Tsindi Ruins

Tsindi, once called Lekkerwater, stands on a granite hill west of Rusape: a settlement of drystone walling built into and around the boulders of the summit, with enclosures, passages and platforms, occupied roughly between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. It belongs to the same building tradition as Great Zimbabwe and Khami but on a much smaller scale, and it is one of the better preserved of the many such sites across the country.

What you actually see

• The drystone walling - enclosures and passages built without mortar among the boulders.
• The hilltop position - a settlement built into the granite summit.
• The building tradition - the same stonework tradition as Great Zimbabwe.
• The platforms - the levelled areas the houses stood on.

When to go

April to October is the dry season and best for the walk up. Grass hides the walls after the rains. Mornings are coolest.

Honest expectations

The site is small and unstaffed much of the time. There is no interpretation on the ground. The track in is rough and the climb is over loose rock.

Nearby

Rusape is east, and Harare is west.