Matobo Hills Adventure

Riders travelling by car will be given detailed directions to the BULAWAYO LODGE. Riders flying in to Joshua Nkomo International (JMNI), Bulawayo will be met and transfer to the BULAWAYO LODGE.

After lunch at the BULAWAYO LODGE riders are free to explore the rambling town of Bulawayo as we can take the group around in the Detour bus or enjoy a relaxed afternoon at the Lodge.

In early evening we will make our way to the Bulawayo Club giving all time to take in the history of the BULAWAYO CLUB itself with its masses memorabilia, collection of sporting icon’s kit, an impressive library and the like.

The evening activities will start in the BULAWAYO CLUB bar with formal introductions to Gerald, the Detour crew and local Zimbabwe hosts. Drinks and dinner follow a short briefing enabling everyone to get to know each other.

Stats: 45km, 600m ascent, 600m descent

A visit to Bulawayo wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Khami Ruins, After breakfast the group travels to Khami for a fascinating stroll through the ruins and learning a bit from raconteur, Rob about the Great Zimbabwe Pre-Colonial Civilization (11th – 15th Century) After a quick lunch the group will prepare for the ride to the DWALA CONSERVANCY getting a good idea of the riding and flow of the Matobo Hills Adventure.

After settling in at CAMP soaking up the first experience of the Matobo Hills, it’s time for sundowners and the beginning of being immersed into the area by our local hosts.

Stats: 55km, 650m ascent, 700m descent

In order to ease into riding in the Matabo Hills, the start of the first ride from CAMP is gentle and fun as we make our way to find some caves with rock art. We explore caves like Gulubagwe with its fascinating ‘snake’ art and Ntunjambili Cave – the longest cave in the Matopos, and one of the first to be described. It was also a rain making cave, with great views from the summit of the hill. We’ll ride on through the Gulati Communal area, interacting with the local residents, before returning via Sotcha, a massive wall of granite.

There are infinite riding and site seeing options, so our Zimbabwe hosts will decide ‘on the fly’ where to take us as we learn what riding the group most enjoys. There’s no doubt that there will be a festival of “dwala riding” on these amazing granite massifs.

Stats: 60km, 1200m ascent, 1200m descent

Leaving the Dwala Conservancy we pass through Horse Shoe Canyon, site of a battle in 1896, and our first major “dwala descent”! We turn east and drop steadily down to the Mtshabezi Valley followed by a long steady climb up from the Mtshabezi River to emerge high up the high valleys of the eastern Matopos. Again some truly great single track, before a testing climb to the summit of Tshingengoma (Drum Koppie) where we will look over the 1896 Battle site; the largest conventional battlefield in Zimbabwe and where the British forces very nearly lost their artillery. We pass Diana’s Pool with its fascinating history and visit the Orbicular Granite, one of only 14 sites in the world. We’ll break at the Great Indaba Site and learn a little more of CJ Rhodes riding unarmed into the hills to negotiate with the Ndebele Chiefs here. After a lunch break, we turn for home enjoying more single track – but some hard climbs await us. This will be a long hard day, but will lead to lots of talk around the fire in the evening.

After this day riders will not only be exhausted, but are sure to be suffering from information overload as they will have been exposed to and amazing mass of history they never expected.

As this is the hardest ride of the tour, the support crew and vehicle will be on hand to shorten the route if necessary and/or there is an option to transfer back to camp after lunch at Rhodes’ Indaba Site.

Stats: 45km, 750m ascent, 750m descent

Our Zim hosts will have left (to do their day jobs), so this is an opportunity for Gerald to lead the group on an explore
ride in an area where riders may recognise the occasional landmark. If there’s any overlap with the Rock ‘n Roll
route, blame us for making changes ‘on the fly’ to add interest to all the trails we ride.

Because of the explore mode of the ride, the pace will be a little less intense with a stop or two and we would
probably take a few detours on the way.

We manage the exploring to ensure that the group is back for a leisurely lunch and relaxing afternoon at camp.

Stats: 45-60km, 900m ascent, 1000m descent

After the days of challenging riding it’s time to wind down and do the ‘tourist stuff’ in the Matobo Hills National Park.

Adventure in the Matobo Hills wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the last resting place of the infamous CJ
Rhodes.

The last long ride of the tour leaves the Dwala Conservancy onto even more local community trails and big dwalas
heading to the Matobo Hills National Park for some 30km or so. This gives the riders our last opportunity to have
fun on these amazing trails.

Once the group has checked into the National Park, there is a short ride option to World’s View & Rhodes Grave (on
tar) or a longer dirt trail & road option following down the Mshelele River and a climb back up to World’s View. By
this time the decision on route will be easy!

At Rhodes’ grave on World’s View the riders will gain unexpected insight into the true relationship between CJ
Rhodes and the Ndebele.

After a full day out, weary riders will transfer back on the bumpy Old Gwanda Road to Dwala Conservancy for a
celebration dinner as the tour comes to an end.

After the celebrations of the night before, only the hardiest will be out riding at first light for our last ride in the
Dwala Conservancy to see one of the most spectacular scenes imaginable as the sun rises over the majestic Matobo
Hills which have been our playground for the last few days.

The mood at breakfast will no doubt be a little subdued as the reality of the end of the Matobo adventure hits home. The riders pack their bikes and bags and say their farewells to the Journeys with Gerald crew before setting off on their journeys home.