The Gokwe Rural District Council (RDC) is appealing for investment in a tourist attraction site, Gandavaroyi Gorge and Falls.
The gorge is located on the northern side of the district on the Sanyati River and stretches for about 3km and has eight plunge pools.
The Gandavaroyi Falls form the biggest drop on the river with its massive crater surrounded by steep cliffs providing beautiful scenery.
The Southern Eye reported Gokwe district planner Virginia Mtetwa as saying that the rock formation and waterfall qualify for the site to be a tourism attraction.
Activities such as rock climbing, sightseeing, and photographic tourism can be undertaken at the site. Said Mtetwa:
The gorge is closer to a disused campsite which needs renovation of existing structures Investment in accommodation facilities such as chalets water tanks, braai stands and concrete pavements for pitching tents.
Infrastructure like roads will improve which will also be used by communities. Protection of the environment will be boasted through security enhancement at the site and business communities will benefit from electricity supplied to the site.
She said Gokwe RDC has been protecting the infrastructure already in place by making regular visits for spot checks.
The local authority’s procurement officer Maclough Chiutanyi said they don’t have the funds to complete the project as per plan such as roads, power supply, water pumps and flush toilets infrastructure. He said:
We used to have foreign tourists between 2000 and 2010. Since then we haven’t recorded any foreign nationals visiting the place.
Gandavaroyi Falls are located about 100 kilometres from Nembudziya Shopping Centre in the Gumunyu area between Batanai, Bhashungwe of Hurungwe district on the Sanyati river.
Tourists can get to Gandavaroyi either through Hurungwe or Nembudziya Business Centre.
The name Gandavaroyi, loosely translated means “throwing witches into” (a plunge pool).
Legend has it that the Falls were used as a litmus test for suspected witches and wizards who would be thrown into the estimated 50-metre-deep gorge that is near the falls.
If they were witches, they would disappear and never be seen again, hence the name Gandavaroyi.
More: Pindula News