Fort Gomo Kadzamu

Fort Gomo Kadzamu

 

Fort Gomo Kadzemu

About the Site:

Situated in the Penhalonga district, this attractive area of Brachystegia (Miombo) woodland and broken granite terrain is some two hectares in extent and it was donated to the Trust by J. P. Valintine in 1966.

A small stone fort is located at the top of a hill on the property and is typical of the many fortifications in the eastern half of Zimbabwe. Part of the Nyanga Cultural Tradition these lowland forts were associated with the Shona Dynasties that postdate the Great Zimbabwe Culture.

The settlement probably dates from the 17th to the 19th centuries A.D.

The first sight is the small wall enclosing the summit with a door with a stone lintel.

gomo

 

fort

The north and east sides of the summit have steep slopes with evidence of a few small areas of built walls. The 360 degree views from the summit, in all directions, that are very pleasant

view 2

There is an abundance of Old Man’s Beard Lichen (Usnea) hanging from the branches of the Msasa trees (Brachystegia spiciformis) in the pristine Miombo woodland.

picnic

The summit has tree cover and would be pleasant for a picnic spot.

view

Spirit of Place Statement for Fort Gomo Kadzamu 

Sit in a small stone fort located at the top of a gomo (hill in Shona) that is typical of the many fortifications in the eastern half of Zimbabwe. Part of the Nyanga Cultural Tradition these lowland forts were associated with the Shona Dynasties that postdate the Great Zimbabwe Culture. Be thrilled when you see the small wall enclosing the summit with a door with a stone lintel.

Walk over broken granite terrain and through wisps of Old Man’s Beard Lichen Usnea hanging from the branches of the Msasa trees Brachystegia spiciformis in the pristine Miombo woodland.

Marvel at the 360 degree views from the summit and enjoy your picnic under the cooling the tree cover and be in awe of the cultural heritage of the settlement that probably dates to the 17th to the 19th centuries A.D.

Activities on offer at Fort Gomo

 Walking, exploring the archaeological sites and picnicking.

Fort Gomo Kadzamu3

Fort Gomo Kadzamu2

Directions to Fort Gomo Kadzamu:

 

On the main road from Harare to Mutareturn left (north) opposite the Christmas Pass Hotel onto the Penhalonga Road.

Pass through Penhalonga, and past the gold mine dumps and eucalyptus plantations, then drive for approximately 20 kilometres beyond to reach the turn off to Small Bridge Dam.

Continue past the turn off along the main road a further 800m’s approximately to find a lay-bye on the left of the main road with concrete benches, where parking is available. Fort Gomo is situated to the front and right of the parking and across the road on a small rise alongside the road.

GPS Co-ordinates

18° 46’ 00.92” S

32° 42’ 48.70” E

Operating Hours:

Fort Gomo Kadzamu is open to the public every day.

Annual Report Fort Gomo: 2017 – March 2018

Unfortunately, due to its remoteness, the difficulty of envisioning a sustainable solution for this property and
the general lack of funding, no further progress has been made on this site, yet. Contact has been made with
local residents to take this matter forward. A development and management plan needs to be formulated to
drive this property forward.

The path leading to the summit

   

Views from the summit 

Annual Report Fort Gomo: 2016

A site visit was made to the property in order to assess its potential uses and to gather information about it
and its surrounds. The site is some two hectares in extent and the settlement probably dates to the 17th to
the 19th centuries A.D. The north and east sides of the summit have steep slopes with evidence of a few small
areas of built walls. A small stone fort is located at the top of a hill and typical of the many fortifications in the
eastern half of Zimbabwe. Part of the Nyanga Cultural Tradition these lowland forts were associated with the
Shona Dynasties that postdate the Great Zimbabwe Culture. At its summit Fort Gomo provides a wonderful
panoramic 360o view of the surrounding area.

There is an abundance of Old Man’s Beard Lichen (Usnea) hanging from the branches of the Msasa trees
(Brachystegia spiciformis) in the pristine Miombo woodland. Road access to the site is quite good but new
signage is required. It is situated close to the La Rochelle Estate and it would be an interesting site for the
guests and day visitors to visit. The history and cultural resources would be of great value to school children
as would the flora and fauna of the area. It was therefore decided that the best use of the site would be a)
educational and b) recreation.

To make it worth visiting durable signage and information boards would need to be erected, along with
concrete benches and tables to allow visitors to enjoy a picnic. To achieve this vision the NTZ will work
towards securing funding for the property in order for it to reach its potential and to be enjoyed by the local
community, schools and tourists alike.

Annual Report Fort Gomo: 2015

Unfortunately, due to the lack of funding on progress has been made on this site in the last few years. A new Committee needs to be formed in order to implement the vision for the property to include a picnic area, an access road and a plaque in order to drive this project forward.

 

  • Fort Gomo Kadzamu – Spirit of Place Statement
    Sit in a small stone fort located at the top of a gomo (hill in Shona) that is typical of the many fortifications in the eastern half of Zimbabwe. Part of the Nyanga Cultural Tradition these lowland forts were associated with the Shona Dynasties that postdate the Great Zimbabwe Culture. Be thrilled when you see ...
  • Fort Gomo Update (Site Visit on 26th April 2016)
    On the morning of 26th April 2016, after a good breakfast on the veranda at La Rochelle, Alistair White (a temporary employee of La Rochelle Country House) and I set out to find Fort Gomo, a National Trust of Zimbabwe site in the Penhalonga area of Zimbabwe (Eastern Highlands region). Before long, Alistair decided to show me ...

Comments are closed.