Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Land of Ancient Kingdoms and Cultural Richness

Home to Victoria Falls, excellent wildlife, ancient ruins, and a country of remarkable resilience and warmth.

Zimbabwe sits in southern Africa, landlocked and bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Mozambique to the east, South Africa to the south, and Botswana to the southwest.

It was once known as Rhodesia under British colonial rule and achieved independence in 1980 after a long liberation struggle. The country has had a turbulent economic history since then, but its natural attractions and the warmth of its people have remained constants that continue to draw travelers.

Zimbabwe has some of the most spectacular natural and historical attractions in all of Africa. Victoria Falls, shared with Zambia, is the largest waterfall in the world by the combination of width and height.

Hwange National Park has one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. The ruins of Great Zimbabwe are the most significant pre-colonial stone structures in sub-Saharan Africa. And the Eastern Highlands offer beautiful mountain scenery very different from the country’s better-known landscapes.

Why Visit Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls is the single most compelling reason most people visit Zimbabwe. Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, “the Smoke that Thunders,” the falls are 1.7 kilometers wide and drop 108 meters into the Zambezi Gorge. The spray creates a permanent rainbow and a zone of perpetual mist that supports a unique rainforest ecosystem directly adjacent to the falls.

During peak flood in April and May, the spray is so heavy that you cannot see the falls from most viewpoints. At lower water levels between September and December, the full width and drama of the cascade is fully visible.

The town of Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side has a well-developed adventure tourism infrastructure, offering bungee jumping off the bridge over the gorge, white-water rafting on the Zambezi, helicopter flights over the falls, and sunset river cruises. It is one of the more concentrated adventure tourism experiences in Africa.

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest protected area, is a three to four hour drive from Victoria Falls. The park has no permanent rivers, but the artificial waterholes maintained by conservation authorities have created extraordinary concentrations of wildlife, particularly elephants. During the dry season, it is not unusual to see hundreds of elephants at a single waterhole.

Great Zimbabwe, in the south of the country, is the most significant historical site in sub-Saharan Africa. The stone enclosures, built without mortar and without metal tools by the ancestors of the Shona people between the 11th and 15th centuries, are extraordinary engineering achievements.

At its peak, Great Zimbabwe was the capital of a major regional empire controlling the gold trade between the interior of Africa and the Swahili coast. The site gives its name to the country and is central to Zimbabwean national identity.

The Eastern Highlands, the mountainous region along the Mozambique border, are a world apart from the rest of Zimbabwe. Nyanga and the Vumba Mountains offer cool temperatures, waterfalls, tea plantations, and trout fishing. It is one of the most pleasant and undervisited parts of the country.

Zimbabwean People and Culture

Zimbabwe has a reputation for having some of the warmest and most welcoming people in Africa, a quality that travelers consistently note. Despite economic difficulties, hospitality and dignity run deep in the culture. The country has a high literacy rate and English is widely spoken, which makes communication easy.

Zimbabwean cuisine centers on sadza, a thick maize porridge that forms the base of most meals. It is served with relish, stew, or vegetables. Nyama (meat, often grilled) is popular, as is muriwo (leafy greens). The country has a strong Ndebele and Shona cultural tradition in music, dance, and stone sculpture.

Travel Tips for Zimbabwe

Most nationalities can purchase a visa on arrival or obtain a KAZA UniVisa that covers both Zimbabwe and Zambia. The US dollar is the most widely used foreign currency.

English is the official language. The best time to visit for wildlife is September to October. The best time for Victoria Falls at full flow is April to May. Malaria prevention is recommended for low-elevation areas.