For unforgettable Harare outdoor activities, consider the Nyauri River Hike. As has become customary on a Saturday afternoon, I take nature walks and hikes mostly to clear my head while the birds sing to me. It’s a great escape from the busy streets in the City of Harare. I am definitely a city lad, and I don’t think I could stomach small towns, however, a small get away once a week is a good fix, and a perfect opportunity to reflect and listen to the inside voice that usually helps me plan the coming week. I am an executive at work, which can be exhausting due to the fast pace and speed at which time flies, yet 100 more things remain to be completed. I love it though, because I thrive in the chaos. Much like struggling to get to the top of the mountain, and then the breathtaking view at the top makes it all worth it.
This past weekend, 08 October 2016, I went out to the Chinamhora area to the Inyauri River. After having to drive my old lady to a wedding, I was running a bit late and so I made a quick call to Simani (hiking buddy/camera crazy mate – catch the drift?) to ask him not to leave me behind. I initially told him I was 5 minutes away as I was by Borrowdale Junior School and we were meeting at Sam Levy’s Village, but man, the traffic along Borrowdale road was crazy. I figured I had to drive like a Kombi (minivan public transport (explanation needs it’s own blog post)) to get there anytime that same day, and so I just followed behind one Kombi that created a third lane hahah oops!!! I made it on time, that’s what counts right?
We were on our way shortly after, and drove through Domboshava shops, one place I wish I could spend more time as it is always busy, regardless of the time of day. We took the turn after Ngomakurira and there were too many paths to remember which one was the right one to take but eventually we settled on one that turned out to be the correct one, leading us up the mountain. It’s summer right now in Zimbabwe, and summer this year feels like the summer of 2014 in Dubai – so you bet I had stocked up on the water. I have to show off a little bit and say I returned from holiday in Norway last month with a new killer hiking backpack and camel tube with a pipe (it feels weird to call it by its official name ‘hydration bladder’), which I had always wanted because I can drink water with… NO HANDS!!!
It was quite an intriguing hike, it felt like we were going downhill the whole time as we meandered around the mountain and we would find ourselves in the valley, where the crickets and bees were competing for our attention with the buzzing. An hour later, the river channel snuck up on us and it was sad to see the effects of the El Nino induced drought, which dried up the river and there is hardly any water. We found a turtle that was trapped in a hole, perhaps as a result of the drying up of the river and after thinking it was dead, we put it close to the water, and before we could say turtle, it had disappeared. We did our good deed for the day, now I’m just waiting for the good karma to come my way. We went along the channel, checking out the other three waterfalls, which are not really waterfalls at the moment, so the plan is to go back there when the first rains pour.
As intrigued as I was with the hike, heading back to the car was tough, eish! It was incline all the way, and we sure paid for the downhill path we took coming to the riverbed. After getting back to the car, tea and cookies have never felt that good hmmm! It may be one of the reasons why I hike hehehe!!! Then I cannot feel guilty about munching on those cookies. Soon after, we were on our way back to the City and the sunset was staring right at us as we drove through the potholes. On my list of Harare outdoor activities, this was definitely a standout.
Here is to the next one friends, signed, sealed and delivered:
Wesley Maraire