Eminently EveNB: It is strongly advised to read all the reviews on this site in their entirety to ensure that the destinations really suit all your needs & preferences.
VISITS ARE STRICTLY BY BOOKING
Click on the subheadings below to jump to their contents:
- Introduction
- Booking & contact details
- Directions, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use
- Arrival & experience with staff members
- Accommodation & fees
- Meals & fees
- Activities & fees at Hideaway Lodge, Darwendale
- Conclusion
Introduction
In March 2024 I launched Empowered Travel – a product & service based company for everyday road users who believe in self reliance and preparedness. It offers Vehicle Maintenance Training & tools, Advanced Travel Trauma First Aid Training & Travel First Aid Kits as well as Self Defence Training plus security travel accessories such as vehicle GPS trackers.
This step came with more time restraints than I had anticipated and so for two months straight, I never got a chance to visit any nature home. As you can imagine, it started to take a toll on me and so I made the decision to just get away for at least one night & leave everything set as best as I could.
I had had my eyes on this place called Hideaway lodge for quite some time now and so I figured it was time to finally go and check it out.
I was a bit concerned about other people’s negative and harsh reviews about it but as I do with other destinations, I gave it the benefit of the doubt and went on to make the booking.
Booking & contact details
The contact number for Hideaway Lodge, Darwendale/ Lake Manyame is +263777057426. I contacted them and Kelly was on the other end of the line. She was super helpful throughout the booking process and so the booking went smoothly. As you may already know, we try by all means to avoid travelling during weekends or public holidays so getting our preferred dates was quite easy despite the relatively short notice.
Directions, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use
Hideaway Lodge is situated on Lake Manyame/Darwendale shore, along Gwebi River in Zvimba District, Mashonaland West. It is located 47 km from Harare CBD and can be followed using Google Maps. There is a part of the route though where Google Maps gets a bit confused, (insisting that you take a certain non-existent road), however, if you ignore that part it will soon readjust to the correct directions.
For your reference, the correct directions are as follows: From Harare you take the Bulawayo road (A2/ Samora Machel). Drive for about 20 km past the Snake park turn and turn right (leaving the highway) onto a dirt road called Porta Road. This turn off/road has no sign posts, however, it is the one just before the Zimparks Chivero Recreational Park turn off (which is on your left on the highway).
Drive for about 11 km and you will come to a concrete low level bridge. Take your first left turn from that bridge and drive for about 1 km. You will get to where the road curves and in front of you are farm gates. Keep right following the curve. This is also where Google Maps will be instructing you to turn left. Ignore that and keep going straight. Go around the crops (You are now on the Aberdeen farm where Hideaway Lodge is situated).
Continue following that road as it curves left and shortly you will arrive at the farm’s gates which have the Hideaway sign post. If you have a booking, you will be allowed entry. Once inside the gates, drive straight heading towards the lake. To your right are farm houses. Do not turn right into the Private Entry. Carry on until you reach the end of that road and follow the sign post directing you to your right. Hideaway lodge is right in front of you.
The first half of the trip to Hideaway Lodge, Darwendale is on a good tarred highway and the second half is on a decent dirt road. A small vehicle can therefore manage if driven with caution during the dry season.
Arrival & experience with staff members
We arrived way earlier than we had said we would and so I was deeply appreciative of them accommodating us right at that moment despite their hands being full with the school children they were also hosting. The gentleman at the gate was courteous and a great communicator. After getting the green light from the management team to let us in, he directed us to the swimming pool area where we would sit and wait to be escorted to our lodge when it was ready for us.
The swimming pool area is just so immaculate but more about that later.
Before I could even sit, another gentleman came to inform us that our chalet was ready. I was quite impressed by how fast that was considering how early we were. He directed us to the chalet where we met a number of ladies who were such amazing hosts to us throughout our stay. Whenever we needed anything, they took initiative quite quickly and made sure that we were sorted out to the best of their ability. The communication was fantastic too.
Overall, all the staff members were excellent.
Accommodation & fees
The accommodation options at Hideaway Lodge, Darwendale/ Lake Manyame are self catering and non self catering chalets. We opted for the option to be fully catered for. We were however put in one of the self catering chalets which was awesome because now I get to share with you what the self-catering chalets look like. Weekend rates are $40 per adult while weekdays are $30 per adult regardless of the option you choose.
Due to the negative reviews I had read prior to our visit, I was so nervous to open the chalet for the first time. I took a breath and turned that door handle open…
The first thing that grabbed my eyes was the beautiful kitchen setup running along the entire wall on the left side. There was a 4 plate gas stove with pots, a counter top with plates, cups, mugs, water & wine glasses and other cutlery. There was also a microwave right in the middle and a fancy bowl shaped sink at the far end.
