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Area: 390 000km²
Capital: Harare
Time: GMT +2 hours
Location: Zimbabwe is situated in Southern
Africa with Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique and
Zambia as neighbours
People: The majority of Zimbabweans are Shona
people (about 71%) followed by Ndebeles
Language: The official language is English
Economy: Majority of people work in the
service industry (40%) and second biggest sector is
agriculture - Zim's biggest export is tobacco,
followed by gold
Geography
The country is landlocked and lies across a plateau,
with the Eastern Highlands mountainous region in the
east. The landscape is mostly bushveld with rocky
outcrops. In the south, the region is dominated by
savanna. The world-famous Victoria Falls are
situated in the far western tip of the country,
right on the border with Zambia.
How to get to Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Parks lie on the
southern bank of the Zambezi River. Visitors can
travel by car, driving 440 kilometres northwest from
Bulawayo or through Kazungula Border Post with
Botswana 90 kilometres to the west. The Victoria
Falls Border Post is within metres of the Falls for
access by road from Zambia. The road from Bulawayo
to the Falls is completely tarred and the roads
around thee Falls can easily be negotiated by all
types of vehicles. Victoria Falls boasts an
international airport with services from Harare and
many regional and international destinations.
Money Matters
Visa
It is recommended that you check with your travel
agent or nearest Zimbabwean Consulate for the latest
visa information.
Nationals of the following countries will be issued
a visa on payment at port of entry:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados,
Botswana Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Cook
Islands, Denmark, Dominica, Dominica Republic,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal,
Seychelles, South Africa, Spain, State of Palestine,
Switzerland, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, USA,
Zambia
Visas cost around US$30 for a single entry visa
(valid for six months) and US$45 for a double entry
visa (valid for three months). Requirements for
obtaining a visa are a valid passport and one
application form.
Currency
The currency is the Zimbabwean Dollar (Z$). Due to
economic turmoil in the country, inflation is quite
high and the low exchange rate usually means that it
is quite cheap for foreigners to visit Zimbabwe.
Banks
Open Monday to Saturday (but closed on Wednesday and
Saturday afternoons.) Traveller's cheques can easily
be exchanged for Zim dollars at any bank. Major
international currencies are also accepted. Major
credit cards are accepted at tourist destinations.
There is a 15% tax on hotel rooms, safaris and other
tourist services. Zimbabwe's other consumer taxes
are usually included in the price. Tips of around
10% are expected by taxi drivers and in
tourist-class hotels and restaurants. Some
establishments automatically add a 10% service
charge to the bill, which replaces the gratuity.
Safety
Zimbabwe has been getting plenty of bad press
lately, due to the unstable political environment
and economic turmoil. However, tourist destinations
like Victoria Falls, Lake Kariba and Hwange National
Park have been declared trouble-free by tourists as
well as operators in the area. Self-drive holidays
are not recommended and your best option would be to
book your trip through a reputable agent and then
fly in directly to the destination of your choice.
Take note: As with all major cities, be alert at all
times if you are out and about, don't walk around
alone, keep your valuables hidden and take care
which establishments you frequent.
Medical Information
Malaria: Travellers coming to Zimbabwe should
get medical insurance. Other medical requirements
include getting malaria prophylactics as this is a
malaria area. Anti-malaria tablets can be bought at
your local pharmacy and you should start taking them
at least 24 hours before entering the country. Tell
your pharmacists which areas you intend visiting.
You will have to take the pills for six weeks after
leaving the country.
Precautionary measures: Take plenty of
mosquito-repelling lotion/spray/stick, sleep under a
bed net or in a room with mosquito proofing, wearing
long-sleeved clothing and socks when outside at
night (when the mozzies are most active.)
Vaccinations: Any person entering Zimbabwe
from or over a yellow fever or cholera infected area
must be vaccinated against these diseases and have a
valid International Certificate of Vaccination. Dams
and rivers may have bilharzia, but canoeing and
rafting should not be a problem, just towel off as
soon as possible. Tap water is safe to drink and
only in extremely remote areas will you have to boil
it or purify it. Also get tetanus immunisation.
Best time to travel
It is best to visit Zimbabwe during the cooler
winter months - May to October. Most of the rain
falls in the hot summer - roughly speaking from
November to April. In winter, temperatures can drop
to below freezing, but the days are great for game
viewing.
River rafting: For watersport enthusiasts, it is
best to go between August and December, when water
levels are low on the mighty Zambezi.
Travel Tips:
The main border posts are open daily and are:
Victoria Falls/Kazungala crossing between Zimbabwe
and Botswana
Victoria Falls/Livingstone crossing to Zambia
Road and rail links to South Africa via Beitbridge
To Mozambique (and Malawi), the route is from Harare
to Blantyre via the Nyamapanda and Mwanza border
crossings
Transport: Zimbabwe has a good railway and bus
system - and it is possible to use those when
travelling especially between Harare, Bulawayo,
Victoria Falls and Mutare. Most trains run at night
and are fairly cheap. There are two kinds of buses:
local and express - both will get you there. Car
rental is difficult and expensive and due to the
semi-dodgy roads, not a recommended way to travel.
Climate
Summer: Is from around October to April, during
which it gets quite hot - to around 30°C, while
night temperatures drop to around 14°C.
Thunderstorms may occur in the late afternoon. The
rainy season is from November to March, although the
Eastern Highlands may get rain year round.
Winter: Is roughly from May to September/October.
The days are generally dry and sunny - around 20°C,
with the temperature falling at night. At night, it
can get as cold as 5ºC.
What to bring along
Bring casual, comfortable clothing and preferably
light, long-sleeved blouses and lightweight trousers
for protection against the sun and insects.
Don't forget: Sun block, sun glasses, good
walking shoes A light and compact raincoat, Swim
suit, Torch an elegant outfit for cocktails. If
travelling with an organised safari, confirm if
there is a weight limit, in which case you may have
to restrict your luggage to 10-12kg.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
RE: TAKING FOREIGN CURRENCY TO ZIMBABWE
It is advisable to carry low denomination US Dollar
notes with a value of less than USD50.00 e.g. USD20.
USD10, USD5, USD1. Restaurants etc. generally no
longer accept payment in Travellers Cheques. This
means that Travellers Cheques can only be exchanged
at a bank and then you will only receive the
official exchange rate which will make everything
expensive. It is therefore financially beneficial to
you not to exchange money into Zim Dollars but
rather pay for everything with your low denomination
US Dollars.
If, for security reasons you wish to take Travellers
Cheques then you will have to take the paperwork
which you are given when you purchase the Travellers
Cheques here in South Africa. If you do not take the
paperwork then the banks will not cash your
Travellers Cheques.
MasterCard’s, Diners and Amex
credit cards are no longer accepted in Zimbabwe. The
only credit card that is sometimes still taken is
Visa. However, please be aware that if you pay by
visa credit card the bank will charge you the
official rate of exchange which is not a favourable
rate and will make everything very expensive.
NB:It is best to book and pay for as much as
possible before your departure e.g. tours, hotels,
meals, etc. |
