St Albert's Mission - Paragliding sites in Zimbabwe

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World > Africa >

Zimbabwe > Zambezi Valley > St Albert's Mission

St Albert's Mission

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Last update : Jan 29th 2011

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GPS coordinates :	take off : 16°26'44" (16.4458)S; 31°18'33" (31.3094)E - Elevation : 1264 m.
Take off :	Flatish on top to quite steep and the thermals really rip up the front in summer so take care. Winching is possible on the road that runs east along the base of the escarpment.
Landing :	Plenty of landings - the Zambezi Valley is vast! OK to top land too.
Going there :	Follow the road to Centenary and Muzarabani. Drive 30km past Centenary and take the St Albert's mission turning to the right before you go down the escarpment. Drive past the St Albert's mission hospital and turn left at S160 28' 09.8' E31018'43.3'. Follow the track down to the saddle and up to the promentary. 4WD is necessary for the last 200m though you can leave your vehicle if you like. The track might be passable to low clearance vehicles but they are NOT recommended. To get to the base of the take-off you will need to go all the way back to the tar road that goes to Muzarabani, turn right at the T junction in the bottom of the valley and follow the escarpment east. It's a long drive over not marvelous road so have a good flight and keep your retrieve driver happy!
Comments :	This site can be flown throughout the year and is essentially escarpment and flatland flying due to the open nature of the topography. The Zambezi Valley is renowned for its heat so summer flying here can be quite draining especially if you end up with a walk. Take LOTS OF WATER! Best flying is in the winter months which is also out of season for the mosquitoes and malaria, The site faces East and easterlies are the most common. In general the escarpment works best but the flatland can work too especially in the region of the Muvhuradhona mountains some 20km to the west. The site works best late morning and well into the afternoon. Good climbs are not uncommon as late as 16h00 in the winter. It also works well in summer but thermals can be rough. Watch out for dust devils close to the ground. NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE! There is a hospital of sorts at St Albert's Mission proper but it is pretty basic. This site only really lends itself to flying west along the escarpment though if you have a northerly drift it could be possible to head back to Centenary. It is usually quite reliable but once you get to Muzarabani (30km west) where the tar road comes out of the escarpment the Muvhuradhona mountains peter out and you have to make a decision to follow the escarpment back south or do a bit of flatland flying over the irrigated fields and then join up with the much lower mountains to the west on the other side of the river. Keep going until you reach Mahuwe and the Bakasa site another 30km west. You can keep going west until you reach the Hunyani river another 30km west. The gravel road heads north here so if you feel like a LONG walk stay on the escarpment. Alternatively try and head a bit north and follow the main gravel road that goes through Mushumbi Pools and on to the Zambezi river a long way to the west. It may be best to do this in the region of Mahuwe where the main gravel road heads north-west (and where the tar road exits the escarpment) if there is not too much westerly drift in the thermals. The site record is 102km.
Weather hazards :	Just the obvious ones. Check for smoke in the valley floor to ensure that you are experiencing the true wind on take off.
Flight regulation :	None.
People to contact :	Andy Roberts. goneXC@gmail.com +263772704757
Parking :
Website :	not available
Tourism :	Mavhuradhona Wilderness Area. Current status unknown.