Zimbabwe’s greatest attraction is undoubtedly the majestic Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. But the country also has other natural and historical advantages to captivate travelers and invite them to return. Wildlife, fish, and birds abound, including a number of unique, rare, and endangered species that make animal watching, bird watching, fishing, and hunting popular pursuits.
Home to four World Heritage sites, Zimbabwe has a rich history of ancient civilizations that makes its friendly people proud, despite hardships. From the refreshing spray of the falls on your face, to a sunset on Lake Kariba, a lush mountain getaway, or a rafting adventure on the Zambezi River, Zimbabwe is sure to leave memories as indelible as those of Livingstone and Rhodes. when they witnessed the rich of the country.
CAPITAL: Harare
CLIMATE: Subtropical. The best time to visit is from April to October, when the weather is mild with little rain. Winter (May-August) is dry and sunny. The rainy weather is from November to March / April.
CURRENCY: 1 Zimbabwe dollar = 100 cents. You can get 15,000 Zimbabwean dollars out of the country. There are no restrictions on the entry of foreign currency. If you do not declare the foreign money coming in, you will only be able to withdraw 500 US dollars. You may be required to account for currency exchanged / spent in the country. Hotel bills must be paid with credit cards or in foreign currencies such as the US dollar.
Credit card users are subject to a surcharge of approximately 3 percent on the total value of the goods purchased. Traveler’s checks in US dollars are recommended. Avoid street money changers who promise “no commission, better rates” but then cheat on delivery. There are strict penalties for illegal currency trading. Several of the city’s large stores do not accept American Express cards; Traveler’s checks are the most convenient means of payment.
HEALTH: Vaccination against yellow fever is essential if arriving from an infected country or area. Visitors are also advised to take precautions before arrival against hepatitis A, polio, typhoid fever, and malaria (depending on the area visited, especially those outside of cities). Other health problems include bilharzia (do not swim in rivers / dams or drink the water from them as you may be infected), sunburn, limited medical facilities and supplies outside of cities, AIDS and influenza (the risk extends during all year).
LANGUAGE: English is the official language. Chishona and Sindebele speak to each other widely.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
January 1 New Years Day
April 12 Easter Monday
April 18 Independence Day
May 1 workers day
May 25 Africa Day
August 11 Heroes Day
August 12 Defense Forces Day
December 22 Unity Day
December 25-26 Christmas
SHOPPING: Shona soft stone carvings; Wood carvings; Tshirts; safari clothing; ceramics; Leather articles; basketry; sculptures; textiles. Nail polish and old clothes can sometimes be changed by sizes.
SOCIAL CONVENTIONS: Christianity is the main religion, but in rural areas people have traditional beliefs. Western / European courtesies are noted. Return invitations are appreciated. The handshake is the common way of greeting. Dress is informal, but most hotels require more formal clothing, eg a tie and jacket; business meetings require suits.
TIME DIFFERENCE: GMT + 2
TIPS: Ten percent is common.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN TEN ATTRACTIONS:
Victoria Falls:
Called by the locals “Mosi-oa-Tunya”, the smoke that thunders, the Victoria Falls are a World Heritage Site and undoubtedly the most majestic waterfall in the world; Popular activities include rainforest hiking, rafting, bungi jumping, flights over the falls, river cruises, and much more.
Lake Kariba The unique landscape of dead trees rising from the depths of this huge man-made lake is especially beautiful at sunset; A popular way to enjoy the lake is on a houseboat with friends watching the large number of crocodiles and hippos, going to see wild animals in Matusadona National Park, or fishing for tiger – the largest tiger fish ever caught here and weighed 15 , 5 kg.
Harare:
The capital city offers sightseeing tours at the National Gallery; National Archives; Queen Victoria Museum; Reina Victoria National Library; National Botanical Garden; Mbare Market; Chapungu town; tobacco auction floors; Mukuvisi Forests; Museum of Human Sciences; Harare Gardens; Cecil House; National Center of Crafts; Africa Unity Square and The Residency.
Ruins of Kame:
22 km west of Bulawayo are the ruins of Kame, one of the magnificent late Iron Age ruins of southern Africa, now a World Heritage Site showing that the area was the seat of government for earlier civilizations.
Great National Monument of Zimbabwe:
The ruins of an ancient African city, believed to have flourished between the 13th and 15th centuries AD, is the only one that exists south of the Sahara and is a World Heritage Site; the country has taken its name and the famous Zimbabwean birds found on the site have become the national bird and have been incorporated into the flag; visit the on-site museum, Kyle’s Recreation Park, and view nearby wild animals by car or horseback.
Hwange National Park:
The largest national park in the country, both in size and in variety of game animals and birds; also one of the few remaining elephant sanctuaries in Africa, with herds of up to 100 people seen; the only area in the country where gemsbok and brown hyena are found in reasonable numbers and where the wild dog population is believed to be the largest surviving in Africa today.
Mana Pools National Park:
Mana Pools, which is part of the Middle Zambezi Valley, is home to some of the highest concentrations of large mammals to be seen in Zimbabwe; It is also famous for its varied and colorful bird fauna and forms one of the last remaining strongholds of the black rhinoceros; animal watching, hunting, and canoe safaris are popular.
Bulawayo and Matobo:
The second largest city in Zimbabwe located on the site of the royal kraal of Lobengula, the last of the Ndebele kings; see the Natural History Museum, the Railway Museum, the Mzilikazi arts and crafts center, the Centenary park, the central parks and the National Gallery of Art; 30 km from the city is the Matobo National Park, a unique area of about 2000 square kilometers of gigantic rock formations sculpted by the wind. The burial site of Cecil John Rhodes and thousands of ancient rock paintings can also be found here.
Eastern highlands:
A lush natural environment characterizes this region with mountains, grassy plains, streams, waterfalls, mountain flowers, rare birds, etc. contribute to panoramic views of exquisite beauty that appeal to nature lovers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts; visit Nyanga National Park, Mutare, Mutarazi Falls, Bunga Botanical Reserve, Bvumba Botanical Gardens and Chimanimani National Park Wilderness.
Gona-re-Zhou Park:
This park borders the Kruger National Park in South Africa and is home to some of the rarest birds and animals in Africa. The bat-eared fox, the suni, the Liechtenstein hartebeest antelope, the nyala, and the roan antelope are found throughout this park’s famous African elephants, unlike any other in the world.