As a chef, my travels usually revolve around food—markets, local specialties, and discovering the heart of a country through its flavors.
But during my adventure in Zimbabwe, I found myself adding another ingredient to my journey: adventure. Beyond the tantalizing dishes and bustling markets, I took on one of the wildest experiences of my life—white-water rafting at Victoria Falls.
From Market Stalls to Mopane Worms: A Culinary Deep Dive in Harare
Before diving headfirst into the Zambezi River (literally), I spent my first days in Harare, Zimbabwe’s lively capital. Naturally, my first stop was Mbare Musika Market, a sensory overload of colors, smells, and sounds.
Vendors proudly displayed local produce: sun-ripened tomatoes, earthy groundnuts, and towering stacks of maize. One vendor eagerly handed me a sample of mopane worms, a local delicacy high in protein. Fried to crispy perfection and dusted with chili salt, they were surprisingly addictive—like Zimbabwe’s answer to crunchy bar snacks.
Savoring Zimbabwe’s Traditional Dishes
Zimbabwean cuisine is a celebration of simple ingredients turned into hearty, flavor-packed meals. Some standouts from my trip:
- Sadza – A thick maize porridge that’s the backbone of every meal. It pairs beautifully with rich beef stews or sautéed greens.
- Nyama Choma – Chargrilled meat (often beef or goat) seasoned with local spices, served with spicy relishes.
- Kapenta with Sadza – Tiny, crispy fried fish that pack a salty punch, best enjoyed with a cold beer.
- Baobab Smoothies – The tartness of baobab fruit, blended into a creamy, citrusy smoothie, became my morning go-to
Adrenaline Meets the Zambezi: White-Water Rafting at Victoria Falls
After days of savoring Zimbabwe’s culinary scene, I was ready for something more high-octane. That’s how I found myself on the Zambezi River, gripping a paddle with white knuckles, staring down Class V rapids.
Rafting below Victoria Falls is no joke—it’s one of the world’s most extreme white-water experiences. The sheer force of the rapids, combined with the towering cliffs of Batoka Gorge, made for a ride that was both terrifying and exhilarating. There were moments when I was completely submerged, tossed like a ragdoll by the current, only to resurface laughing (and slightly gasping for air).
After conquering rapids with names like “The Devil’s Toilet Bowl” and “Gnashing Jaws of Death”, I emerged soaked, exhausted, and absolutely starving—which, in my world, means it was time to eat.
A Safari Feast Under the Stars
That night, under a sky blanketed with stars in Hwange National Park, I indulged in a well-earned bush dinner. The meal featured:
- Grilled kudu steaks, marinated in indigenous spices.
- Muriwo unedovi (collard greens cooked in peanut butter), a creamy, rich side dish that I’m determined to recreate back home.
- A glass of Zimbabwean Pinotage, perfectly smooth after a day of pure adrenaline.
Final Word
Zimbabwe delivered everything I love about travel—bold flavors, cultural immersion, and unexpected thrills. From frying mopane worms in Harare to tackling the untamed Zambezi, this trip pushed me beyond my usual culinary comfort zone. Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat.
Next time, I might just swap my chef’s knife for a paddle… or at least bring some sadza along for the ride.
Check out Bamba Travel’s free itinerary to Zimbabwe:
Guest post written by Hiro Taka
Chef Hiroshi Tanaka isn’t just a master of Japanese cuisine—he’s a globetrotter with a passion for discovering new flavors.
