Most areas, like most things, hold different significance and symbolic value to different people. The village of Domboshava, which is located just 30+ kilometres from Harare, capital city of Zimbabwe is one such area. Even the meaning of the name is contentious, with one group saying the name is derived from the original local inhabitants of the Eland or Mhofu (in Shona) totem, which would make the name Dombo (meaning rock) re (of) VaShava (Eland clan) – essentially saying The Rock of the Eland Clan. On the other hand, the word shava also means ‘red’ or ‘light brown’ and this is the more simplistic definition of the word. What is not contentious is that the area, like the rest of Zimbabwe, has tons of huge granite rocks and hills that have the reddish or light brown colour and are filled with lichen.
There is plenty to do and see in Domboshava, but for this blog I will focus on two national heritage sites i.e. Domboshava Cave & Ngomakurira Hill, which are two places we take guests visiting Harare with Tiritose Sustainable Travel. The area itself has everything, from mines (Mistress Mine), rural villages, peri-urban settlements and commercial farms.
Domboshava Caves
Driving from Harare, you take Borrowdale road and continue straight until you see a sign ‘Ndambakurimwa – Chiyereswa’, where you turn right and thereafter, it is just a short drive until you come to a dead-end, which is where the entrance and monuments office is located. Locals pay $3 per person and internationals pay $10 per person, while children pay $1. Although you encounter the curio and crafts market as you disembark the vehicle, I would advise you do the souvenir shopping after the walk.
If you are on our tour, there is no need to pay when you arrive, and your guide will lead you up the well-marked path up the hill. If you are interested in the history, local culture and the legends of the area, be sure to have a guide with you. However, the views are just as great for those on a self-guided tour and the rock is perfect for picnic breakfast watching the sunrise or for a chilled sundowner.
Start at the interpretive centre, a source of ecological and historical information. If you want to understand the history of the site, the centre can help you with detailed information. It also gives farming and conservation advice to the local communities. The Archaeology Monuments Department also preserves the site with the help of local schools and leaders. They also have braai stands, bathroom facilities and picnic shelters, which you can use with your travelling companions.
THE SPIRITUAL HISTORY
Our guide will share with you loads of stories, including the rain seeker who comes to the Domboshava caves whenever there is drought to make offerings to the ancestors and through them to Musikavanhu (God). The local Shona communities believe that if there is a drought, it means the ancestors are angry and to appease them, they have to make an offering to plead with them so that they may intercede on their behalf. The offering is laid in the cave and burnt, and you can still see the black residue on the walls of the tunnel. At the side of a hill, a natural tunnel emerges out like a chimney, and it is on this side that the rain seekers kneel waiting for a reply from their ancestors.
As you begin the walk up the hill, our guide will show you the Ndambakurimwa area (remember the signpost you saw when you turned from the main road). Legend goes that when the first people settled on the rocky area, there was a bit of soil on the rocks, and they began cutting down trees to clear out the land. However, every morning, those trees would be back up standing tall. Eventually, they figured that it was sacred land, and they were not supposed to cultivate the land. In this area of the hill, you find the famous Muzhanje fruit trees (Uapaca kirkiana), which are protected and sacred and the locals do not cut these for firewood. Visit between November and December and you will have a taste! Your guide will also point out the Mufandichimuka (resurrection plant), which is a medicinal herb (and tea) that ‘dies’ during the winter and rapidly grows at the onset of summer.
SO, HOW DO I GET TO THE TOP OF DOMBOSHAVA CAVE?
To get to the cave and see the rock art there is a well-marked footpath with painted arrows on the bare granite that skirts to the left of the rock pools. You then cross the granite at its lowest point to the left of the summit and trig point. The path then descends towards the cave that is covered with shrubs and trees on the eastern side. This route is about 800 metres.
The route marked in blue takes you up the telephone tower with good views towards Harare from the top and back through the brachystegia woodland to get to the footpath.
The route marked in green goes around and above the cave and past the tunnel exit from where smoke issued when the wind was coming from the east and might bring rain. You walk uphill to the trig point at the summit to watch the sunset and enjoy the refreshing breezes. To return, go down the west side of the hill and turn north to join the footpath as it descends.
