Grilled bream on the shore

WE left the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan life the moment we turned left after Pamuzinda leisure spot near Kuwadzana Extension in Harare last week. We had started on a narrow tarred path westwards, our Nissan Hardboard rapidly zooming into quiet environs as it descended down mostly derelict, vast and virgin farmlands off the Harare-Bulawayo road. We were cruising towards the vast shores of Lake Chivero some eight kilometres away.

The farms once bustled with life before their former owners were violently marshalled away by State-backed peasant farmers and war veterans at the turn of the century. They are now clearly rundown. But in their current state, they have formed the critical cushion that shields spending domestic tourists from the noise coming from passing vehicles on one of the country’s the busiest highways.

For proprietors like Harare Safari Lodge technical services director, Painos Mutizwa, whose exclusive waterfront property is among many landmark leisure spots that line-up Lake Chivero, this is good. After spending a hard week’s work, their guests, many of them high flying executives and chief executive officers of leading firms, want to recharge in a tranquil environment.

The terrain shifted from grassy farmland pastures into thickets of yellow grass that creeps towards the lake, where they defuse into lash green tree canopies that have perennially defied even the driest seasons.

My appetite for long-haul expeditions was subdued after a terrifying experience while on an overnight fishing tour on Lake Kariba a few weeks before. That night, cheeky waves gave me a rude awakening.

I decided to hibernate at Harare Safari Lodge to understand the dynamics of the largely underutilised but breathtaking waters, as far as domestic tourism is concerned. It was a short but eventful trip full of surprises.

As we zoomed closer, bright spots of still waters appeared in dramatic fashion through shaking trees that line up the periphery. We burst into the open waters as we drove into the yards of the property that I had largely underestimated, my eight year-old protégé, Innocent Makoshori, on my side. He immediately fell in love with the Safari-style thatched lodges, a respite from traditional city homes.

The lash green yards crept onto the shores of the lake, where dozens of bird species and zebras sun busked. Here, guests have the chance to sail through an afternoon or evening cruise to the other side of the lake where they watch more wildlife, including the rhino.

It is so amazing we would not imagine that right here close to the capital city, domestic tourists can watch a wide range of wildlife just like tourists enjoy in the largest tourism destination like Gonarezhou and Hwange.

“We are the best of all properties lined along the lake in terms of standards,” said Food and Beverages supervisor, Milcah Chikowo.

“Guests do not want to come where it is crowded, so this becomes their natural place. We can accommodate families, honeymooners, weddings, team building workshops and conferences,” Chikowo told me. A tour of the property became our appetiser to the delicious lakeside lunch we would later enjoy. I chose a combination of the fried bream, the freshest ever I have eaten, probably straight from the waters. Innocent had chicken, fish and a jumbo size pack of fresh chips, served with salads and a string of colourful spices.
Milcah offered me a very cold coke.

In the horizons yonder, a string of lake side properties lined the shores through the rough undulating terrains, past large swaths of the dominant trees. In this part of Zimbabwe, visitors converge to experience a complete package of attractions-nature walks, fishing, canoeing, boat cruises, soccer, volleyball, or rest in Safari-style rooms with unlimited free WiFi connections.

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