Chamavara Cave
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Chamavara Cave is a national monument with fine rock art paintings.
Why Visit
The “huge human figure” which dominates the paintings is unique in Zimbabwe rock art. The site is also interesting, along with Dengeni Cave in the Zaka area and Rumwandi Rock Shelter (formerly called Impey’s Cave) as they were intensively studied by Leo Frobenius and Henri Breuil, both pioneers of rock art research in Southern Africa. Both denied a local origin for the rock paintings and saw Egyptian or Minoan influences and used their interpretations, however faulty, of these rock art paintings to provide evidence for their theories.
How to get there
Distances are from the dam wall of Lake Mutirikwi (formerly Lake Kyle) Take the tar road east (i.e. away from Great Zimbabwe) on Murray McDougal Drive, 4.8KM continue past the turn-off to the right, 18 KM turn right onto a gravel road, 22.4 KM turn left onto a narrow farm road, 22.7 KM cross a stream bed (note this requires high clearance and in the rainy season probably 4WD) 23.1 KM park, the rock site is in the small kopje on the right.
From the A9 travelling to Birchenough Bridge, distances are from the railway crossing past Masvingo. 3.0 KM pass the turn-off for the Italian Church. 12.0 KM pass the turn-off to Lake Mutirikwi National Park, 28.8 KM turn right onto gravel road for Chamavara Cave, the road gets a very dusty red crossing the iron-rich hills of the Beza Range, 43.8 KM turn left onto smaller gravel road, 48.2 KM turn left onto a narrow farm road (as described above) Zimbabwe Caves And Rock Paintings
