All around me, tree limbs shake.
It’s just after dawn, and I’m alone, climbing the trail to the 15th-century royal compound on the hilltop at Great Zimbabwe in southern Africa.
Alone, except for the baboons.
Like all the stone structures here, the stairwell is open to the sky, but the incline is so steep and the curves so sharp that I can’t see more than 10 feet in front of me.
Sure enough, around the next bend a baboon is waiting for me on one of the dozens of terraces that skirt the hillside.
We watch each other for a few moments until I’m certain he’s not interested in me, and then I keep walking.
Baboons freak me out, but these moments are part of what makes Great Zimbabwe such an incredible place to visit.
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Those going on their own can hire a guide on site.
Every guide I’ve ever had here has been articulate and charming and well-informed, but it’s even more amazing to spend a few days exploring the ruins with people who actually wrote the book on Great Zimbabwe.
You can find their offerings at wsoa.wits.ac.za, under History of Art.
Practical tips: Zimbabwe has started an online visa system (www.evisa.gov.zw/), which isn’t working at the time of this writing. When it does, applying online will get visitors a letter that they must present on arrival, which is when the visa is actually issued.
Those that require a visa might be better off simply getting it on arrival.
Anyone driving up from South Africa can save themselves a lot of hassle at the border by contacting the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority ahead of time. They can arrange to have an officer to wait at the border post and walk visitors through the immigration and customs process. This can save hours and endless headaches. And it’s a free service (Lindarose Ntuli at +263 772 409373 or lindarosentuli@gmail.com).
Griffin Shea is a writer and traveler based in South Africa. His latest project is a travel app for African cities for iPhone and Android.
