From pole and mud to prime resort attraction. . . How tourism has transformed Monde community

FOR generations, the road from Victoria Falls towards Monde and the villages of Indlovu and Ntabayengwe carried the soft, familiar rhythm of rural Zimbabwe. Anyone who travelled it knew the scene by heart: quiet homesteads with round huts standing like sentinels, dusty footpaths weaving between fields, and a gentle pace of life that seemed untouched by the tourist bustle only minutes away. The land had beauty in abundance, yet for many who lived there, opportunity felt painfully scarce.

Today, that same stretch of road feels almost enchanted. It leads to one of Zimbabwe’s most unexpected success stories — a transformation so striking that even long-time residents pause to take it in. What once seemed a sleepy rural corridor has blossomed into a vibrant symbol of rural-based tourism. Where the lowing of cattle once set the soundtrack, there is now the subdued hum of comfort and luxury. The horizon, once dominated by mopane woodland, now features graceful thatched roofs and stone-fronted lodges that wouldn’t look out of place in any world-class destination. This place is no longer a quiet backwater; it has stepped confidently into the limelight as a premier resort area bringing pride, dignity and prosperity to the surrounding communities.

The change isn’t subtle — it’s impossible to miss. Some homesteads have embraced bed-and-breakfast hospitality, offering travellers peaceful, off-the-grid escapes just 13,5 kilometres from the city centre, turning remoteness into a luxury rather than a barrier. Further along, a retreat centre rises out of Ntabayengwe like a modern sanctuary, its 4-star elegance blending effortlessly with its rural roots. And perched dramatically over the edge of the Batoka Gorge is a new lodge whose bold architecture seems to announce that the area’s tourism ambitions now reach as far as the Zambezi winds blow.

But this wave of development is about so much more than buildings. It has become a catalyst for deeper, broader rural upliftment. Hwange Rural District Ward 3 Councillor, Givemeagain Moyo, has watched the transformation with pride and clarity.

“The development and added value of the land has created thousands of jobs. More than 200 jobs were for example created during the recent construction of the lodge alone,” said Moyo.

The benefits ripple outwards like water spreading from a newly-dug borehole. There are boreholes, in fact — drilled by Zinwa, delivering fresh water to communities. Roads have been improved. Local farmers now find dependable markets for their produce. Council coffers gain through rates. Every lodge built brings with it a chain reaction of opportunities, services and livelihoods that extend far beyond the lodge gates.

What’s unfolding goes beyond infrastructure; it is reshaping tourism itself. By pulling visitors beyond Victoria Falls’ city limits, the area is easing the city’s chronic accommodation pressures and offering something fresh: Rural Tourism. Travellers are increasingly hungry for immersive, authentic experiences, and Monde has stepped forward to meet that appetite. A local retreat centre’s success in hosting high level regional and international conferences last year is proof enough that global standard hospitality can flourish on rural soil. Monde isn’t just competing — it’s excelling.

And this isn’t an isolated spark. The same energy is spreading to places like Domboshava near Harare, showing that Monde is not a lucky exception, but a trailblazer. Tourism executive Dr Mukwasi credits the transformation to a profound change in mindset and a deeper understanding of land’s true value.

“All along, people were not investing much in rural areas because they viewed land tenure as insecure, but the mindset has changed. We see raw land actually, the value going up and matching that of urban areas,” he said.

He speaks of a powerful shift in how rural communities are perceived.

“For quite a long time, people in the rural areas were treated as people who should only benefit from commissions. But now, the rural areas are viewed as the primary place to invest in, the primary place to enjoy the process of tourism operation. The moment you have a lodge out there, you also have water connected, you also have roads connected, you also have network connected,” he said.

It’s a transformation that dovetails neatly with the Government’s rural development agenda — one that moves beyond mere subsistence towards self-sustaining, investment-driven rural economies. But there’s an important focus on quality too.

“We just have to ensure that whatever is constructed meets the international standards that tourists would require,” he said.

Urban operators have pledged to support and promote their rural counterparts, recognising that Zimbabwe’s tourism success story is strongest when it’s shared.

In the end, the story of Monde is not simply about new lodges or upgraded roads. It is about imagination, courage and the quiet but determined belief that rural Zimbabwe can be more than what it has traditionally been allowed to be. From the shadows of old huts have risen bright, confident symbols of prosperity. And with each new step, each new lodge built, Zimbabwe’s rural heartlands are proving they are not waiting for development — they are creating it, shaping it, and owning it, one extraordinary transformation at a time. 

Source: From pole and mud to prime resort attraction. . . How tourism has transformed Monde community (20/02/2026)