Post-Conference Tour to Great Zimbabwe, Masvingo and Serima Mission
Post-Conference Tour: Great Zimbabwe, Masvingo and Serima Mission
23–24 November 2026
This post-conference tour takes delegates south through the granite highlands of Masvingo to two sites that are central to Zimbabwe’s cultural, artistic, and spiritual heritage.
At Great Zimbabwe, delegates will explore the largest ancient stone structure in sub-Saharan Africa. Built between 1100 and 1450 AD and spanning nearly 800 hectares, the site encompasses the Hill Ruins, the Great Enclosure, and the Valley Ruins — each reflecting layered histories of power, ritual, trade, and everyday life. Constructed entirely without mortar, its monumental stone walls remain a remarkable feat of engineering. Once the centre of a vast trading network extending to China, India, and the Arabian Peninsula, and historically connected to Mapungubwe, Great Zimbabwe stands as both an architectural landmark and a powerful symbol of historical reclamation. Today, it remains a living sacred site and lends its name to the nation itself.
The visit to Great Zimbabwe resonates strongly with the conference theme, that proposes repair as a radical, plural, and ongoing practice grounded in relationality, care, and accountability.
Long misrepresented through colonial interpretations that denied its African origins, Great Zimbabwe today embodies the importance of restoring and re-centering African histories, knowledge systems, and narratives.
More than an archaeological landmark, Great Zimbabwe remains a living sacred site deeply connected to memory, spirituality, community, and landscape. Its inclusion in the program invites delegates to reflect on how heritage sites can challenge conventional museum frameworks and expand understandings of cultural stewardship, repair, and the relationship between people, histories, and place.
Great Zimbabwe National Monument (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
The trip will also include a visit to the Italian Chapel of St Francis of Assisi in Masvingo. Built in the early 1940s by Italian internees during the Second World War, the chapel is a moving testament to the region’s complex history. It commemorates the presence of German, Austrian, and Italian civilians who were offered refuge in the country during the war years.
The journey continues to Serima Mission, home to one of the continent’s most distinctive expressions of African sacred art. Under the guidance of Swiss missionary Father Hans Groeber, artists such as Nicholas Mukomberanwa, Cornelius Manguma, and Gabriel Hatugari developed a uniquely African visual language. Through carved wood, sculpted stone, and murals, Christian narratives were reimagined with striking originality and spiritual depth.
Together, these sites offer a compelling encounter with Zimbabwe’s history, spirituality, and artistic innovation.
The fee to attend the optional Post-Conference Tour is 540,00 € per participant.
Day 1 (Monday, 23 November) - Daily Schedule:
*Times and order of activities may be subject to change.
● 6:00 – Buses depart sharply from Harare Conference Hotels
● 7:30 – Midpoint technical stop in Mvuma (approximately 20 minutes) for leg stretching and snacks
● 8:50 – Serima Mission & St. Mary’s Church: Curation loop focusing on groundbreaking vernacular woodcarvings and biblical narrative paintings extending to the top of the bell tower heights
● 11:30 – Arrival in Masvingo & visit to the Italian Chapel: Exploration of the WWII murals, frescoes, and mausoleum wings
● 12:45 – Felix’s Studio: Authentic contemporary rural studio workspace experience and raw charcoal processing demonstration. Combined expo footprint with Anusa
● 13:45 – Hotel Check-In & Group Lunch (delivery of luggages to Great Zimbabwe Hotel and casual luncheon)
● 15:00 – Afternoon at Leisure (Delegate Optional Streams): Delegates navigate elective recreation corridors independently based on interest:
- Lake Mutirikwi Boat Cruise / Walk across the Concrete Dam Wall
- Exploration of historical Engineering Tunnels
- Game drive tracking protected White Rhinos at Kyle Recreational Park
- Souvenir curation and artisan acquisitions at the Masvingo Curio & Craft Market
● 18:30 – Return to the Hotel
● 19:30 – Official Gala Dinner: Networking around the magnificent dry-stone boma central bonfire infrastructure at the Lodge at the Ancient City
Day 2 (Tuesday, 24 November) - Daily Schedule:
*Times and order of activities may be subject to change.
● 07:30 – Breakfast & Check-Out
● 08:30 – Great Zimbabwe Monument Master Tour (3 hours): Plotting of the premium morning historical trek while conditions are perfectly cool. Climbing of the Hill Complex via the 350m Ancient / 460m Modern pathways. Full curatorial loop through the Great Enclosure, Shona Village, New Visitors Center, and Historical Museum (*hiking shoes required)
● 11:30 – Departure for Masvingo
● 13:00 – Transit rest stop in Mvuma for quick lunch
● 13:30 – Return journey to Harare
● 16:30 – Arrival in Harare (Central Conference Hotels). Free evening and dining
PRACTICAL INFORMATION: Participants are required to wear comfortable walking shoes throughout the programme and bring a lightweight raincoat.
For the Day 2 excursion, participants must wear high-traction, non-slip hiking footwear.