Adventure Beat

Our survey of the Eight Wonders of the world's countries begins at the end of the alphabet. But Zimbabwe stands on top with its wildlife, ancient history, scenic variety and the outright spectacle of Victoria Falls.

1) Victoria Falls 
A mile wide, twice the height of Niagara, Victoria Falls is perhaps the greatest natural wonder in all Africa. In 1855 David Livingstone named the cascade for his queen, but the native name, "The Smoke that Thunders," is more descriptive.

In 1981 I led an expedition that made the first descent of the Zambezi from the base of Victoria Falls to Lake Kariba. Now, in the adjacent town of Victoria Falls you can sign up for one-day rafting trips, canoeing expeditions among the hippos and crocs above the Falls, or safaris amongst the nearby elephant herds. Not wild enough? You can also jump off the Victoria Falls Bridge, the second highest bungee jump in the world. For more information, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2) The Great Zimbabwe Ruins 
The largest ancient man-made stone structures in Africa south of the Egyptian Pyramids are the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. At its peak in the 15^th century some 20,000 people lived in the medieval city, when the Shona dominated eastern Zimbabwe into neighboring Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa. Today all that remains are stacked granite stones and winding corridors. The elliptical Great Enclosure, nearly 100 yards across, is testament to the architectural prowess of this civilization lost to time. You can read more about the Great Zimbabwe Ruins at

3) Lake Kariba
When the Kariba Dam, the continent's third-largest, was completed in December 1958, one of the biggest wildlife rescue missions since Noah began. Global teams tracked, captured and relocated some 5,000 animals, including lions and rhinos, to save them from the rising waters. Still, the signature view of Lake Kariba is of the "drowned forests" — upright skeletons of trees inundated by the rising waters. Get more on the Kariba Dam at Infoplease.

4) Hwange National Park 
The largest game reserve in Zimbabwe is Hwange, named for an African chief whose lands were taken over by the invading Ndebele as a royal hunting ground. When the Europeans arrived in the 19th century population pressures in "Rhodesia" increased, and the country's animals were pushed toward the inhospitable Botswana border. Today the salt pans, acacia scrub and grassy plains of this 70-year-old park support the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa, including water buffalo, elephant, lion, black rhino, and leopard, the renowned "big five" of game viewing. Plan a trip to Hwange at the Southern Africa Places Web site.

5) Mana Pools
This is as wild a place as one can find in Zimbabwe. Mana means "four," and four large permanent pools formed by the meanderings of the middle Zambezi host 2,500 square kilometers of islands, sandbanks and pools, flanked by forests of mahogany, wild figs, ebonies and baobabs. It's one of the least-developed national parks in Southern Africa, which may explain why it has the country's biggest concentration of hippo and crocodiles, and why it's a key habitat for the highly endangered black rhino. Read more about Mana Pools wildlife at GORP.com. 

6) The Eastern Highlands
Do heather and fern suggest Africa or Scotland? Think again. The pine-sloped Eastern Highlands make up the longest mountain range in the country, forming the 200 mile border with Mozambique. The border separates more than just two countries— the altitude spells the difference between ferns and fever, heather and heat. There are plenty of scenic waterfalls in the area, and Zimbabwe's highest peak, Mount Nyangani, at 8,500 feet. What to see in the Eastern Highlands.

7) Kazuma Pan National Park
This remote region of teak and mopane savannah, reminiscent of the grassy plains of East Africa, covers Zimbabwe's extreme northwestern corner. The number of visitors is limited so wildlife rules, from lions, cheetahs and wild dogs to elephants, buffaloes and oryx. There is a mass migration of game between Botswana and Zimbabwe during the dry season from September to November. Get more information at the Zimbabwe Tourism site.

8) Matobo National Park 
Matobo is just an hour's drive from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second city, making it one of Zimbabwe's most accessible national parks.  It's chock-a-block with spectacular scenery and ancient rock paintings on the granite outcroppings, accessible by a network of walking trails. Although home to native white rhino, giraffe, zebra, leopard and the world's largest concentration of nesting black eagles, there's another side of Matobo. Amongst the crevices of the Matobo Hills is the Ndebele's shrine to Mwari, the god of their ancestors, making it sacred ground. Yet the park contains the burial sites not only of 19th century Ndebele chieftain Mzilikazi but also his contemporary, colonial kingpin Cecil Rhodes, causing irreconcilable controversy. Some think it's time for him to move on. Read about the park and its controversy at go2africa.com.

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