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White water rafting beside the thunderous curtain of Victoria Falls – the world’s largest water fall. Mesmerising animal encounters on game drives at Hwange National Park. Walking safaris at Mana Pools. Cultural explorations at Great Zimbabwe, the Machu Picchu of Africa. Glorious vistas over the Matobo Hills. A brilliant infrastructure and excellent accommodation options. There’s plenty to make you fall in love with Zimbabwe. But sadly, the question I get asked most remains is it safe to visit Zimbabwe. So…
Is Zimbabwe dangerous?
Zimbabwe tends to hit the television screens for all the wrong reasons. Instead of the white rhino of Matobo Hills National Park, you’ll see angry political rallies.
In place of visits to tourist places in Zimbabwe such as the mysterious medieval city of Great Zimbabwe, you’ll hear about international sanctions, internal repression of opposition parties and rampant inflation.
Zimbabwe does have its problems. To pretend otherwise would be folly. However, this doesn’t mean Zimbabwe is dangerous to visit. What Zimbabwe arguably needs is more visitors, who help create jobs and pump new money into a struggling economy.
So if you’re wondering whether you should visit Zimbabwe, the answer on the ground from ordinary people is a very firm yes. But don’t consider visiting Zimbabwe from any sense of duty.
Zimbabwe has what most travellers agree are the best trained trackers and guides in Africa. If you’re heading to Matobo Hills (the Matopos) I thoroughly recommend Black Rhino Safaris as an outfit.
They can be reached via the Bulawayo Publicity Association – basically the tourist office. They can be found in the car park of Bulawayo City Hall. The exterior looks rather unpromising, but the association is anything but.
Add to that some finely stocked national parks, including Big Five reserves, and you’ve got a top safari destination.
Staying safe when visiting Zimbabwe
The first thing to state is that I found race relations much better than in neighbouring South Africa. For those that aren’t aware, the country’s white minority declared independence from Britain in 1965 as Southern Rhodesia.
Unrecognised by the international community because of racial segregation, the declaration of independence led to a civil war. The white government fought black guerrilla fighters until 1979. It is also known as the Bush War and Second Chimurenga. Southern Rhodesia became Zimbabwe in 1980, led by Robert Mugabe.
The main problem you’ll face when visiting Zimbabwe is the economic situation, which can make cash hard to come by. Nor can you rely on using credit cards, which are only accepted for payment at the larger hotels.
The Zimbabwe currency is the Zimbabwe dollar, which is unavailable abroad. However, it also uses the US dollar. I’d recommend sticking with this currency, as it doesn’t face inflation and depreciation. When I visited last, there was around 250 Zimbabwe dollars to one US dollar.
In an ideal world you’d take all the US dollars you need for your trip with you, although this obviously comes with its own risks. Small notes are particularly hard to come by, so take plenty of $1-$20 notes.
If you do need cash, Standard Chartered ATMs in the big cities are your best chance of obtaining US dollars.
Crime in Zimbabwe
When it comes to crime, Zimbabwe is again pretty safe. All the same, make sure you have good travel insurance. Take the precautions against pickpocketing and mugging as you would anywhere in the world.
I felt very safe walking alone even in Zimbabwe’s biggest cities, Bulawayo and Harare (the capital) during the day. Pavements aren’t the best though, and flooding from broken pipes is relatively common, so stick to closed shoes.
After dark, the situation gets a little more dangerous. It’s fine to go out (especially as it gets dark around 6.30 pm), but avoid walking. Take a taxi instead.
You should carry ID with you at all times, and don’t wear camouflage. It’s illegal to impersonate a member of the armed forces. Be wary when photographing anything remotely official.
Most articles like this one will also tell you to avoid discussing politics. In reality, this is impossible as it comes up everywhere. So just be sure to avoid expressing any opinions about the situation you encounter.
Staying safe while travelling around Zimbabwe
Compared to some nations in the region (ahem, Mozambique), Zimbabwe has good surfaced roads to most tourist places of interest. There is generally little traffic outside of town centres, although this can lead to reckless speeding.
As a tourist, you’re unlikely to have any issues at the regular road blocks that dot the road network. But you should be aware of them, especially if you’re driving yourself. You may be asked for a gift (i.e. a bribe) or informed you face a fine for breaking some law.
There’s not a lot you can do other than ask for an official receipt, which might put some corrupt officers off. But it’s worth noting tourists to Zimbabwe are normally left alone. I was asked for no bribes or gifts whatsoever during my 10 days in the country.
The other major risk is an animal collision. Slow down when wild or farm animals are visible, and avoid driving at night as roads aren’t lit.
Passenger trains in Zimbabwe were suspending during the coronavirus pandemic and haven’t started up again. When operating, trains connect Bulawayo with Victoria Falls and Harare. Trains are aging, and incredibly slow.
The fastest way to travel around Zimbabwe is by air. However, several airlines including Air Zimbabwe are banned from flying in European airspace due to safety fears. There are also few good value international flights from Zimbabwe to the UK for instance.
Instead, most travellers from outside Africa with need to take a connecting flight from Zimbabwe to South Africa (usually Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport) or Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
Zimbabwe IS safe to visit!
Zimbabwe amazed me. I went imagining the country I’d seen on the news and read about in the newspapers. And arrived into a nation that was completely different. Not only does it have incredible safari opportunities, but it’s friendly, welcoming and safe. Put aside your perceptions, and prepare to be dazzled.
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