ZIMBABWE

AFRICA

Climate

Zimbabwe has a subtropical climate with two main seasons: a hot, rainy summer (November-March) with afternoon thunderstorms, and a cooler, dry winter (May-August) featuring warm, sunny days and chilly nights, influenced by its high elevation, with eastern highlands receiving more rain and lower areas like the Zambezi Valley being hotter. Temperatures vary significantly by altitude, with cooler highlands and hotter lowveld, but generally avoid extremes, offering pleasant weather for much of the year.

Language

Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, with Shona and Ndebele being the most spoken, while English serves as a crucial lingua franca for government, business, and education, with a very high prevalence as a second language, often spoken fluently by most of the population. While less than 15% speak English as a first language, nearly 90% of Zimbabweans can speak it.

Money

Zimbabwe uses the gold-backed Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency, with banknotes and coins in denominations like 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 ZiG (notes) and 1, 2, 5 ZiG (coins), alongside foreign currencies like the US Dollar, following significant inflation issues and previous multi-currency systems, with older notes (Z$1-Z$500) still seen but often alongside the new ZiG.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Electricity

Zimbabwe uses Type D (three round pins) and Type G (three flat pins) sockets, with a standard voltage of 220V-240V and a 50 Hz frequency,

VICTORIA FALLS & BATOKA GORGE

The city of Victoria Falls sits directly across the border from Zambia and offers a panoramic and perspectives of Victoria Falls, one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World. From the Zimbabwean side, well-maintained walking paths run along the edge of the gorge, providing wide, frontal views that showcase the full width and power of the falls, or enjoy them from a mix of adrenaline-pumping adventures like white-water rafting, bungee jumping, or gorge swinging. Just downstream, the Batoka Gorge forms a dramatic series of deep basalt canyons carved by the Zambezi River, much like the Grand Canyon of the USA, creating a striking landscape visible from scenic overlooks. Compared to Livingstone, Victoria Falls town is more developed, with a broader selection of hotels, restaurants, and amenities, giving it a more city-like feel. From either city, visitors can cross to the other side of the Falls, or enjoy day safari's to nearby Mosi-oi-Tunya in Zambia, or Chobe National Park in Botswana.

PLACES TO EXPLORE

HWANGE NATIONAL PARK

One of Zimbabwe’s largest and most important wildlife reserve, Hwange National Park, forms the country’s safari heartland and is a natural complement to Victoria Falls. The park is especially renowned for its large elephant population, one of the highest concentrations in Africa, as well as lions, buffalo, giraffe, and a wide variety of plains game and birdlife. Hwange’s landscapes are varied, ranging from open savanna and teak forests to seasonal pans that attract wildlife during the dry months. Safaris here tend to feel less crowded and more immersive than in many better-known African parks, with lodges often centered around waterholes that allow for excellent game viewing directly from camp. Easily reached from Victoria Falls, Hwange offers a classic yet understated safari experience that highlights Zimbabwe’s strength in conservation, guiding, and low-impact tourism.