Upon fully walking in, I saw two coffee-brown couches which looked inviting, a coffee table in the middle of the room, a mini fridge against the wall and a double bed on one end of the room. The double bed already had a mosquito net covering it which I was quite happy to see because most places I’ve been to do not seem to prioritise them. The excitement was short lived though when I saw that it had a number of tears all over it. Luckily, our trip was in winter so there weren’t any mosquitoes when night time came.
At first, I doubted how comfortable the bed was going to be because of the vintage style bed frame and bedding covering it. I just assumed the bed was old too. However, when I later laid on it I realised it was actually a new lux mattress which was extremely comfortable. I loved my sleep. It was one of the most snug sleeps I have had on holiday. There is also a small single bed in the room which is probably for a child if you travel with one.
On the other wall is the door which leads into the bathroom. The entire chalet has a thatched roof but it is more conspicuous in the bathroom because of how much lower it sits. Thatch on roofs is one feature I love a lot on accommodation at nature themed destinations. It acts as a subtle but artful reminder of the natural beauty that surrounds me. The bathroom was neat with some modern touches to it. I loved it.
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Meals & fees
Hideaway Lodge offers meals but strictly prearranged. Dinner and breakfast are $20 per person while lunch is $5 per person. I am not really fussy when it comes to food, neither is my husband so I didn’t ask what we were going to have. Kelly had told us though that lunch was either going to be burgers or toasted sandwiches. They ended up serving us beef burgers and french fries which were pretty decent.
For dinner, we tried to guess what we were going to have but we were both wrong. We thought that it was either going to be rice with fried chicken, beef or fish but it actually ended up being chicken schnitzel, baked potatoes, baked butternut, a sauce to go with and some greens. I was pleasantly surprised with that.
Good thing I decided to go with our own drinks though because I had a feeling that they might not have them. They never offered us any so I assume they do not have. You might want to go with your own too or ask before visiting if they serve any.
The next morning we were served an English breakfast. There were eggs, bacon, baked beans, cherry tomatoes, bread, butter and jam. The beverage options were tea and “coffee”. I’m not a hundred percent sure but I think the tea was Tanganda and the “coffee” was Ricoffy.
All in all I enjoyed all my meals and I was quite surprised by how much we paid towards the meals. I thought the meals were going to be more costly and extremely basic but it seems some thought and effort went into it and I appreciate that.
Activities & fees at Hideaway Lodge, Darwendale
The activities at Hideaway Lodge are:
1. Canoeing/boating & fishing
Hideaway is on Lake Manyame shore therefore the most popular activities there are boating/ canoeing and fishing. It is a perfect place to launch your boat from and enjoy all that the lake has to offer. Launching a boat is $5. If you wish to hire a boat it’s $60. Due to our visit being in winter we decided to skip on any boating as it was a bit chilly by the lake. We did spend many hours sitting on a bench perfectly situated on the banks of the lake though, just soaking in the view and the aquatic wildlife we were seeing.
There was a lot of birdlife which included White-faced Whistling Ducks, Jacanas, Moorhen, Sacred Ibis, Heron and Blacksmith Lapwing. The environment was so calming and relaxing. Typing about it even makes me miss it so much.
2. Swimming – free
My equally favourite thing to do at Hideaway Lodge was sitting by the pool just sunbathing. It’s the remarkable feeling you get when the African winter sun hits your freezing bare skin that kept on drawing me there. The perfectly manicured garden around the pool area and the view of the lake even made the experience more enjoyable. I loved every bit of it.
3. Braaing – free
Every self catering chalet at Hideaway Lodge has a gazebo and a braaing area overlooking the lake. We are not big on braaing but I imagine it is many people’s favourite activity to do so you will definitely enjoy it there. Do contact them to find out whether they sell firewood or charcoal or if you need to bring your own.
4. Wedding hosting
Hideaway Lodge has one of the most beautiful wedding venues you can ever find in and around Harare. They have the garden and the view of the lake which are perfect for an outdoor wedding. They also have an open plan hall which perfectly incorporates the garden in case you need a mix of indoor and outdoor garden.
5. Palm tree dates
This one is probably just my own favourite but I had to throw it in there because I was thrilled to see the date palm trees dotted around the yard. When I was in primary school I was totally obsessed with these fruits because we had the tree on the school premises. We were not really allowed to get to it because we damaged the lawn around it but like little monkeys we would find ways to sneak in and get one or two. I never came across this tree bearing fruits again until at Hideaway Lodge. It brought back so many great childhood memories ☺️.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Hideaway Lodge Darwendale/Lake Manyame is a perfect destination for rebooting and relaxing away from the city. It is an aesthetically pleasing location to unwind at and also bond with loved ones. The fees are fair and the fact that they offer both self catering and non self catering options is a big plus. I would definitely love to visit again.
If or when you visit, please share your experience with me here or on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn :)… Remember to have a little intimacy in your life & as always I’m talking about Intimacy With Nature
