Office have no restrictions in their travel advice. As with all countries, caution is required. The formation of a cross-party inclusive government in
February 2009 led to a reduction in the level of political violence and human rights abuses and since that time Zimbabwe has generally experienced a relatively stable period with reasonable economic growth. Many tourist facilities remained open during the troubled times and are now beginning to reap the rewards of their optimism and as the numbers of tourists steadily increase each year. There has been talk for some time about the resumption of international flights direct to
Zimbabwe and a number of airlines have been reviewing their position. Emirates were the first major airline to take the plunge in early 2012 and KLM followed suit last November. Both airlines offer three flights a week. The fullness of the flights is testimony to the demand and it would seem that with continued stability, other airlines will no doubt follow suit in a bid to capture their share of a growing and potentially very lucrative route. And so onto Zimbabwe’s tourist offerings. What can the traveler expect? Well there are many things for the visitor to see and do and of course Zimbabwe caters for all budgets and levels of comfort. Facilities include numerous designated camping areas, ‘over-lander’ facilities, B&Bs, and mid-range to up market hotels, safari camps and resorts. Zimbabwe is best known for the mighty
Victoria Falls and Hwange Game Reserve, however it has so much more to offer. The Great Zimbabwe Ruins (Masvingo) and Khami Ruins (Bulawayo) are two of the world’s most unique and well preserved ancient cities, whilst Kariba Dam, extending over two hundred and twenty kilometers in length was a unique engineering feat of its time and remains a formidable sight. It became a very popular tourist destination because of its range of tourist facilities including houseboats, game viewing and fishing, however in recent years, with Air Zimbabwe’s troubles, Kariba has became somewhat isolated. It remains very popular with anglers and still attracts numerous international and local competitors for the annual Tiger fishing tournament held in October of each year.
In stark contrast to the raw might of the Falls and vast open expanses of Kariba, is the extensive Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe which embraces Juliasdale, Nyanga, Melsetter, Chimanimani and the Vumba. The area boasts numerous magnificent mountainous granite formations and wonderful forests and again there is a variety of accommodation. The area is distinctly cooler than the rest of the country and offers a very different range of activities. Only two to three hours from Harare, the area is a popular destination for walkers, birders, trout fishermen and golfers. The golf course at Leopard Rock in the Vumba area, boasts, what can only be described as one of the most unique and picturesque golf courses anywhere in Africa. The views throughout the Eastern Highlands are magnificent.
Visitors to the Eastern part of the country in June to August will be exposed to a kaleidoscope of colour as the leaves of the indigenous Msasa trees transform and develop through a variety of reds, yellows, maroons, golds, browns, oranges, and greens over a few weeks. A wonderful sight to behold and photograph. Zimbabwe is acknowledged as having some of the best game viewing in Africa.
Due to the foresight of those in authority in the early part of the last century, large tracks of land throughout the country were set aside as National Parks and Game Reserves. There are twelve significant Parks spread throughout the country with the most well known being Hwange in the North-West and Gona-reZhou in the South East, but all have very different landscapes and something different to offer.
Photographic safaris have become increasingly popular over the years and Zimbabwe also boasts an amazing variety of birdlife. The Matopas area, for example, 45 kilometers south-east of Bulawayo, has a very large number of bird species and there the visitor may be lucky enough to see the rare Black Eagle. In the Matobo Hills, in the Matopas area, there are also numerous ancient San Bushmen rock paintings and local operators will organise tours with experienced and knowledgeable guides. Zimbabwe is reputed to have one of the highest densities of ancient rock art in the world. A popular destination in the area is ‘Worlds View’ where Cecil John Rhodes is buried. The area is characterised by it’s granite rock formations.
Given its exclusion as a tourist destination for many years, visitors to Zimbabwe will be very pleasantly surprised at the diversity and quality of the facilities. The Zimbabwean people are inherently friendly and welcoming and the relatively close proximity and accessibility to most areas makes for a truly memorable experience. So how do tourists get around? Air Zimbabwe has had an erratic history and for many years has been in serious financial straits.
In 2012 it ceased flying but nowadays still operates irregular and infrequent domestic flights. Luxury, privately operated coaches do travel between all the main centres and are reasonably priced. Many travelers opt to avail themselves of the services of tour companies, whilst others do self-drive with many people traveling across the border from South Africa. Car hire in Zimbabwe can be relatively expensive especially with insurance added on.
One of the features of the holiday destinations in Zimbabwe is that they haven’t been over developed and over commercialised. Destinations are not over crowded with tourist vehicles and there are still plenty of places to go to simply to chill out and see wildlife in its natural state. Zimbabwe is back.
Author
Sean was born in Harare in Zimbabwe where he was raised and educated. He has a Masters degree in Business Strategy and spent a good part of his career working as a Business Consultant in his own practice and has lived and worked in Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Sean is passionate about Africa and specifically his home country of Zimbabwe where he has travelled extensively. He is very proud of the country’s past achievements and natural beauty and despite it’s turbulent political past, he encourages people to visit Zimbabwe and to experience the natural warmth of the people and to support those involved in building a future. Sean also has a love for the bush and the abundant wildlife that frequent the many Game Parks.
He loves nothing better than to accompany visitors around Zimbabwe and to make sure they enjoy a unique and memorable experience which may include the wonders of the Victoria Falls, the beauty of the mountainous Eastern Highlands, the vast expanses of Lake Kariba, historical Great Zimbabwe or simply sitting with a drink in hand and enjoying a unique Zimbabwe sunset.
Post published in: Environment