The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube
Tourism Correspondent
Located in Mutasa and on the edges of the southern border of the Nyanga National Park lies the Mutarazi National Park.
Surrounding this natural beauty are mysterious places that have evaded human understanding for ages.
One such place is the breathtaking Mutarazi Falls.
At 772 metres, it is the highest waterfall in Zimbabwe, and second highest in Africa after the Tugela Falls of Kwazulu Natal in South Africa.
It is also the 17th highest waterfall globally, with the Angel Falls of Bolivar in Venezuela leading the cast at an imposing height of 979 metres.
Mutarazi Falls is a place heavily pervaded with myth, legend, and bizarre mysteries with the popular legends being the presence of a gold stick and a pot of gold floating on the surface of the pool into which the waters of the Mutarazi River falls into.
Maybe one day this mystery will be unravelled. But what is certain is that walking through the shady forest and winding through the sweet smelling ferns to arrive at the viewpoint of the falls soothes the soul.
Add to that the spectacular views over Honde Valley and it’s heaven on earth.
What awaits you is a veil of water of the Mutarazi River as it majestically flows over the edge of Zimbabwe’s eastern escarpment.
The aura around the falls is both soothing and intimidating.
Watching the water glide mid-air down to the plunging pool is like a flight down an unending abyss that takes your mind off all the worldly worries.
Besides the magnificent falls are two daredevil activities – the Zipline and Skywalk.
Whoever visits Mutarazi Falls needs to partake in these exhilarating activities that are not for the faint hearted.
Even the brave may have second thoughts.
The Skywalk is an audacious walk on two suspended bridges that overlook the waterfalls and the views from this vantage point is unparalled.
The old adage says fortune favours the brave, and the saying is surely brought to life at Mutarazi.
The safety precautions are of the highest standards, so tourists need not worry about their safety; but the idea of a wobbly bridge under your feet over a 772-metre high gorge surely makes many wobbly.
On the other hand, the Zipline is a 400-metre line that runs from one side of the waterfall to the other.
It is the ultimate challenge for adventure seekers and the glide across the high escarpment is a marvel not only to the one gliding but even to those watching.
As you fly past screaming your lungs out and land on the other side, you are guranteed of having a sense of having conquered the world.
On a lucky day as you are up there in the air, you may come across beauties of the bushes such as bushbucks, klipspringers, the rarely seen blue duikers as well as the famous Samango monkeys.
As you exit the Mutarazi Park gates, you carry the moments you would have experienced with pride and those memories will be stuck with you for a lifetime.
And of course, the falls is also a natural spar that supports health and wellness.
“Mutarazi Falls stand out as a tourism resource or natural spar that supports health and wellness. Just being at the falls for a bit brings the refreshing ambience that enhances complete harmony of mind, body and soul. This impact has also been felt at Niagara Falls in the United States of America and our very own Victoria Falls. Most leisure groups visit such sites for health and wellness,” said hotelier, Mr Willard Madhombiro.
The magnificent Mutarazi package has also been beneficial to surrounding accommodation facilities such as Montclair Hotel and Casino, Troutberk Inn, Rhodes Hotel, Village Inn as well as the newly-refurbished Pine Tree Inn.
“It is a magnificent site that we all benefit from as people also seek accommodation facilities and other activities at our premises. Visitors often make sure that Mutarazi is part of their expedition. It is actually a privilege that we have such a tourism site in our area,” said Pine Tree Inn general manager, Mr Winfrey Madhlayo.
Mutarazi Falls and other falls like Pungwe, Nyamuzihwa and Nyangombe makes Nyanga one of the districts with the highest number of waterfalls in the country.
