Visiting Zimbabwe: when to go, safaris and itineraries

Zimbabwe brings together the sheer force of Victoria Falls, the elephant herds of Hwange, canoe trips on the Zambezi at Mana Pools and the stone walls of Great Zimbabwe, all on high plateaus with a surprisingly mild climate for much of the year.
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Why visit Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe is home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Victoria Falls, shared with Zambia, and the medieval city of Great Zimbabwe, which gave the country its name. It is also one of the few destinations in southern Africa where walking and canoe safaris are permitted inside a national park, at Mana Pools.

What to discover in Zimbabwe?

The Upper Zambezi and the falls town

Most trips start in Victoria Falls, a small town built around the falls, a few minutes' walk from the rainforest trail. Allow two to three nights for the viewpoints, a sunset cruise on the Zambezi and an activity on the 1905 bridge. The opposite bank belongs to Zambia, reachable on foot across the bridge with the right visa, and Kasane, gateway to Chobe National Park in Botswana, is about 1 hour 30 minutes away by road.

Hwange and the western savannahs

The country's largest national park, Hwange covers some 14,600 km² of savannah and teak forest, close to three hours by road from Victoria Falls. It is known for its very large elephant populations, which gather around pumped waterholes at the end of the dry season, from August to October. Plan at least three nights to combine the Main Camp area with a more remote camp, and book private lodges early in high season.

Lake Kariba and the Mana Pools valley

In the north, the Kariba dam, completed in 1959, created a lake nearly 280 km long where visitors spend two or three nights aboard houseboats. Further east, UNESCO-listed Mana Pools lines the Zambezi opposite Zambia: walking safaris and canoe trips are run there by licensed guides. The park is only really accessible in the dry season, from April to November, and takes a long day's drive from Harare.

Bulawayo and the Matobo Hills

The country's second city, Bulawayo keeps wide avenues and colonial-era buildings, about 440 km from both Victoria Falls and Harare. Some 35 km south, Matobo National Park is a landscape of balancing granite boulders, rock shelters with San paintings and one of the best chances in the country to track rhino on foot. Two days cover Matobo and the Khami ruins, also UNESCO-listed, around twenty kilometres west of the city.

Masvingo and the Shona heartland

About 4 hours' drive south of Harare, Masvingo is the base for visiting Great Zimbabwe, capital of a Shona kingdom that flourished between the 11th and 15th centuries on the gold trade. Half a day is enough to explore the Hill Complex and the Great Enclosure, whose dry-stone wall rises over 10 m high. Nearby Lake Mutirikwi has lodges for an overnight stay rather than a tiring round trip.

Harare and the Eastern Highlands

Harare can be seen in a day, between the National Gallery, Mbare market and the Domboshava rock paintings, 30 km north. The real reward lies east, along the Mozambican border: the forests of Nyanga, about 3 hours 30 minutes away by road, the Mutarazi falls and the trails of Chimanimani. Nights are cool from June to August, so pack a fleece. Travellers continuing to South Africa usually go via Bulawayo and the Beitbridge border post.

Cities to visit in Zimbabwe

Featured destinations appear first.
Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls

A small Zimbabwean town on the edge of the Zambezi gorge, a twenty-minute walk from the falls and under two hours by road from Chobe National Park.
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Not to miss in Zimbabwe

Eight sites that justify the trip on their own, from the Zambezi to the eastern highlands.

Victoria Falls

A curtain of water nearly 1.7 km wide, seen from around fifteen viewpoints along the rainforest trail on the Zimbabwean side.

Victoria Falls Bridge

A 1905 steel bridge over the Zambezi gorges, known for its bungee jump and its guided tour of the structure itself.

Hwange National Park

The country's largest park, where dry-season waterholes draw large herds of elephant and buffalo along with many predators.

Canoeing at Mana Pools

A guided paddle down the Zambezi among hippos and elephants, in a UNESCO-listed park where guided walking is also allowed.

Great Enclosure

The elliptical dry-stone wall of Great Zimbabwe, the largest ancient structure in sub-Saharan Africa, built without any mortar.

World's View

A granite dome at the heart of the Matobo Hills, with a panorama over boulder fields and wooded valleys at sunset.

Khami ruins

The former capital of the Torwa kingdom, west of Bulawayo, with stone terraces decorated in chequered and chevron patterns.

Mount Nyangani

The country's highest point at 2,592 m, in Nyanga National Park, reachable on a day hike in clear weather.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to see Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwean or the Zambian side?
The Zimbabwean side offers the widest head-on view, with most of the viewpoints facing the Main Falls. The Zambian side lets you get closer to the edge and, in low water, reach Devil's Pool. With the right visa, both banks can be visited on the same day by crossing the bridge.
When do Victoria Falls have the most water?
Flow usually peaks from March to May, after the rainy season: the sight is spectacular, but the spray can hide the view and soak you completely. In October and November, flow is at its lowest and bare rock appears in places, especially on the Zambian side.
Does the KAZA Univisa let you visit Zambia and Botswana?
The KAZA Univisa covers Zimbabwe and Zambia with unlimited crossings, plus a day trip into Botswana via Kazungula. Its issue has been suspended several times in the past: check that it is available before you travel and have a backup plan for single visas.
Do you need US dollars in cash for a trip to Zimbabwe?
Yes. Lodges and agencies often take cards, but markets, taxis, tips and small purchases are paid in US dollars. ATMs that dispense dollars are rare and unreliable, so arrive with most of the cash you need, in small notes.
How many nights should you spend in Hwange from Victoria Falls?
Three nights is a reasonable minimum, given the roughly three-hour drive from Victoria Falls. That leaves two full days of game drives, ideally split between two areas of the park. At the end of the dry season, the waterholes concentrate wildlife and make sightings easier.
Can you go to Mana Pools in the rainy season?
Only with great difficulty. From November to March, the tracks become impassable, most camps close and much of the park is cut off. The best period runs from June to October, when wildlife gathers along the banks of the Zambezi.
Can you do Harare to Great Zimbabwe and back in a day?
It is possible but exhausting: around 4 hours' drive each way for a visit of a few hours. It is better to sleep in Masvingo or by Lake Mutirikwi, so you can explore the ruins early in the morning, in the best light and before the heat.

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