Zimbabwe:
Some seven or eight hundred years ago, a great stone city was being constructed on the southern African plateau.
Surrounded by myths and legends of unfathomable riches, - the realm of King Solomon' s Mines - it became the centre of a great civilisation, prospering on trade in gold and ivory, and housing well over 10 000 people - Great Zimbabwe, the greatest medieval city in sub-Saharan Africa.
But like other great early civilisations, the time of affluence turned to decline, and by the time Cecil John Rhodes appropriated Mashonaland and Matabeleland to create the British colony of Rhodesia, Great Zimbabwe had turned into the crumbling ruin of a forgotten civilisation.
Still , today, in independent Zimbabwe, much of the flair of the early forefathers remains. The country is known for great arts and music.
It is also known for its great areas of wilderness: Hwange, Gonarezhou, Mana Pools, Matusadona, the mighty Victoria Falls. Lush highlands, forests, plains, rivers and lakes.
A country of stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife and vibrant cultures - Great Zimbabwe.