CHIMANIMANI MAIN ATTRACTIONS SURVIVE CYCLONE IDAI

Chimanimani’s main riverine attractions — Bridal Veil Falls and Tessa’s Pool — miraculously survived Cyclone Idai.

But both have, however, seen the destruction of surrounding vegetation and soil around, hence presenting a rocky outlay.


Chimanimani Tourist Association (CTA) secretary Jane High describes the changes at Bridal Veil Falls as ‘‘spectacular’’ but retaining its ‘‘outstanding beauty’’. 

“We hope National Parks will not tidy up too much and try to beautify the falls areas because frankly I think they are more beautiful now with the rugged landscape carved out by Idai,” High said.
She said they were already moving on to market the region and how its attractions now look like after the violent storm.

Mike Mataure, Chimanimani Hotel proprietor, feels the changes to the falls are more of nature’s ‘‘rearrangement’’ than ‘‘destruction’’.

Bridal is now inaccessible by vehicles for now and High feels the five-kilometre walking distance from Chimanimani town should not deter tourists because most international travellers had long preferred walking and combining that with a tour of traditional villages.

She believes Chimanimani is in the main a walking and hiking resort and the falls are to that extent still very accessible.

Tessa’s Pool which is on the base of Chimanimani Mountains at Outward Bound Training Camp may be a lot more difficult to access for now with the bridges washed away but clung onto its beauty as well.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) vice president Clive Chinwada feels government and its development partners need to quickly work on the tourism industry’s enablers like the destroyed road infrastructure for it to quickly bounce back.

He said the beauty of the area in spite of the ravages of the cyclone will be told in part by the international aid and rescue workers that have been going in and out of the region.

“Rescue workers going into Chimanimani will help put out the story of the beauty of Chimanimani but how quickly tourism will be back on its feet depends on how soon the enablers are in place.
“Infrastructure for the accessibility to the sites which is currently damaged will need government and development partners,” Chinwada said.

He said he hoped that current efforts to make it accessible for rescue and relief efforts will be carried through to its economic enablers like roads to tourist attractions in support of a sector that was first on the ground with rescue efforts. Daily News

Posted in: NEWS