Must See

Bulawayo

Zimbabwe's second largest city (after Harare) is a major commercial, industrial and tourist centre and home to the country's main museums, theatres and the Chipangali wildlife orphanage. The overnight train journey to Victoria Falls conjures up great feelings for a golden age of train travel.

Great Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe is the name given to the remains of stone (sometimes referred to as the Great Zimbabwe Ruins) of an ancient Southern African city, located approximately 200 km south of Harare and 200 km east of Bulawayo. It was once the centre of a vast empire known as the Munhumutapa Empire (also called Monomotapa or Mwene Mutapa Empire), which ruled territory now falling within the modern states of Zimbabwe (which took its name from this city) and Mozambique.

Great Zimbabwe is modern Zimbabwe's national shrine, and the largest complex of ruins in Africa south of the pyramids in Egypt. The Temple (or Main Enclosure) has walls over 9 m (30 feet) high, 4m (14 feet) thick and over 228 m (750 feet) in circumference.

Harare

Formerly known as Salisbury, Harare, the capital, is Zimbabwe's commercial and industrial centre. It is a clean and sophisticated city, characterised by contemporary architecture, colourful parks and flowering trees. Local highlights include the Robert McIlwaine Recreational Park (30 km west of the city centre), which has a lake and game reserve featuring white rhino, giraffe, zebra and antelope; the landscaped gardens of cycads and aloes at Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens; the modern museum and art gallery which houses a major collection of African art and specialises in Shona stone sculpture; the Lion & Cheetah Park; and the Larvon Bird Gardens, with over 180 species of bird including vultures, eagles, sacred ibis and flamingos.

One of the most colourful sights in Harare is the Mbare Market. This is the nation's largest (and noisiest) market, situated about 10 minutes from the city centre on the southern outskirts. There's all sorts of crafts for sale including masks, baskets, beads, soapstone carvings and spears. However, do bear in mind that it is a crowded place and may attract the inevitable pickpockets.

Lake Kariba

One of Africa's best kept secrets, Lake Kariba is located on the Zambezi River in the northwest of the country. The lake is an enormous man-made waterway, built in 1958 to provide the country with much needed hydro-electricity. Covering an area of over 6,500 sq km, it has since developed into one of Zimbabwe's greatest water playground with sailing, fishing and water skiing. However, swimming is not advised due to the huge number of elephants and crocodiles that occupy the lake and shores.

Lake Kariba's waters are studded with islands and fringed by mountains and forests. Game such as buffalo, rhino and elephant can be viewed from the comfort of various safari camps, or from well-appointed self-contained safari-crafts and cruise vessels. The lake is also home to a host of birdlife including the white egrets, Goliath heron, grey heron, open-bill storks and fish eagle.

Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River

One of the essential sights to see in Zimbabwe is the Victoria Falls, which although may not be the tallest waterfall in the world, is certainly the largest. Located 120 km (75 miles) from the Hwange National Park, the falls are 1.7 km (1 mile) wide, 108 m (360 ft) high, thus forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The spray can be seen 30km (20 miles) away, which gives it its local name: Mosi-oa-Tunya - 'the smoke that thunders'.

There are a number of tracks around the rim that lead to good viewing spots; the most dramatic of which is Cataract View. Danger Point is also splendid, but the trek to it can be extremely slippery. By far the best view to be had of the falls is from the air, and if your budget allows - it's not to be missed. For the best rim-level view, visit the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls, and for the best base-level view, walk down the rainforest footpath on the Zambia side. (It is possible to walk across to Zambia (with the minimum of formalities) to view from the other side).

In full flood years, the falls cannot be seen on foot on the Zimbabwe side during February to April, as the clouds of spray are too dense. The aerial view at this time however is spectacular. From May onwards, as the annual flood subsides, the view of the falls gets improves, as do photographic opportunities from the rainforest path in Zimbabwe. The water is low by November, and there is relatively little spray. However, at this time, visitors are able to fully appreciate the full length and breadth of the falls and their geological formation.

The falls are just one feature of the thundering Zambezi River. The river itself should be thoroughly explored. Genteel visitors can take a cruise along the river, whilst the more adventurous can take white water rafting trips just downstream from the falls, which is host to some of the worlds wildest rapids. The truly crazy bodysurf the rapids on boogie boards, or bungee jump from the bridge linking Zimbabwe to Zambia.

