The Sunday Mail
Society Reporter
ONE of Harare’s best-kept secrets — Lake Chivero Recreational Park — comes alive on Saturday when it hosts a fun-filled family day.
According to Peace Madora, the park’s tourism manager, there is a general misconception among domestic tourists where Lake Chivero Recreational Park really lies.
“If driving from Harare, just past the Morton Jaffray Water Works is the turn to our game park, which is probably Harare’s best-kept secret. We have probably the highest concentration of game per square kilometre in the whole of Zimbabwe. Add to that, we are home to the white rhino. So a visit to our game park assures the visitor of coming across some animals,” explained Madora.
But on Saturday, as much as there will be time to do game drives, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority-run park, in partnership with Ecotourism Africa, will host a family fun day that will have several activities for the whole family.
“Thanks to the eight-month lockdown, domestic tourism is on the way up and most of those places which were overlooked by domestic tourists are now becoming popular. It is not surprising that many people do not know that within the environs of Harare lies such pristine woodlands with wild animals roaming freely.
“So, Saturday will be a day for the whole family to bond and interact as well as live in harmony with nature,” said Ecotourism Africa’s Phineas Mushayi.
On the day, families and teams will have an opportunity to fish, braai, do horse riding, zip lines, mud challenges, canoeing, bird watching, nature walks, game drives, visit rock paintings, among a host of activities at the game park.
“We want the domestic tourism market to understand that there are many alternatives to the traditional destinations like Kariba, Victoria Falls, Hwange or Nyanga.
“Because of the coronavirus, many people have been indoors for much too long and they want to explore the outside world now. And for some households, long-distance travel is out of question because budgets have been strained.
“This is where destinations like Lake Chivero Recreational Park come in. The Saturday event is a way for us to try and correct that misconception about the place. We are a family destination, unlike what many think or know. There are some points of the lake that have gained notoriety for unbecoming behaviour such that some families associate our game park with those points.
“Those who will make it for the family day will find out that Lake Chivero is truly Harare’s best-kept secret. From ostriches, impalas, waterbucks, white rhinos, zebras to giraffes. Add to that, over 400 bird species, then you will realise that we are truly a domestic destination worth trying,” added Madora.
