Questions & Answers about Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has 3 international airports at Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. Travelling from South Africa, you can fly to these airports with Fastjet or Airlink.

SA passport holders do not require a visa. However, most other nationalities will need a visa to enter Zimbabwe. Getting a visa is relatively straightforward, and many nationalities are eligible for a visa on arrival, or you can apply for an e-visa before you travel. 

To travel across into Zambia, you can apply for a KAZA UniVisa, which allows you to travel between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The same visa will allow you to travel to Botswana for a day trip – however, please note that it is not valid if you overnight in Botswana.

Zimbabwe Standard Time is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2). The same time zone as South Africa.

Travel to Zimbabwe is generally safe, and it’s rare for foreign visitors to be the victims of crime. But scams and petty theft do occasionally happen. When venturing out to some of the nation’s most renowned locations, like Victoria Falls, you will find friendly and welcoming people. You, however, should still take precautions when visiting Zimbabwe as you’d take anywhere else you travel. Leave the expensive jewellery at home, don’t flash your money around, keep your valuables close by, and don’t wander off alone. 

Zimbabwe has a sub-tropical climate with a summer season of about eight months (October to April), with hot, sunny days the norm. Summer daytime temperatures range around 30ºC. The winter climate is pleasant, with warm, dry days from June to August and the average temperature is around 20ºC. Rain occurs mainly between November and March (summer).

December to March is the height of summer and the rainy season. The weather is hot and humid and can easily reach 30 °C in the daytime. April to June is the peak high water season, with the Falls most magnificent! Days are warm and pleasant at 25-30 °C. Between July and August is the peak season to visit Victoria Falls, with lower water levels and less spray that gives you excellent visibility of the falls. You can expect warm and sunny days - 20-28 °C. September to November is the dry season at Victoria Falls, with low water levels. It is very hot during this period averaging 35 °C or more.

The official currency of Zimbabwe is the Zimbabwe Dollar, although it is not an internationally recognized currency. More camps/lodges have international Visa and Master Card facilities to pay for extra charges. We encourage visitors, however, to travel with US Dollars cash and credit cards.

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In Zimbabwe, it is customary to tip your camp staff & guides. Although tipping is at your discretion and not compulsory, we recommend you budget for it when travelling to Zimbabwe. Our guidelines are:

USD 15 per person per day for guides at safari camps.

US$ 15 per person per day to safari camp staff.

In restaurants, a 10% tip is standard.

For porters at hotels, e.g. Victoria Falls, US$1.00 per bag.

Housekeeping staff and the room service at city hotels – at your discretion.

Please ensure you take enough cash for tipping, as credit card payments cannot be used for staff gratuities.

The tap water in some areas of Zimbabwe is safe to drink; it is recommended to stick to bottled water.

Many residents speak English well, especially those involved in tourism throughout the country. Zimbabwe has several tribal languages.

If you are going on safari, actually anywhere in Africa, neutral colours such as khaki or stone are advisable. Avoid white, as it will get dirty and dusty very quickly.

A detailed packing list with everything you could need on a safari in Zimbabwe will be sent to you once your booking is confirmed.

Please be advised that on light aircraft flights, luggage is limited to one SOFT bag per person with a maximum weight of 15kg, including your hand luggage. No hard-shell suitcases are permitted.

Absolutely! Many safari lodges/camps welcome younger children (although some have age restrictions such as only above 6, 8 or even 13 years of age); there are family-friendly camps that offer specific children activities. Victoria Falls offer a wide range of activities to families.