The area also has some excellent walks through the rainforest, where hikers may come across wildlife such as, antelope, warthog, crocodile, buffalo, hippo and elephants.

National Parks

Zimbabwe is home to many National Parks; in addition to Lake Kariba and Victoria Falls Park (mentioned above), there are nine others:

Chimanimani National Park

Chimanimani (part of which was known as Melsetter until 1982) is a mountainous area in the province of Manicaland, eastern Zimbabwe, on the border with Mozambique. Striking scenery greets the intrepid traveller who journeys up to this spectacular mountain range, enjoyed by Zimbabweans as a holiday destination as much as foreigners. The whole area is scenic with a varied landscape of rivers and pools that are safe for swimming, savanna valleys and steep sandstone peaks and towers. It is one of the only national parks in the country where hikers are permitted to walk unaccompanied.

Chizarira National Park

Chizarira National Park lies in Northern Zimbabwe. At 2,000 sq km (494,200 acres), it is one of the larger National Parks, and also one of the least known due to its remote situation on the Zambezi Escarpment. It is probably Zimbabwe's most scenic park with its high plateau region, steep gorges and Busi flood plain all offering panoramic views. It is also rich in wildlife, with animals including lions, elephant, warthogs, antelope and leopards.

Gonarezhou National Park

Lying in the south eastern part of the country and covering an area of 5,000 sq km, Gonarezhou National Park is an extension of South Africa's Kruger National Park. It is Zimbabwe's second largest game reserve after Hwange National Park, and offers views of impressive landscapes.

The name of the park originates from the Shona, meaning "place of elephants". Although this was once the case, poachers and drought have now taken their toll.

Hwange National Park

Formerly Wankie National Park, Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe's largest game reserves, both in size (14,620 sq km - 5,644 sq miles), and in the variety of wildlife that may be seen. Located on the west, on the border with Botswana, the park is one of the last of the great elephant sanctuaries in Africa, with over 40,000 living in the national park. Other wildlife includes giraffe, zebra, leopard, cheetah, hyena, lion, buffalo and a variety of antelope such as Sable, Impala and Kudu. The best time of the year to visit is during the driest months, September and October when large concentrations of game congregate around the water holes, particularly large herds of elephant.

Mana Pools National Park

Mana Pools National Park is one of Zimbabwe's most beautiful national parks, occupying 2,196 sq km (848 sq miles) of forest along the shores of the Zambezi River. The name 'Mana' means four, which is reference to the four large permanent pools formed by the meanderings of the middle Zambezi. This park is a designated World Heritage site, and supports numerous species of bird life and a large variety of game including hippo, elephant, the rare black rhino, crocodiles, buffalo and many types of antelope. Fishing at the Mana Pools and the Zambezi River is allowed without a licence, and anglers may hope to land tigerfish, bream or the giant vundu.

Matobo National Park

The Matobo National Park (also known as the Rhodes Matopos National Park) lies in the south western part of the country, just 40 km from Bulawayo. The area is home to the highest concentration of rhino anywhere, intriguing kopjes (strangely shaped granite boulders), and numerous caves with paintings by ancient bushmen.

The park is also famed for being the burial place of Cecil John Rhodes, which lies on the top of Malindidzimu Mountain, a place that Rhodes named 'View of the World'.

Matusadona National Park

Matusadona is a game reserve park in western Zimbabwe, and boasts a unique combination of pristine and rugged wilderness with the water frontage of Lake Kariba. The Zambezi Escarpment runs along the Matusadona National Park border, providing a combination of flat plains rising high and wild mountain country. It is one of the last remaining sanctuaries of the endangered black rhino, and has the second largest concentration of wild lions in Africa after Ngorongoro Crater. The park's other wildlife includes large herds of buffalo and elephants, and a large number of fish eagles.

Nyanga National Park

Located at the northern end of Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands, the Nyanga National Park borders the Mtarazi Falls National Park. It is home to some stunning scenery, including evergreen forests, cliffs, waterfalls and Zimbabwe's highest mountain, Mount Nyangani. Trout fishing is very popular and the trout hatchery is well worth a visit.

Zambezi National Park

Not far from the Victoria Falls is the Zambezi National Park, which has 40 km of the impressive Zambezi River running through it, making it rich in wildlife, mopane forest and savannah. Game found within the park consists of sable antelope, hippo, buffalo, giraffe, elephant, zebra and other exotic animals.