Although Zimbabwe lies in the tropics, parts of the country are well above sea-level and this moderates the climate quite considerably, with average temperatures of 16°C in July (winter), and 21°C in January (summer). Most rainfall occurs from November to March. It is seldom a constant rain, but you can expect violent showers from time to time. Hwange National Park can be affected by rain during this period and daytime conditions are often hot and humid. We recommend a rain jacket during this period, and even for trips running into April. From Jun-Sep temperatures during the day are usually in the mid 20s°C. Temperatures in the early morning, in the late afternoon and evening can drop to zero, so you will need to bring adequate warm clothing. This is particularly so when travelling on game drives in open vehicles. Hwange can be very cold at night during winter months. By September, day temperatures will be back into the mid-thirties with mild to warm nights. In summer (Oct-Jan) the Kariba area, and the lower Zambezi can be very hot. Likewise the temperature at the Victoria Falls is often 5 – 10 degrees warmer than elsewhere in the country. Anytime of year has its benefits for travel in Zimbabwe. If you go during the wetter summer season you will see the lush, green landscapes and some amazing afternoon storms. If you decide to travel in the drier winter months, the going will be more comfortable, and there will be more opportunity for animal sightings as they gather to the waterholes at this dry time of year.

Climate

Time
GMT +2

Visas
Australians, Americans, Canadians, British and New Zealanders currently require a visa for Zimbabwe. For all other nationalities please reconfirm your visa requirements with your travel agent. For trips to Zimbabwe you may require either a single or double entry visa. Both single and double entry visas are obtainable on arrival currently costing between US$30 and US$60 (depending on nationality).

If you choose to travel to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls your Zimbabwe visa will not expire as long as you do not spend the night out of Zimbabwe.

Airports
Victoria Falls airport is 20 kilometres south of Vic Falls town. A taxi should cost about US$10.00.

Telephone
The international dialling code for Zimbabwe is +263.

International telephone calls can be VERY expensive. Check with your local telephone service provider to see if you can take an International Phone Card with you.
If you have a mobile phone you should be able to arrange global roaming. You will be able to use your phone in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Kenya – but only near major population centres. Check for up-to-date information from your phone supplier but be aware that calls are quite expensive – regardless of what the promo blurb tells you.

Email
Internet Cafés are increasingly common in tourist hubs all over the world. If you have a yahoo, hotmail or similar account then you should be able to access your e-mail in most major cities.

Electricity
The electricity current in Zimbabwe is 220V AC. Both round and rectangular three prong plugs and sockets are used. It is important to carry a 3 pin round and square adapter.

Food
Zimbabwean food reflects the agricultural products of the country. Superb meat products including beef, lamb and venison feature prominently. Harare and to a lesser extent Bulawayo, boast a wide variety of restaurants featuring most of the prominent cuisine varieties of the world. The staple of the Zimbabwean diet is sadza, a white maize meal porridge. Biltong is also a popular cheap snack, it come in the forms of beef or kudu and it is dried, salted meat. Vegetarians will have a fairly restricted diet in Zimbabwe.

Transport
Most roads in Zimbabwe are surfaced and are in decent condition and distances are fair. There is a rail system in Zimbabwe as well as buses/minibuses that operate between all major cities. Taxis are available in the main centers but agree on a fare with the driver before starting the journey. Be aware of your safety before using any form of public transport.

Currency
The monetary unit is the Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD), which is divided into 100 cents.

Exchange rate
Check out www.xe.com for current exchange rates.

Shopping
Curios abound in Zimbabwe, from soapstone hippos to wooden carved African masks to Nyaminyami (the Zambezi River God) neck pendants. Roadside stalls are everywhere selling curios and bargaining is a must.

Local prices
Although foreigners are made to pay considerably more for goods and services than locals, Zimbabwe is still not expensive for overseas visitors carrying stronger currencies. A meal in a decent restaurant should set you back US$4. Many hotels offer great value buffet meals for around US$5-10. A beer will cost US1-2 and a litre of bottled water is around US$1.

Quick Facts
Population
Approximately 10.5 million
Major religion
Nearly half of the population are Christian.
Major language
English and Shona
Geographic size
390,759 square kilometres

Remains of Stone Age cultures dating back 500,000 years have been found in present-day Zimbabwe. The first Bantu-speaking peoples reached the region between the 5th and 10th centuries AD, driving the San (Bushmen) inhabitants into the desert. A second migration of Bantu-speakers, fleeing the Zulu chief Shaka, began about 1830. One tribe, called the Ndebele, carved out a kingdom in the Zulu pastoralist tradition, in the process mastering the Shona tribes. During this period British and Afrikaner hunters, traders, and prospectors moved up from the south with missionaries.

