Our landing in Victoria also fell in Cape Town, where the scene was straight out of a travelogue. But hefting our bags was a diligent concierge, while an air of authority emanated off our driver, Big Boy, who appeared to tote nothing but the most authority.
Arriving at the Stanley and Livingstone Boutique Hotel
Past other sternly black SUVs, set to collect a VIP at the airport, past teak-lined roads dusted with the sun’s golden rays: The Stanley and Livingstone Boutique Hotel drive. The hotel, opened in 1998 and refreshed in 2018, is part tribute to the city’s history and part luxuriously relaxing haven. It is named after David Livingstone, the famed explorer of Africa, and Henry Morton Stanley, the journalist who found him. It bears the spirit of adventure embodied in the men whose names it carries.
If you are a visitor, the only thing to do here is to go to Livingstone Island, where Victoria Falls is situated. It is a place that makes clear why the British had such a difficult time giving up this place of unfathomable beauty.
Safari at the Game Reserve
It is a 14,000-acre game reserve home to a wide range of wildlife, from the critically endangered black rhinoceros to roam free, which makes them not just a boutique hotel but the Stanley and Livingstone. Conservation is uncompromising, and there is still actual poaching. Armed rangers are responsible for patrolling the reserve. When faced with protecting these majestic creatures, it is a ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ policy.
The first of our safari guides, Nixon, gave us passionate glimpses into the landscape. He also explained the precarious status of black rhinos, whose population suffered badly from hunting and poaching between 1960 and 1995. They were parked beside a mother rhino and her calf.
They are called that for the shape of their mouths. This black rhino, or hook-lipped rhino, eats shrubs; the white rhino, or square-lipped rhino, eats grass.
Palpable was Nixon’s pride in the reserve’s anti-poaching efforts. “We can do a lot with poachers, like their footprints. Any unfamiliar tracks stand out immediately as we all wear uniform boots, so it is easy to tell guides like me.”
Drinks by the Dam
The safari continued to a calm dam as the river pocked over and came to rest in a pan stretching out to the horizon. A tower of giraffes strolled along in the distance. We raised a toast to the beauty of the African wilderness over fine wines and local beers, the expertly crafted biltong from the pop-up bar set up by Nixon.
An African Fish Eagle skimmed the water overheads, talons poised to strike, retired with nothing but its tail feathers floating out above the canopy.
Why Zimbabwe Stays
There were no press junkets or sponsored experiences. It was an honest experience of a country offering natural beauty, history, and warmth.
Zimbabwe does not simply invite you to look here, so much so that you won’t miss its grandeur at Victoria Falls or the quiet reverence of watching a black rhino calf. There is a sort of experience where everything reminds you – every sunset, every teak tree – and everything reminds you of raw, untamed Africa.
Jackson Reed is an avid traveler and adventure seeker, sharing tips and stories from around the globe to inspire your next journey.
