Zimbabwe Travel guide
Posted under Travel Guides on May 5, 2011 by webmaster | 743 views
On the map of the world there is one place which is pinned away into the south corner of the vast African continent. Dividing the two rivers, Zambezi and Limpopo, this piece of land is often seen lit up with various colors and flavors. This land which glitters between two massive river flows is none other than the exalted country of Zimbabwe. Pin pointing just a few attractions bestowed in this country, both natural and manmade, the glorious Victoria Falls, the unparalleled wild life, the distinct culture and cuisines and the avenues for adventure are some of the things which simply cannot be ignored. Born out of a proud and brave history, Zimbabwe holds a special place in the hearts of millions of tourists who are pulled into its marvelous attractions every year.
Geography
Being a landlocked country Zimbabwe is however only slightly smaller than California. The Zimbabwean land shares boundaries with four renowned countries which happen to be Botswana on the west, Zambia placed in the north, Mozambique cornering the east, and South Africa sitting in the south. Interestingly, the creator has blessed this country will all sorts of precious landscapes ranging from low allying grass lands, lofty mountains to heavenly waterfalls. Although today’s Zimbabwe cannot compete with the lush green thick forests and generations of wildlife which it had a few decades ago, it still stands out considerably as one of the world’s most Spectacular natural landmark.
Climate
Zimbabwe usually has a sub-tropical year-round climate with heavy showers for a certain part of the year: November – March. In summers the day time temperature may rise to 30° C in the mainland areas however, lower altitude areas might have a much higher temperature. The winters in Zimbabwe are pleasant with dry days and it extends from June to August. The best time to travel to Zimbabwean land is in winters with such adventurous activities as river rafting and hill climbing. The winter season is just near the corner and we are offering special discounted flights to Zimbabwe. Here is your chance to get enchanted with the best weather at one of the most exciting place in the world.
Harare, the Capital of Zimbabwe
Harare, one of the most famous tourist destinations of the world happens to be Zimbabwe’s capital city along with being the center of all its cultural, commercial and social activities. The city boasts a population of more than 2 million and is the largest city in Zimbabwe in terms of area. The city is home to some of Zimbabwe’s most renowned parks, malls and Tobacco auctions! The diverse and distinct Cultural attributes imbedded in Zimbabweans, shine at their best in no other place than Harare.
Major cities in Zimbabwe
Complementing the country’s importance, there are a number of other cities in Zimbabwe which hold an eminent position too. Bulawayo is undoubtedly one of them for its welcoming tourist features. Others include Marondera, Chitungwiza, Mutare, Gweru, Kadoma, Masvingo, Chinhoyi and Kwekwe. Most of these countries are easily accessible through air flights since they are webbed to the capital from one or the other route.
Getting in/ traveling to Zimbabwe
The entire country is well netted through more than 15 airports. The capital, Harare alone has two airport facilities which serve flights to/from the major parts of the world. Direct flights from the London Gatwick Airport connect to Harare providing a very comfortable journey. A lot other flights connect to Zimbabwe from different UK airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Aberdeen, New Castle, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Teesside, Humberside . Air Zimbabwe is the national carrier of Zimbabwe that provides links to many destinations including, Beijing, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, Lubumbashi, Lusaka and others.
Some major Airports in Zimbabwe includes the following:
- Charles Prince Airport
- Harare International Airport
- Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport
- Victoria falls Airport
Some Major Airlines that fly to Zimbabwe:
- British Airways
- Air Botswana
- Global Aviation
- Air Namibia
- Air Zimbabwe
- Air Malawi
Passport/ visa information
Generally, a visa is required to travel to Zimbabwe. However, if you’re planning a stay for less than six months, your visa formalities ease down considerably. A passport that is valid for at least 6 months from the date of your entry is a pre requisite in any case, though.
There are some countries whose citizens do NOT require a visa for entering Zimbabwe. Some of them are ntigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Beliza, Botswana, Caymen, Congo ( DRC) Cyprus) Fiji, Granada, Hong Kong, Hong Kong ( China) , Jamaica, Kenya, Karibati, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malawi, Maldives, Maila, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Samoa Western, Singapore and a few others.
Traveling in and around Zimbabwe
Local transportation standards in Zimbabwe are much better when compared to those of other African cites. Car hires are available but they may be a bit heavy on the pocket. However, they are the most suitable mode when traveling to east and south-east of the country. Moreover, recommend you to take a domestic flight to Victoria Falls instead of using the road links since the path leading to is an uncomfortable dirt road.
There are many domestic flights connecting different cities of Zimbabwe. Some of the major airlines providing domestic services include Air Zimbabwe, Kulula, 1 Time and mango.
