Follow us. We're going inside one of my favorite places to visit in these late summer days before the Zimbabwean harvest arrives once again.
Situated on the border of Mozambique in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, the Chimanimani area boasts a national park, Bridal Veil Falls, and a famous yearly outdoor arts and music festival. Travelers to the region are attracted by the area's hiking trails and scenic views. A two minute walk outside of the town my son loves to say the name of over and over -Chimanimani- and just a quick turn down the hill, The Farmhouse sleeps nestled in flower gardens and rusting barns. As though it drifted off right in 1960's Rhodesia and has yet to wake up, this quiet little house is one of the oldest remaining buildings in the Chimanimani area. ...And it is the perfect space we rented a short year ago with visiting family interested in safe Zimbabwean hiking and mountain views.
We could not have asked for better hospitality from Tempe van de Ruit, owner and descendant of this charming space, or a more perfect abode for a quiet and relaxing piece of rural Zimbabwean life. Like many of the houses you can rent throughout southern Africa, attendants cleaned and gardened, making fires, feeding the animals, and starting the old Rhodesian boiler every early morning.
Though updated, the homestead has been perfectly kept in all its charm. Not related to "The Farmhouse" in Matopos (a getaway on the other side of the country which we have also stayed in), this single homestead for rent was the perfect cottage for campers, backpackers, and families alike, boasting an outdoor shower, horse and cow pasture, chickens and geese underfoot, and verandas galore. Our little guy loved the experience of staying overnight on a farm, and awoke Easter morning last year to roosters and a radiant sunrise. Tempe, a most gracious host, spared no detail in decorating the rustic space, nor in welcoming us with an invitation to her home for drinks and hillside hiking. Our only regret was our inability to stay longer; what a picturesque way to enjoy our time in the Eastern Highlands.
Though updated, the homestead has been perfectly kept in all its charm. Not related to "The Farmhouse" in Matopos (a getaway on the other side of the country which we have also stayed in), this single homestead for rent was the perfect cottage for campers, backpackers, and families alike, boasting an outdoor shower, horse and cow pasture, chickens and geese underfoot, and verandas galore. Our little guy loved the experience of staying overnight on a farm, and awoke Easter morning last year to roosters and a radiant sunrise. Tempe, a most gracious host, spared no detail in decorating the rustic space, nor in welcoming us with an invitation to her home for drinks and hillside hiking. Our only regret was our inability to stay longer; what a picturesque way to enjoy our time in the Eastern Highlands.
To find out more about The Farmhouse and this charming area of Zimbabwe, please visit their site!
