30 October – 1 September 2023
Feeling the change in temperature that comes with being at around 1 700m above sea level! We arrived at Nyanga National Park Campsite around 17h30, lit the braai fire, the camp attendant lit the massive donkey with a bonfire of note, and we enjoyed another amazing Zimbabwe hot camp shower! Wrapped up in winter woollies was weird after sweltering in 30 degrees-plus heat for the past few weeks.
Nyanga National Park is in the northern part of the Eastern Highlands at altitudes of between 1 800 and 2 593m above sea level. Mt Nyangombe, on the edge of the park, is Zimbabwe’s highest mountain.
The campsite is situated on the banks of the Mare River, amongst remnants of a pine tree plantation. This area used to be mostly high-altitude grassland interspersed with forests dominated by for example, by the beautifully colourful Msasa trees, but with western colonization, came the notion that these landscapes had to be rescued, ie planted with trees. So, gum (eucalyptus) and pine trees, also black wattle were planted. Rivers were dammed and stocked with trout and bream. This has resulted in a decline in the natural biodiversity and feeding and breeding areas for birds such as the rare and special Blue Swallow. The Nyanga National Park are slowly removing the alien trees – a massive restoration project with clearly very little funding.
We took Klippie off the Hilux to make it easier to drive around the park, and to hopefully put the fish that Rich and Scott were planning to catch!!! The roads can really only be traversed with a 4×4, although we did see one or two sedan vehicles bravely navigating one of the tracks. I think the roads are still damaged from the impacts of high rains earlier this year and last year.
We headed to the trout hatchery to purchase a rather pricy fishing licence – pricy as each licence is only valid to ONE dam. So if you want to try 3 of the dams, you need to purchase 3 different licenses. Off we bounced to Gulliver’s Dam, 1 950m above sea level. Scott helped Richard set up his fly-fishing stuff. They tried hard, but zip…not even a take. No trout for dinner. Shelley and I, however, had a little more success on the birding front – very few birds, but while watching the skies for swallows, one swallow stood out…checked my trusty Roberts Bird guide, the App as well, and no doubt, a Blue Swallow!!! It flew over the dam a couple of times and then headed away over the grasslands. How lucky were we!
Fishing abandoned, the Hindmarch’s went exploring – Zebra Tree forest and the Mtazari Falls, while Richard and I visited the Rhodes Museum, located at the Rhodes Hotel in the park. Cecil John Rhodes owned much land here and would visit here for holidays. A lot of interesting history not only about Rhodes, but the Nyanga area in general. An interesting find in the museum was a quilt made by a distant relative of Richard’s! The Taylor family.
We decided to drive to Trout Beck Inn to hopefully see some grassland birds – sadly mostly plantation en route, so no birds. I don’t know what I expected, but wow, Trout Beck is 5 star! Vastly different from our little Klippie’s accommodation . Drove back to camp, to layer up as the temperature started dropping. Klippie was reconnected to the Hilux, we braaied and ate quickly – freeeeezing.
I woke early to try to see some birds before heading off to our next destination. Definitely below zero. The ground was crispy and covered with frost. Shallow parts of the river were coated in a thin sheet of ice. Did see a few brave birds – hard to recognize them as they were all fluffed up against the cold.
After a warming cup of tea we set off to another part of the Eastern Highlands…off to the Vumba Mountains. On our way to Nyanga, we had driven past an interesting looking coffee shop and farm called Froggie Farm. Team decision was to have breakfast there on our way to Vumba. What a wonderful place – Froggie Farm grows Proteas for the floral industry, and some veggies and herbs. The veggie garden is beautifully laid out – Shelley was in heaven. Definitely put my veggie garden to shame. We were able to buy fresh lettuce, spinach, mint etc, straight out the ground. More bliss – our first cappuccino since leaving home – a large one, and delicious! With that we enjoyed a bacon and egg roll for breakfast. More foodie retail therapy and bought a few home-made ready meals to make life a little easier after long days on the road, and not wanting to braai…yes, braaing is best, but, you know….a change is as good as a holiday.
