B U C K ET
LI ST
Sylvia’s Top 5
Moments
attracted to this region. Despite its 20º000
inhabitants, Chimanimani feels small. There
is a very basic supermarket, a petrol station
and a bank without an ATM. We stayed at
the scenic but somewhat rundown Heaven
Lodge. The political climate has resulted
in a lack of investment and maintenance,
and the flow of backpackers that once ran
through the lodge on a stopover between
overland busses has ceased.
A few days later, under a pristine
cloudless sky, we took a dirt road in bad
condition to the Mutekestwane base
camp where the National Park main office
is located. We registered and paid the
entrance fee. The bureaucracy appeared
easy and straightforward. Camping was
not regulated and we could stay where
we pleased, there were even caves clad
with straw for sleeping. Our intention to
ride our mountain bikes did not raise any
concerns with the park rangers. Straight
behind the park offices, the Bailey’s Folly
track ascends. We hiked our bikes almost
500m up the steep track, weaving through
a forest of lichen-clad Msasa trees, orchids
and proteas. The higher we climbed, the
more bizarre the rock formations became
and the wider the views. As we reached
132 | MTB | bucket list busting
the plateau, the landscape opened up
into golden grasslands. The trail couldn’t
have been more beautiful, and we were
filled with joy as we rode past rock spires,
stopping regularly to marvel at the views.
At around 1 600m elevation, we finally
reached our hut, a simple shelter equipped
with mattresses, toilets and a cold shower.
Countless streams throughout the National
Park provided plenty of drinking water.
This was the perfect base for the coming
days. From up here we had stunning
views over the valley of the Bundi River.
Reaching into the deep blue sky, the peaks
of the Chimanimani mountains consist of
weathered limestone and quartz rock. We
sat around a camp fire, drank Rooibos tea
with rum and planned the next day with
anticipation before we crawled into our
sleeping bags under a starry sky.
Mount Peza, also known as Ben Nevis due
to its resemblance of this Scottish peak,
was our destination for the next day. This
required us to first descend down into the
Bundi Valley. It took us a few moments to
get going and ease into the ride. Once in
the valley we cruised to its end on a narrow
path through grasslands. For the ascent,
we had to carry our bikes through yellow
Meeting a Zimbabwean who worked
for many years in Innsbruck (my
home town) as a flight engineer
A traditional braai at Gosho Park
(Marondera)
The best cheese cake and hot
chocolate at Tony’s Coffee Shop
(Peg Bvumba Road, Mutare)
Sleepouts under the magical
African sky
Philosophising half the night about
life with our guide Colleen while
sipping Rooibos tea with rum
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grass and red flowering aloe vera. From
the opposite side of the valley we heard
baboons barking as they defended their
territories. Magnificent views over the lush
valley accompanied our ascent. On the
flat peak, the unobstructed views into the
distance took our breath away.
We lingered and took in the views for
a long time, but we intended to make it
back to the hut before nightfall. The easy
and narrow path soon changed into steep
terrain and demanded full concentration