The Schanmak Village experience is also closely connected to the surrounding community.
By Dickson Bandera
Beyond the familiar attractions of Zimbabwe’s major tourism centres, new destinations are emerging and creating fresh reasons to travel, gather and experience the country differently.
In the scenic surroundings of Mashayamombe Village in Domboshava, Mashonaland East, Schanmak Village is developing one such destination — bringing together leisure, events, recreation, culture, entertainment and community-based initiatives.
Situated approximately 25 kilometres from Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, Schanmak Village is conveniently accessible to visitors from the capital while offering an experience designed to attract families, schools, organisations, event organisers and travellers from across the country.
Its growing proposition was showcased at the recently held Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe World Tourism Expo in Masvingo, where the village joined tourism destinations and operators from around Zimbabwe in presenting experiences capable of attracting visitors beyond their immediate localities.
Representing Schanmak Village at the expo was Head of Operations Ndabezinhle Ncube, who engaged visitors and industry stakeholders on the destination’s growing range of offerings.
A destination built around experiences
Schanmak Village is designed around the idea that tourism is not only about seeing a place but also about what visitors can do, experience and remember. The destination provides space for weddings, celebrations, parties, corporate gatherings, school programmes and community events, complemented by leisure and outdoor activities.
Its swimming pool provides an additional recreational attraction, while the surrounding environment creates space for groups and families to spend time together away from the pressures of everyday life.
Whether travelling for a special occasion, a school programme, a corporate gathering or simply looking for a different leisure experience, visitors can find multiple reasons to make Domboshava part of their itinerary.
A place where young voices are heard
Music has become an important part of the Schanmak Village story. Through the Schanmak Village Annual Choral Cup Clash, schools are brought together in a celebration of music, performance and youthful creativity.
The inaugural competition was held in 2025 and formed part of the village’s community-oriented approach to creating platforms for young people and supporting emerging talent.
The initiative gives schoolchildren an opportunity to perform, compete and develop their confidence while bringing families, schools and communities together.
It also demonstrates how entertainment can become part of a tourism experience, with events creating reasons for people to travel to a destination.
Schools Outing
Schanmak Village also opens its doors to schools and youth groups for programmes centred on leadership, teamwork, orientation, prefects’ training and educational excursions.
Such programmes allow young people to learn in a different environment while combining structured activities with recreation.
For schools travelling from other parts of Zimbabwe, this creates the possibility of turning an educational programme into a broader travel experience — with students discovering a different part of Mashonaland East while participating in activities designed to encourage teamwork and leadership.
Connecting visitors with community
The Schanmak Village experience is also closely connected to the surrounding community.
Its model reflects an increasingly important dimension of Zimbabwean tourism: destinations do not have to rely solely on natural attractions or large-scale infrastructure to draw visitors.
People, culture, food, music, sport, recreation, events and community initiatives can all become part of the tourism experience.
By creating a space where these elements intersect, Schanmak Village is contributing to the development of a more diverse tourism product in Domboshava.
An invitation to Zimbabwe
While its proximity to Harare makes Schanmak Village readily accessible to residents of the capital, its ambitions extend much further.
The destination has the potential to attract visitors from Mashonaland East and other provinces, schools and organisations from across Zimbabwe, families looking for a leisure destination, and travellers seeking new experiences beyond the country’s established tourism routes.
For visitors travelling from outside Harare, a trip to Schanmak Village can also form part of a wider Domboshava and Mashonaland East itinerary.
This is the kind of domestic tourism that adds depth to Zimbabwe’s tourism map — encouraging people to discover destinations within their own country and creating opportunities for local businesses and communities along the tourism value chain.
Where tourism meets the creative industries
Schanmak Village’s story also illustrates the growing relationship between tourism and Zimbabwe’s creative industries.
A choral competition can bring schools and families together. A music event can attract audiences. A wedding can bring guests from different provinces. A corporate programme can bring visitors into the area.
Each occasion creates demand for transport, accommodation, food, entertainment, photography, event services and other businesses.
In this way, the destination’s events calendar can become part of a wider tourism ecosystem.
Creating “events beyond expectations”
Schanmak Village describes its approach as creating “events beyond expectations” — a philosophy that captures its ambition to become more than a conventional venue.
It is positioning itself as a place where visitors can celebrate, swim, learn, compete, sing, relax, connect and create memories.
Its participation at Sanganai/Hlanganani has given that vision a national tourism platform, introducing the Domboshava destination to a wider audience at Zimbabwe’s premier tourism showcase.
As Zimbabwe continues to diversify its tourism products, Schanmak Village represents an emerging model in which leisure, events, culture, community development and youth talent become part of one destination experience.
And for travellers from across Zimbabwe looking for somewhere new to visit, gather or simply spend time, Domboshava offers an invitation worth considering: come for the experience, stay for the memories.
