Zimbabwe Info For The Tourist
Useful Zimbabwe facts for the tourist travelling to Zimbabwe on holiday, including info on climate, visas, currency and more...Zimbabwe Facts
- Capital: Hararae
- Independence: 1980
- Time: GMT + 2
- Population: 12 293 953 (Official estimate, 1997)
- Cultural Split: Shona 76% Ndebele 18% small Black, European and Asian communities
- Languages: English, Sindebele
- Shona Currency: Zimbabwean Dollar ($Z)
- President: Robert Mugabe
Money
Banking hours: Weekly excluding Wednesday; 0800-1500. Wednesdays and Saturdays; 0800-1130. Banks and main hotels change major currencies and travellers cheques ( preferably dollars or pounds) at the official exchange rate. American Express, Diners Club and Visa are widely accepted. Mastercard is limited.
Don't rely on plastic to get you cash but it is useful for paying for safaris, tours, air fares and hotel accommodation. As the Zimbabwe currency has greatly devalued over the past few years, it is common to have to pay in foreign currency for many services.
Climate
The rains come in late November and it stays hot and sticky until early March. Winter stretches from May through to August and is rarely colder than your average Mediterranean summer. It never snows. Zimbabwe's varied altitude plays havoc with the weather. July in the Eastern Highlands is covered in a fine mist called 'guti' while the same time finds Kariba and the Zambezi Valley at their balmiest. Best times to visit are April/May and September but there are attractions year-round.
Communication
Full IDD and fax facilities are available. Internet cafes can be found in most major centres. Many hotels have wifi and internet access.
Electricity
220/240 volts AC, 50HZ. Square, 3-pin, 13 amp plug.
Insurance
Health insurance is essential. Government services are unreliable and private care costs.
Medical Requirements
A yellow fever vaccination is required for travellers from infected regions. Malaria is widespread during the rainy season and prevalent all year round in the Zambezi valley and Kariba. Resistance to chloroquin has been reported. Consult your doctor about prophylactics.
Visas
For the latest visa information for travellers visting Zimbabwe please refer to this
Zimbabwe Visa and Passport info.
Water
Safe to drink in most urban areas. Should you resort to bottled water to ward off a possible bout of cholera, spare a thought for plastic pollution and opt instead for soluble pills.
Copyright © Laurianne Claase. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of the author is prohibited.
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