We learned about an exceptional campsite in this area. It is located fifteen kilometers outside of Hauna on the Pungwe River. We had already seen a lot that day and were happy not to have to drive far anymore. But fifteen kilometers on a highway is one thing; It’s something completely different when you drive over a bad track…

The washed out dirt road soon turned into a track. First, I turned on the 4-wheel drive; shortly afterwards also the reduction gear. Now we went uphill at walking pace and soon we were back at an altitude of 1,200 meters. From up here we had a great view of the fertile valley and the tea plantations. We passed round huts where hard-working locals grow corn, bananas and pineapples in small fields. We also had to be careful at our low speed because children suddenly jumped out from behind the banana trees to wave at us.

It took us an hour to reach the campsite. This used to serve as a camp for the workers when the Pungwe Power Station B was built. Someone had the excellent idea to convert this place into a campsite after the work was finished. It has a fantastically beautiful location on the river, which presents itself as the Verzasca did in Switzerland thirty years ago and before it fell victim to over-tourism.

Four camps lie along the rushing river. The best thing is that they all have electricity (!), shower, toilet and hot water. Electricity here? No wonder, because it is produced by four turbines (Made in England!) and fed into Zimbabwe’s electricity grid.