Currently domestic flights within Zimbabwe operate to the following destinations: Harare, Bulawayo, Victoria falls and Kariba.
Places to see
Zimbabwe is a country full of both natural and manmade wonders. The country has a number of signature attractions which make it a heart winner for tourists traveling from all around the world. Site seeing, cultural festivals and events, historic museums, spine tingling activities or any other tourist attraction that you may wish for, this magnificent country of Africa as it all. Read along to have an intro to just some of the must-visit places and things to do that are recommended by many tourists who have already visited Zimbabwe:
- The thundering Victoria falls
- Matobo National Park
- Varden Safaris
- The dense Mukuvisi Woodlands
- Leopard Rock Golf, county club and Casino (Mutare)
- the Lion & Cheetah Park
- the Larvon Bird Gardens
- the Robert McIlwaine Recreational Park
- Great Zimbabwe National Monument
- Lake Kariba……And a countless more!
Things to do in Zimbabwe
With so many attractions in hand, at times it gets confusing where to go and where not to. Since time is one of the most precious commodities, take a look at the things to do in Zimbabwe that can best utilize your priceless time.
- Horseback riding Riding in Hwange
- Drive along the game viewing roads to experience the most thrilling views of jungle safaris
- Go Bungee jump your day at One of the world’s highest bungee jumping spot , located on the Victoria falls bridge.
- Challenge your Adrenalines by whitewater rafting through the Zambezi George.
- Hiking and trekking on the sky ripping Mountains and highlands of Zimbabwe is always an entertaining challenge.
- Sit back on a boat and enjoy the sophistication of freshwater fishing in Lake Kariba and Zambezi River.
- If you have highly sophisticated and posh hobbies such as golfing, Zimbabwe offers you more than 40 Golf clubs, most of them having 18-hole courses.
Shopping and delicious Cuisines in Zimbabwe
Do not underestimate Zimbabwe just because it is an African country. Zimbabwean land is a hidden treasure indeed. Along with all the customary tourist attractions Zimbabwe gives a hard competition to other travel destinations when it comes to shopping and dining.
The shopping options are as widely ranged as is the site seeing and other tourist attractions offered by Zimbabwe. The shops here offer clothing items which can be was English as England and as African as the local culture of Harare. From cloths, Sculpture, aircrafts, handicrafts to accessories made of precious animal skin are all part of Zimbabwe’s shopping utilities. CAUTION: do not be misled by the compact size of most of the shopping malls in Zimbabwe; they have stunning surprises for you inside! Grab a peek at some of the most famous shopping centers in Zimbabwe:
- Wooden Art open Market: Zimbabwe Masks
- Zimbabalooba- a place for crazy cloths’ shopping!
- Half way house- for American shopping
- Borrowdale Mini Mall
There are certain dataries that are peculiar to the Zimbabwean culture. Papaya is one crop that is extensively used by the people of this land especially in summer and Autumn months. The locals also have a fine taste in various meats but usually consume them in a dried form. For their snakes, the natives prefer having kapenta, a tiny dried Fish along with another snake-time favorite, biltong which is sun-dried and cut into strips for a delicious cuisine.
Some of the popular food and dink items of the Zimbabweans include:
- Sadza
- Roasted butternut Squash
- Mopopo ( Papaya) candy
- Peanut butter stew ( Dovi)
- Zimbabwe greens (for special religious and holiday celebrations )
- Rock shandy (drink)
Festivals in Zimbabwe
Every year Zimbabwe hosts a number of events and festivals. These include musicals events, arts festivals, coking competitions, fishing celebrations and other cultural events. Along with these, the country participates in the international events and festivals such as Easter and Christmas with great Zeal and zest. Have a look at the major annual events in Zimbabwe:
- Bulawayo musical festival
- Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo (Arts, drama, theater)
- Buddyz Festival of the Arts "BAFA" ( Drama)
- Harare international festival of arts ( HIFA) ( A blend of drama, cultural music and dance)
Travel Advice for Zimbabwe
What to pack?
Generally speaking, you’ll do good with casual comfortable clothing. However, you may need some stuff for your safari trips. The following would be a good pack for a safari tour:
- To protect yourself from the scorching sun and the mosquitoes, do keep long sleeved Blouses even in summers
- Sun block, sun glasses
- Jeans ( for cooler nights)
- Insect repellents
- Binoculars and a camera are a MUST! To capture all the memorable moments
- Swim suites for a dive or two.
Cash or Credit cards?
Mastercard, Visa, dinars and Amex are NO more accepted in Zimbabwe. So we recommend that you either bring along US $ bills. Cash is generally the most convenient and easily accepted mode of transaction here in Zimbabwe. Moreover, avoid bringing Traveler Cheques as the banks here wouldn’t exchange them.
