Tourist attractions in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe combines one of the natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls, with superb national parks, dramatic granite landscapes and the largest ancient stone city south of the Sahara, Great Zimbabwe. The country has five UNESCO World Heritage Sites and some of the best-trained safari guides in Africa.
Those five sites – Victoria Falls, Mana Pools, Great Zimbabwe, the Khami Ruins near Bulawayo and the Matobo Hills – sum up the country's appeal: spectacular nature and a deep history. Landlocked between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, Zimbabwe sits mostly on a high plateau, giving it a pleasant climate, while the low-lying Zambezi Valley in the north and the south-eastern lowveld are hot, wild and full of game.
Why visit Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe offers classic wildlife safaris without the crowds. Hwange National Park shelters one of Africa's largest elephant populations, while Lake Kariba and the Zambezi Valley provide houseboat holidays and canoe safaris. The country's people are known for their warmth, and its history and culture run deep.
Zimbabwean guides are renowned across the continent: professional guide licences require years of apprenticeship and rigorous exams, especially for walking safaris. That expertise makes Zimbabwe one of the best places to explore on foot, from tracking rhinos in the Matobo Hills to walking among elephants in Mana Pools. The country also offers great value compared with some neighbours, and its parks are far less crowded.
Getting there and around
Most visitors arrive at Victoria Falls Airport, with direct flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi and Kasane, or at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare. Victoria Falls is also easily combined with Botswana's Chobe National Park – a Chobe day trip from Victoria Falls crosses the border in about an hour – and with Zambia's Livingstone. Domestic flights, road transfers and self-drive options link the main parks.
Many nationalities can buy a visa on arrival, and the KAZA UNIVISA covers both Zimbabwe and Zambia, including day trips to Botswana's Chobe. US dollars are widely used for tourist services, so bring plenty of small notes. Main roads are tarred, but potholes and police checkpoints are common, and driving at night is best avoided.
Highlights not to miss
- Victoria Falls: The world's largest curtain of falling water, best seen from Zimbabwe's rainforest trail.
- Hwange National Park: Huge elephant herds, lions and wild dogs at pumped waterholes.
- Great Zimbabwe: The medieval stone capital that gave the country its name.
- Matobo National Park: Balancing granite boulders, San rock art and rhino tracking on foot.
Planning a route
The most popular short itinerary pairs the falls with game drives in Hwange, as on the 5-day Victoria Falls and Hwange tour. With more time, a longer loop can add the country's history and granite hills – the 10-day heritage and wildlife tour or the 22-day tour of Zimbabwe from Harare are good starting points.
A typical two-week journey might start in Victoria Falls, continue to Hwange, then head south-east via Bulawayo to the Matobo Hills and Great Zimbabwe before finishing in Harare or the Eastern Highlands. Lake Kariba and Mana Pools, in the north, are usually reached by light aircraft or as a separate trip from Harare.
Best time to visit
The dry season from May to October is ideal for wildlife viewing, as animals gather at water sources. Victoria Falls is at its most powerful from February to May, after the rains, while the low-water months of September to December reveal the gorge and allow white-water rafting and swimming at Devil's Pool on the Zambian side.
June to August brings mild, sunny days and cold nights, especially on the high plateau, while October is the hottest month, with temperatures in the low-lying valleys often above 40 °C. The rains from November to March turn the country green and bring migrant birds, with lower prices at many lodges.
Select a tourist attraction below to see its description, images & location. It also shows suggestions of our tours to Zimbabwe which include the selected attraction.
You can also use the map of Zimbabwe below to see where the country's highlights lie.