In 1889 the British South Africa Company was formed by Cecil Rhodes to colonise and promote trade in the region. During the 1890s additional European settlers began to arrive and lay claim to prospecting rights. This caused armed uprisings by the Ndebele and the Shona, but by 1897 the region had been pacified. The country continued to be governed by the company until 1923. In a referendum in 1922, the 34,000 Europeans chose to become a self-governing British colony instead of joining the Union of South Africa. In 1923 Southern Rhodesia was annexed by the British crown. In 1953 the colony united with Nyasaland (Malawi) and Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) to form the Central African Federation of Rhodesia. During the 10 years of the federation, the black African nationalist movements intensified. The federation dissolved in 1963, and Southern Rhodesia reverted to its former colonial status. In 1965 the conservative white Rhodesian Front government, led by Ian Smith, unilaterally declared independence from Britain. This act led to the installation of economic sanctions against Rhodesia, first by the United Kingdom and later by the United Nations. The economy suffered from these sanctions during the 1960s and ‘70s but survived with the help of South Africa. Guerilla organisations were formed in Zambia and Mozambique, from which they launched numerous attacks on Rhodesian security forces. Sporadic warfare over nearly a decade caused thousands to die and almost a million persons to be uprooted. The white minority finally consented to hold multiracial elections supervised by the British in 1980. Robert Mugabe of the Shona-based ZANU won a landslide victory and became Prime Minister. He has continued to remain in power.

A dominant feature of Zimbabwe’s landscape is the Highveld, a broad ridge lying between 1,200 and 1,500 m above sea level, which covers about a quarter of the country. The Highveld begins in the southwest and extends the length of the country, joining the Inyanga Mountains in the northeast. On each side of this central spine lies the wider plateau of the Middleveld, which, at an elevation between between 900 and 1,200 m, accounts for about 40% of Zimbabwe’s land area. Farther northwest and southeast lies the Lowveld, which covers about 25% of the country and lies mostly above 300 m in elevation.

The Zambezi River forms the country’s northwestern boundary with Zambia along a trough formed by major faulting. In 1959 a major dam was completed on the Zambezi that created Lake Kariba, which, at more than 5,200 square km, is one of the world’s largest man-made lakes. The Highveld forms the divide separating the Zambezi basin in the northwest from the Limpopo and Sabi river basins in the southeast. Much of the country’s total runoff is carried by these three rivers, eastward through Mozambique, to the Indian Ocean. .

The predominant groups in Zimbabwe are the Shona, who make up about 70% of the population, and the Ndebele, who number about 16% of the total; whites constitute about 2% of the population.

Language
English is the official language of Zimbabwe, however, it is the first language of only 2% of the population. The majority of the people speak a dialect of the Bantu language - with about 76% speaking Shona and 18% speaking Ndebele. In many cities English is spoken and understood but in the rural areas it may be helpful to know a few basic words and phrases.

Religion
Nearly half of the population are Christian, many allied with indigenous African churches, while an almost equal number follow animist beliefs.

Agriculture produces about 13% of the GDP and employs about 25% of the labour force. Commercial crop production, primarily on large farms, includes corn, sugarcane, wheat, seed cotton, tobacco, sorghum, and soybeans. The remaining land is made up of small farms raising subsistence crops, including corn, millet, peanuts (groundnuts), cassava, potatoes, dry beans, bananas, and oranges. Coffee and tea have been introduced in an effort to diversify crop production. Zimbabwe’s agriculture is plagued by cyclical droughts, tsetse fly infestation in some areas, and land-redistribution problems. The principal livestock include cattle, goats, and sheep. About half of the cattle are held by blacks practising traditional pastoralism. Zimbabwe has abundant mineral reserves. Gold, nickel, asbestos, coal, copper, chrome, iron ore, silver, and tin are produced. Manufacturing is fairly well diversified and includes crude steel, pig iron, cement, electrical and other machinery, cotton textiles, clothing, footwear, chemicals, plastics and rubber products.

The economy collapsed in the late 1990s and food and fuel shortages are causing widespread poverty. The tourist industry has become one of the Zimbabwe’s largest sources of foreign currency and the process of rebuilding the country will take several years.

The Republic of Zimbabwe is a parliamentary democracy. It gained independence from the UK in 1980. The Head of State and Government is President Robert Mugabe (Head of Government since 1980 and Head of State since 1987). Under the terms of the 1980 constitution, executive power is formally vested in the president, consulted by a prime minister, who, in reality, wields most power. He, in turn, is advised by a cabinet, which is responsible to the bicameral parliament, which wields all legislative authority. This consists of a House of Assembly, with 150 members, of whom, 120 are elected by universal adult suffrage, 12 are nominated by the president, 10 are traditional chiefs and eight are provincial governors.