zanzibar Island and Pemba Island. Unguja, itself surrounded by tiny islets, is the largest of the pair (about 1 544km²) and Pemba (about 980km²) lies 50km to its north.

Though a small island (you can race around it in a single day) Unguja is an intense melange of colour and culture that could absorb you for weeks. Development is minimal; the miles of beaches on Unguja's east coast aren't lined with hotels, but dotted by small, family-run guesthouses and coconut villages.

The best way to experience the real Zanzibar is by exploring it on foot or by bicycle. A relaxed journey around the island will take you along miles of beaches, past lagoons and through small fishing villages. The beauty is in the detail of life here; the crumbling walls and the thick-trunked baobabs, the bobbing dhows on the lagoon and the exotic catches of the fishermen.

Stone Town, built by Arab and Indian merchants in the 1800s using Zanzibar's coral stone, is an essential component of a stay in Zanzibar. Visit the old Sultan's palace, see the Beit-al-Ajaib, and walk through the narrow alleys and past the intricately carved doors of the slowly crumbling town. The spices lingering in the air complete the captivating atmosphere of Stone Town.

The snorkelling conditions in and around Zanzibar are superb. The small Chumbe Island is a coral garden and a marine sanctuary of incredible colour and diversity.

There is some mediocre and some excellent accommodation on Zanzibar, and such are the islands' popularity that you will have to book well in advance either way, but we recommend you try the gorgeous and eclectic Emerson and Green Hotel for a luxurious and romantic stay in Zanzibar.

The Kalahari

Part of a 2,5 million km² sand basin that stretches from the Orange River to Angola, the arid Kalahari occupies 900 000km² of southern Africa's interior plateau, including much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa.

The Kalahari's name is derived from the Tswana word Kgalagadi, meaning "great thirst". However, the Kalahari is only a fossil desert - it was once a desert but now receives more rainfall than a true desert, though it retains distinctive desert geology. Temperatures in the Kalahari range from 20°C to 40°C in summer, but can average below 0°C in winter.

The Kalahari is characterised by the rich, red-brown sand that covers its drier south-western areas, and the shimmering pans and golden grasslands, punctuated by acacias and thorn trees, that make up its central regions. It is home to the San Bushmen, for whose protection the Central Kalahari Game Reserve was set up.

This enormous and game-rich reserve was closed to the public until recently, but those well-equipped travellers who venture inside will be rewarded by stunning views of dry and wildest Africa.

The closest way to experience the wild Kalahari is a luxury camping trip. Try our Green Desert Expedition for a journey through the region's prime game locations.

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