Vumba general
How to describe the Vumba ? Lush, green, cozy, comforting, energetic, melancholic on a misty day, secluded, peaceful, these are some of the words that come to mind.
Looking out the window at Ndundu lodge, you are surrounded by green forests.
Samango monkeys jump from tree to tree,
warning each other with agitated calls as a
Crowned Eagle soars over. A male Bronze Sunbird flits around the parking area,
marking his territory with a repetitive call, like a zealous traffic attendant.
A 10 minute walk takes you to one of
the most unique rainforests in Zimbabwe, the Bunga Forest. This is a
protected National Botanical Reserve. Even on a hot
day in October it is moist, cool and lush. The forest floors, trees and
rocks are covered
in ferns, mosses and orchids. In patches of prehistoric looking spiny tree ferns, one could
almost imagine a
dinosaur around the next corner. A miniature look-a-like may even cross your
path in the form of the endemic Marshall's Dwarf Chameleon. Walking through the
forest, you ma
y find spore of
Bush Pig and
Blue Duiker or
hear its shrill whistle of alarm when this tiny antelope thinks you are to close
for comfort. You follow the path through the deep heart of the forest and eventually
end up at the Bunga Views, an area of spectacular cliffs and Brachystegia woodland,
overlooking the lower parts of the forest and the Burma Valley. Come September
you might think that someone hired Van Gogh to paint the scenery; the whole area is a pallet of colours as the Msasa trees unfold their new leaves. Reds and orange, greens and yellows
mixed together into one stunning dance of colours. At other times of the year,
flowering epiphytic orchids provide a beautiful contrast with the trees they
grow in. The path, which leads you back to the main road, winds through montane grassland
with scattered Cabbage
trees raising their microphone-shaped flowerheads. Wild proteas attract sunbirds
and sugarbirds.
A 10 minute walk in the other direction takes you to
Chinyakwaremba, one of the
main peaks in the Vumba. This is a private nature sanctuary, protected by
the joined
owners and Environment Africa. A well-trotted path gently meanders to
the top. The sheer drop at the other side tells you: "No further, unless you are
an eagle!" On a clear day the views are absolutely superb. Lake Chicamba, in neighbouring Mozambique, stretches itself out in front of you, clear blue and
seemingly endless. Far below the cliffs you look down on miniature people playing
golf and you may just detect the shapes of the zebras grazing at the Leopard Rock
game reserve. Going back, Common Duiker may sprint away
ahead of you. They stop at a
safe distance, wondering what you are up to next. During the summer months, terrestrial orchids
and other flowers stick their pretty heads out of the
grass.
These are just two of the places you can explore while walking in the Vumba. There are dozens of others, less known but equally beautiful. There are waterfalls, small streams, overgrown boulders, hidden valleys or steep rocky outcrops. Arriving back at the lodge, a fire has been set up and half an hour later the mist might move in. Within 5 minutes it is solid, giving the whole environment a fairy tale feel. There could be elves dancing in the forest now!!!