CULTURAL TOURS

Cultural And Village Tours

I can customise your single day or multi day tour to incorporate anything from a village tour, to cooking classes or a school visit. 

CULTURAL DAY TOURS FROM ONLY $70 PER PERSON

Village Tours in the Chimanimani area
The villagers in Chimanimani are always keen to meet new people and show them around not only the village but the whole area.

From cooking classes to cultural tours, we can customise your day to be exactly as you would like.

Visit Chimanimani village and meet many locals and see how they live their day to day lives. Go cooking with Aunty, wander around the village or even partake in a beer in the local. 
“A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.”


― Mahatma Gandhi.

Village and Cultural Tour In Chimanimani

As per all our other tours, we start our day from your accommodation. 
Depending on what you would like to do for the day we can offer:
  • a cultural tour of the village,
  • a visit to Manase primary school,
  • a visit to the local healer / prophet,
  • cooking classes,
  • traditional dancers
  • a walk around Chimanimani village
  • or we can even visit my own family on the other side of the mountain

Cooking Classes

Learning to cook a traditional Zimbabwean meal might be your choice for the morning.

We will walk from your accommodation, up through the fields to a local family.

When we arrive they will teach you to make Sadza and vegetables. Sadza is the staple of most Zimbabwean meals. It is made with finely ground maize (corn). Sadza is known by many different names throughout Africa, however the name "Sadza" is a traditional Shona word.

Apart from cooking Sadza we can also see how its ground and meet the local mill operator who grinds the corn into the maize flower for the local people. They grow their own corn and then pay a fee to the mill to grind it into flour for them.

The key to sadza (as you will learn) is a unique stirring action that isn't for the feint hearted.

Sadza is eaten with your hands. You pick up a piece of Sadza, and using the Sadza pick up some vegetables with it and pop it into your mouth.
Jenny, Julia and Do with Lorraine after their cooking class
Jenny, Julia and Do were visiting Chimanimani on one of the overland trucks that visits the area once or twice a year. Oasis Overland is a grass roots company that camps their way around Africa. These ladies had been camping for up to 6 months at this point and were so excited to meet locals that were so friendly.

Having been in Africa for quite some time they knew what they wanted to do and gave me a list of things they wanted to see in the village and a cooking class was right at the top. I think they wanted to improve on what they could cook on their roster on the truck and I'm sure Sadza was on their menu after today's class.

They were quite the hit with the locals and before we knew it we had the full extended family visiting to meet these three women.
Collen and Aunty with Do and Jenny
Chimanimani children posing for Do
A Note Here:

Coming to visit the village also helps the villagers to meet outsiders and to practice their English and of course pose for photos.

While the locals are happy to pass on their cooking skills and enjoy lunch with you, it is tradition to provide a tip for this service. Often the tip they receive from you will enable them to go to the main village and purchase a chicken or pay for the milling of their maize or even go toward school fees for their children. You leave knowing that the small tip you gave them will help them to improve their lifestyle.

Pricing

Start your cultural or village tour from Chimanimani knowing how much you will pay and what you are paying for. 

Half Day Tour

$35.00

USD
Per person for a half day village tour

Rates can be negotiated for larger groups or extra days.


This price excludes transport,park entry, food and accommodation.


A 30% deposit is required to secure the booking dates and can be made via:

  • World Remit
  • Mukuru.com or
  • Eco Cash


Full Day Tour

$70.00

USD
Per person for a full day village tour (usually 5-6 hours).

I will cater to what you would like to do on your cultural tour. Let me know the type of things you are interested in and I will add them to our itinerary.

More Info

We usually walk to the village from your accommodation, however if you wanted to get a taxi back in the afternoon this would be at your own expense.

Alternatively I will walk you back to your hotel or camp site at the end of our tour.

A small tip for the family if you are on a cooking adventure & of course bring a few dollars for a beer at the local if you are interested.
** All prices are USD and are to be paid in US currency. 

What To Bring

  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Your camera
  • Good size water bottle 
  • Some cash for a beer or to tip your cooking teachers
  • Sunscreen and a hat if its a warm day

Village, Cooking and Cultural Tour Gallery

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