Zimbabwe Flag
Why visit Zimbabwe?
Ideal for the adventurous experienced traveler seeking to enjoy culture, game parks, hiking expeditions, hunting, ruins (ancient and medieval), scenery, and wildlife.
At a Glance
- Souvenirs to Buy: Baskets, batiks, beads, bronze, ceramics, copper wall plaques, crocheted clothes, dolls, jewelry, minerals, safari clothing, soapstone goods, spears, stone sculptures, tablecloths, thumb pianos, wood carvings, wooden spoons, and woven hats.
- Local Cuisine to Try: Boerewors (sausage). Kapenta (fish dish). Mabhonzo Emombe (stew). Muboora (soup). Muriwo na Nyama (stew). Muriwo Unedovi (cabbage dish). Nyama (meat dish). Sadza (corn porridge).
- Local Drink to Try: Count Pushkin (vodka). Mazoe Orange (fruity). Mukuyu (wine). Nikolai (vodka). Whawha (maize beer). Zambezi (lager).
Fun Facts
- Great Zimbabwe is thought to have been the capital of the great kingdom during the Late Iron Age (1200 BC).
- Home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.
- Mopani worms are eaten as a form of protein.
- Has 16 official languages.
- Formerly known as Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, and Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
- Highest point is Mount Nyangani (8,504 feet).
- Largest trading partner of South Africa.
- Hwange National Park is their largest natural reserve.
- Has won 8 Olympic medals.
Harare, Zimbabwe. Photo Credit: toubibe/Pixabay
Special Holidays/Occasions
- Annual Events: (April) Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA), Harare Jazz Festival, International Trade Fair, (May) Bulawayo Music Festival, (June) Annual Golf Tournament, (July) Zimbabwe International Book Fair, (August) Chibuku Neshamwari Dance Festival, Chimanimani Arts Festival, Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF), (September) Intwasa Arts Festival, Midlands Arts & Culture Festival, Shoko Festival, (November) Harare International Food Festival, and Jikinya Traditional Dance Festival.
- Holidays: New Years Day: Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter, Easter Monday, Independence Day of Zimbabwe, Workers' Day, Africa Day, Heroes' Day, Zimbabwe Defence Forces Day, National Unity Day of Zimbabwe, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
Good to Know
- A great stop combined with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia.
- Considered a developing country.
- Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (Victoria Falls) offers a Certificate after visitors eat Mopani worms.
- Antelope, crocodile, and warthogs are meats consumed.
- Dinner service is usually between 7 - 10PM or later.
- Photography of banks, bridges, dams, government buildings, and post offices is not permitted.
- Overnight rail service operates between Bulawayo - Victoria Falls, Harare - Bulawayo, and Harare - Mutare.
- Driving is on the left side.
- Rainy Season is October - March.
- Homosexuality is illegal; subject to a $5,000USD fine and/or 1 year in prison.
- English is not spoken in rural areas.
- Native women lack freedom and rights compared to men.
- Arrival via South Africa requires at least 6 blank passport booklet pages.
- Take sufficient cash for the duration of your trip.
- Few places accept international credit cards, so prepay expenses prior to arrival.
- Avoid display of large sums of money or valuables.
- Thieves are known to break car windows while you're stopped at intersections and take things within arms reach.
- Avoid evening explorations.
- Tourism industry is unevenly regulated and inspections do not commonly occur.
- Possession, trafficking, or use of illegal drugs is severe; 3 - 7 years in prison and a hefty fine.
- Staying beyond your VISA is over $1,000USD fine and possibility of prison.
- Car seats are not mandatory.
- Hunters are required to be accompanied by a licensed operator.
- Medical care and treatment does not meet our Western standards.
- Prevalent Diseases: African Tick-Bite Fever, African Trypanosomiasis, Chikungunya, Cholera, Crimean - Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), Dengue, Hantavirus, Hepatitis A & B, Leptospirosis, Malaria, Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever, Measles, Rabies, Rift River Valley, Schistosomiasis, Tuberculosis (TB), Typhoid, and Yellow Fever.
- Air quality varies by season.
- Avoid tap water consumption.
- Offers no national network of roadside emergency service.
- Use of cell phones while driving is illegal.
- Seatbelts are mandatory.
- A valid passport with six months of validity upon return and two blank pages for entry stamp.
- Tourist VISA required.
- Yellow Fever Vaccination required .
- Currency Restrictions for Exit: $2,000USD.
Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe. Photo Credit: Albrecht Fietz/Pixabay
- Best Time to Visit: July - September
- Coolest Months: May - September
- Hottest Months: November - February
- Peak Season: May - September
Your Must-See & Do
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Great Zimbabwe, Khami Ruins, Mana Pools National Park, Matobo National Park, and Victoria Falls.
Maleme Dam, Zimbabwe. Photo Credit: Gavin Kadey/Pixabay
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All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Subject to change without notice.
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