The longest route is around 4.5 km and goes south before passing below the summit and along an edge before crossing a valley and ascending up a whaleback. The unmarked route follows the summit of the granite before turning north and ascending steadily to a streambed, then up onto Domboshava Hill.
NGOMAKURIRA – THE BEATING DRUM –
From exploring the cave and San Rock Art (bushmen paintings), the next stop should be Ngomakurira, which is another protected site in Domboshava. You drive back the same way you came and turn right back on to the main road, proceed for 18km until you see a sign saying ‘Ngomakurira’ and turn right into that dirt road. You will pass a narrow bridge and after about 2kms you will turn left and drive for 800m before seeing the National Museums and Monuments office, which is where you make your payments. Local adults pay $3 and kids pay $1, while international adults pay $10 and kids pay $3. Again, if you are on our Tiritose Sustainable Travel tour, you need not pay anything here, we have arranged everything on your behalf.
Pro Tip: for the adventurers, you can go up this steep hill in a 4×4 vehicle – think about it in the same way you would dune or sand bashing in the desert. And if you touch the beacon (highest point) with the bumper of your car, you will say ‘you have kissed the beacon’. Just be on the lookout for the klipspringer buck and the rock rabbits.
The walk can be challenging and so you will need good shoes that still have decent grip because in some parts of the hill, we will walk on all fours – that’s how steep it can get! The hill dominates others in the area and has plenty of acacia trees at the hilltops and dense miombo forests, while it is of great spiritual significance to the Zionists & all this combined, make Ngomakurira one of the most popular day walks / hiking trails near Harare.
There are three stages to the hiking trail, with some steep inclines and descends, which can make it slippery, therefore, not recommended on a rainy day or at night if you don’t have good torch lights.
Ngomakurira is more challenging than Domboshava Cave, almost double the effort is needed. The trail is neatly marked with paint arrows on the granite rocks. The first ascent takes you to an open level with scattered trees and boulders. You then head down to a small stream and up a little valley through dense trees. The climb requires a person of average fitness who can easily do 5-10km on any given day. At top you can enjoy stunning views of the surrounding mountains. The second stage/ascent is the steepest and some people may have to go on all fours to navigate here but once you complete this second stage, you can enjoy an exciting echo effect if you shout across the opposite mountain. Cows and goats are the usual inhabitants here and so prepare to share the space.
The third stage/ascend takes you to the highest point and trig beacon, where on a clear day, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the surrounding areas and mountain range. From the trig beacon, you should go back the way you came and instead of turning left, you follow the arrows to the right, which will take you to the small cave on the edge of the hill, where you need to be cautious as you walk around the edges.
View the San Rock Paintings: Walk straight in the path that leads to the trig beacon and down the granite face. Do not turn right towards the summit but follow the painted arrows. The path will lead you to the mountainside where you can see a treed-hollow set. You can then see the interesting paintings of the large elephants. At the foot of the orange vertical granite, you can see some Late Stone Age paintings, but they have been damaged by the weather as they are out in the open. To view them you should climb over the first range of kopje (small hill) and keep right of the small stream in the valley whilst following the painted arrows. The paintings are at the base of the vertical cliff-face.
For the birding enthusiasts, pay attention at the base of the hill, where you can often see the miombo specials such as Whytes Barbets, Yellow fronted Tinkerbird, African Yellow White eye among others. Falcons are often seen on the steep bare slopes as well.
OTHER HIKINGS TRAILS AND MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB
One well-kept secret are the subsidiary hikes within the same Domboshava area, some of which take you through valleys, rivers and waterfalls, including caves and rock art. We make it our business to know these trails and so get in touch with us and let’s travel together!
Only 30 minutes away from Harare Domboshava is the ideal full-day excursion. You will need about 4-8-hours to explore the area, depending on your fitness, level of curiosity and available time. Book your full-day experience with Tiritose Sustainable for the best adventures near Harare.
For more inspiration, follow them on their social media handles:
Facebook: Tiritose Sustainable Travel – Home
Twitter: Tiritose Sustainable Travel (@TiritoseTravel)
Instagram: Tiritose Sustainable Travel (@tiritose_sustainable_travel)
Pinterest: Tiritose Sustainable Travel (tiritose_sustainable_travel) – Profile
LinkedIn: Tiritose Sustainable Travel | LinkedIn
