Upon traversing the picturesque Honde Valley and the Eastern Highlands Tea plantations, you will arrive at the esteemed Aberfoyle Lodge, a hidden gem in Zimbabwe. Aberfoyle Lodge, nestled in the lush Honde Valley of Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands, is a hidden gem offering a unique blend of luxury and adventure. For those of you who have never been to the Honde Valley, and Aberfoyle Lodge in particular, you have no idea what you are missing!
The secret of Aberfoyle Lodge is to be uncovered in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. Aberfoyle was initially built in 1960 as a Club for the Tea Estate staff and later converted to a Lodge. Situated in a very special part of Zimbabwe, Aberfoyle Lodge is encircled by rolling tea plantations, rivers, mountains, and untouched riparian forests, rendering it an exceptional retreat. With rolling tea plantations, riparian forests and the Nyamkombe river surrounding the lodge, you feel as though you are in an oasis of true serenity.
Accommodation and Amenities
The lodge features a variety of accommodation options, including beautifully decorated rooms and suites that can host up to 36 guests. The main entertainment and reception area is comfortably furnished, and as mentioned above, has recently undergone a refurbishment, ensuring the lodge keeps up with the times. There are 9 rooms, cleverly named and decorated to match the colours of the special bird that the room is named after. Each room offers stunning views of the surrounding landscapes, ensuring a tranquil and comfortable stay.
As well as the rooms, Aberfoyle also offers a self-catering house about 5 minutes drive from the lodge. With panoramic views of the whole estate, you will certainly fall in love with this quaint little house, which has an open plan lounge and dining area. Double doors lead out onto a large verandah. The kitchen is fully equipped and there is a big braai outside the front of the house, which can be lit upon request (guests to bring their own wood or charcoal). There is also a lovely swimming pool on the property and the house is serviced, with a person coming in daily to clean. (Please ensure that you go to check in at the main lodge before going to Hornbill.
Guests can enjoy delicious meals prepared with fresh, organic ingredients from the lodge’s garden, served in the on-site restaurant. All of our vegetables are organically grown in our vegetable garden. Found just below the lodge, it is open to all guests to have a wander through, and even taste a few of the vegetables. Our delicious honey comes from our own beehives; our organic black pepper comes from our vines; and our coffee and tea are both grown on the estate. Our eggs and chickens are free-range and farmed on the estate. We are also in the process of farming trout and bream to supply the restaurant; and for the children to have a go at catching their dinner.
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Activities and Attractions
What stands out most about Aberfoyle is the very wide variety of activities on offer thanks to Far and Wide Zimbabwe who has managed Aberfoyle since 2011, and all in such a stunning setting: picturesque 9 hole golf course, Nyawamba Dam, birding, nature walks & mountain hikes, tree canopy tour, Mermaids Pool & bum slide, tea factory tour, mountain biking, white-water rafting, Mutarazi Falls SkyWalk and SkyLine, kayaking, trail biking, fishing (yellow, tiger, bass, bream), pepper gardens and 18 hole putt putt course.
From the main lodge, guests can enjoy views of our iconic 9-hole golf course. Additionally, we offer a variety of activities, including self-guided walks, riverside picnics, and a zipline tour through the treetops over the river. Guests can relax and unwind on our beautiful boat cruise on the Wamba dam, with stunning views of Mt Inyangani, the highest mountain in Zimbabwe. There is also an all-weather tennis court, table tennis, darts, a large 13m x 7m swimming pool with a children’s slide and children’s paddling pool, a squash court and one of the best snooker tables in the country.
For those interested in exploring further afield, the lodge is situated at the endpoint of the Turaco Trail, a breathtaking 60km hike that starts at Far and Wide Zimbabwe, winds through the Pungwe Gorge, over Mount Nyangani, and down into the Honde Valley. If you don’t mind a small drive through the estate then you can experience the tea making process on a tour of the Wamba Tea Factory, or take tours of 5 different hydroelectricity plants from 35KW to 16MW.
Towering in the clouds over the whole of Honde Valley is the Mount Nyangani massif, leaping vertically, straight up, reaching for 2595 m (8504 ft) at the top. It is from here that the Mtarazi Falls drop water down 772 m (2532 ft) into Honde below, making it the second tallest waterfall in Africa. Locally, Honde Valley is renown for its bananas and avocados which make their way to our markets; prepare to be confronted by banana plants at literally every turn on the drive in. What we don’t realise is that Honde has a massive tea growing estate, planted 50 to 60 years ago at Wamba where the Aberfoyle Lodge is situated. Grown on around 1500 hectares, Wamba’s tea is all exported - the internet tells us that Tetley, and Morrisons supermarket in the UK have both bought it in recent years. Close by the factory is Nyawamba Dam (i.e. lake) which you should certainly see for its serene setting and cool, calm waters winding amongst the hilly tea fields. Don’t take ‘serene’ or ‘calm’ for granted though as apocryphal rumours of crocodiles reached our ears later on - though there is no evidence to be found online. Just ask the tea pickers on the tarred road who will direct you to the next suitable track to drive down.
Honde Valley: Virtual Tour By Honde Valley Sightings
Birding Paradise
Aberfoyle Lodge is a paradise for birdwatchers, with the Honde Valley being home to over 400 bird species. The diverse landscapes of the Honde Valley and Aberfoyle areas provide more than just a vacation experience, particularly for bird enthusiasts. The Honde Valley is renowned for its diverse and stunning beauty and its rare butterfly and birdlife. With the area receiving some of the highest rainfalls in Zimbabwe, it ensures the forests stay beautifully green with unique flora and fauna, flowing rivers and many unique species of orchids.
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The lodge’s resident bird guide, Morgan, is renowned for his expertise and passion, helping guests spot some of the area’s most elusive and rare birds. If you are a birder then you are in paradise. Our bird guide Morgan is exceptional, if you are after a special bird that is found in the area then we will get it for you. Send us a checklist a week in advance and we will come up with a plan to make the most of your time with us. Have a look at our birding page for a bit of info on what birds you are likely to see. There are also many species of Orchids found in the forests surrounding the lodge.
Notable species include the Livingstone’s Turaco, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Singing Cisticola, Moustached Grass Warbler, and Marsh Tchagra. Our distinguished bird guide, Morgan, is dedicated to assisting you in locating some of the rare bird species native to the area, such as the Lesser Seedcracker, Green-backed Woodpecker, Narina Trogon, Pallid Honeyguide, Marsh Tchagra, Palm-nut Vulture, Green Twinspot, and Half Collared Kingfisher.
Getting to Aberfoyle Lodge
The drive itself is lovely as you travel through the plantations, going over the mountain, through the valley, past friendly villages, and crossing several rivers, including the Pungwe River. Eastern Highlands Tea Plantation have their own hydro power, so power is usually very good and there is no generator as Aberfoyle aims to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The property is secure with a fence surrounding the whole area. Once you arrive at Aberfoyle there is no need to get back in your car because all of our activities are located right at the lodge.
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