Matobo National Park

A journey to Zimbabwe will take you through an attractive patchwork of landscapes, from highveld, balancing boulders and flaming msasa trees, to laidback towns, lush mountains and lifeblood rivers. Here you can spot the Big Five (leopard, lion, rhino, elephant and buffalo) in its national parks, discover World Heritage–listed archaeological sites and stand in awe of one of the natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls.

Zimbabwe is set in south-central Africa, between two of the well-known African rivers the Limpopo and the mighty Zambezi. Zimbabwe’s western most corner thrusts into the Caprivi Strip where it meets the borders of Namibia, Angola, Botswana and Zambia. Bounded by Zambia in the north and north-west, Mozambique in the east, South Africa in the south, and Botswana in the south-west. Please scroll down this page and click on the links which will take you through to various pages filled with more facts on Zimbabwe.

Facts on Zimbabwe

• Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
• Geographic Coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E
• Map of Zimbabwe
• Map References: Africa

Area

• Total: 390,580 sq km
• Land: 386,670 sq km
• Water: 3,910 sq km

• Area - comparative: slightly larger than the U.S. state of Montana
• Land boundaries Total: 3,066 km
• Border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
• Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
• Elevation: Extremes
• Lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
• Highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
• Natural Resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
• Because of the political situation in Zimbabwe, tourists are few and prices are competitive, but the main parks are still cared for and well worth visiting. Hwange is not to be missed, and Mana Pools offers great canoeing safaris on the Zambezi.

Wildlife can be viewed in Zimbabwe year-round. But the generally beautiful weather and high visibility of animals in the Dry season (April to October) make this the best time of year to hitch a ride on a game drive. Note, though, that views of Victoria Falls are often obscured by a veil of spray from March to April because of the amount of water tumbling down its face. You’ll have a much clearer view of these famous falls if you visit from May to September, when the Zambezi River calms down.

Few airlines fly directly to Zimbabwe. Most people fly to Johannesburg and from there connect to Harare, Victoria Falls or Bulawayo on the same day. Most tourists fly to Victoria Falls Airport (VFA), located 18km/11mi south of the town of Victoria Falls, and continue from there by vehicle or charter planes. Hwange, Zimbabwe's most popular park is situated within driving distance of Victoria Falls. However you choose to travel, in most cases, your local tour operator will arrange pick-up from the airport and further transportation as part of your safari package.

Zimbabwe is not a yellow fever zone. This means you do not need a yellow fever vaccination to visit Zimbabwe , if you are travelling into Zimbabwe from a country that does have yellow fever, you will need to display a vaccination certificate when you enter Zimbabwe.Malaria is present in certain areas at certain times of the year, so visit your doctor or travel clinic to discuss prophylactics (prevention), ideally 2 months before you go.

Zimbabwe is named after Great Zimbabwe, the twelfth- to fifteenth-century stone-built capital of the Rozwi Shona dynasty. The name is thought to derive from dzimbadzamabwe ("great stone houses") or dzimbawaye ("esteemed houses"). Cultural and religious traditions among the Shona, Ndebele and smaller groups of Tonga, Shangaan and Venda have similarities in regard to marriage practices and the belief in supernatural ancestors. All those groups called on the support of the spirit world in the struggle for independence, which was achieved in 1980. European culture and values indelibly shaped the urban and rural landscapes, particularly in terms of the use of space, and the structure and practice of government. Black Zimbabweans have assimilated more white Zimbabwean culture than vice versa. In these distinct cultures, which generally are referred to as African and European, the most obvious differences are economic. While the white minority lost political power after Independence, it has retained a disproportionate share of economic resources.

Zimbabwe enjoys a lovely, temperate climate. The central highveld plateau has temperatures coming up to 28°C/82°F. Lower-lying parks such as Hwange and Zambezi NP are warmer year-round and temperatures can reach 31°C/88°F. Mana Pools, Matusadona and Gonarezhou are even lower and get hot, with temperatures soaring to 35°C/95°. The Eastern highlands are much colder and receive significantly more rain.

During the Wet season, from November to March, rains usually fall in heavy afternoon showers, but they can sometimes be lighter and continuous for a couple of days. The Dry season, from April to October, is pretty much rain- free and colder. Nights and mornings can be as cold as 5°C/41°F to freezing, but daytime temperatures are still pleasant with a great deal of sunshine. Zimbabwe experiences winter and summer in opposite times as Europe and North America and they correspond to the Dry and Wet season.

Passport, Visa and Other Entry Requirements Entry requirements can change, so please contact your local Namibia embassy to verify the information below is current. A passport is required for all foreign visitors and has to be valid for at least six months.

All foreign visitors will need to carry a return or onward ticket. Citizens from most countries do not require a visa and will get a 30-day entry permit on arrival. Children (under 18 years of age) must have a certified copy of their full, unabridged birth certificate as well as a valid passport to enter Namibia. If a child is traveling with only one parent, or no parents, the child must have an affidavit from the missing parent(s), which gives their consent for the child to travel.

ZW