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CountryOnlineFind.com > Reception >
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Zimbabwe (ZW) |
| Continent: |
Africa |
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| Surface: |
390.757 km ² |
| Inhabitants: |
13.110.500 |
| Capital: |
Harare |
International banking code (ISO Codes): |
ZW |
| Official language: |
English |
Code: |
+263 |
| Currency: |
Zimbabwean dollar |
Number plate: |
ZW |
| Routes of Zimbabwe: |
255 |
Routes towards Zimbabwe: |
302 |
| Preferred airports: |
Victoria Falls (VFA), Harare (HRE), Bulawayo (BUQ) |
| Principal cities: |
Harare, Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, Mutare, Gweru, Epworth, Kwekwe, Kadoma, Masvingo, Chinhoyi, Marondera, Norton, Chegutu, Bindura, Zvishavane |
| Airline company based in Zimbabwe: |
Interair South Africa, Air Zimbabwe, Nationwide Air |
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Tourist guide Zimbabwe (Africa) |
The Republic of Zimbabwe, ex-Rhodesia of the South, is a country located in the south of Africa and having borders with Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. It does not have an access to the sea. It holds its name of an old city, founded approximately into 800 of our era and which was 12th at the 15th century the capital of the large Monomotapa kingdom and whose name in language bantoue means “the large stone-built house”.
Geography: Zimbabwe presents landscapes very varied and from an impressive beauty. Most of the territory is on the high plateau of the “Highlands of the East” whose altitude lies between 1.000 and 2.000 meters and who extends on 360 km from south-west in the North-East. In the south of the capital, Harare, rises the majestic Nyangani mount until an altitude of 2.592 m and towards the west of the country, one finds another plate of an average altitude of 1.000 Mr. It reigns there a climate hotter than in the high plateau and nature is varied there. The plate is crossed several rivers and surprising peaks of granite. In the south of the country a splendid landscape extends from savanna until Limpopo worms, close to the border with South Africa. The country is crossed south in north by the pit “The Great Dyke” of a width of 10 km out of 520 km length. The pit constitutes a great noble metal reserve and ores, exploited by many careers.
Relief and river: the culminating point of Zimbabwe, Nyangani, rises at an altitude of 2.592 m in the homonymous national park. Many rivers very useful for the agricultural production take there their source, among which Pungwe and Odzi. Falls of Mtarazi, of which impressive the 76 m height the classes with the 6th world rank represents a great tourist attraction. The longest river of the country, the Zambezi, takes its source in Zambia close to the borders with the Democratic republic of Congo and from Angola, a tour of 2.700 km follows then finishes its race in the Indian Ocean.
Climate and period of voyage advised: because of the relatively high altitude of the Zimbabwean territory, it reigns there a rather moderate climate, the temperatures turning on average around 20 °C in July and 30 °C in January. The country knows one rain season between October and March, this is why it is to better go in the country between April and September, at which time the observation of the wild animals is facilitated because, in this period of relative dryness, the animals gather around the rivers to water itself. Those which want to discover the country under its greenest day, when the vegetation are most luxuriant there, with the height of its splendor, should choose to visit the country during the rain season, which, which the potential visitors reassure, is not as intense as in certain adjoining countries. They are rather short intense storms accompanied by a strong thunder which generally occur the afternoon.
Official languages and spoken languages: the official language is certainly English, but it is generally used only as language second by the population. The population uses rather languages bantoues such as the shona or the ndebele to communicate.
Health and vaccinations: generally one advises with the travellers to be made vaccinate against hepatitis has, typhus, the polio, the diphteria and tetanus. To prevent the viral diseases transmitted by the insects and the mosquitos, it is in general enough to cover well and apply products anti-insects available on the spot. In Zimbabwe, the risk to contract the malaria exists throughout the year, especially in the areas located at an altitude of less than 1.200 m and during the rain season. A consultation near a doctor thus is essential to consider an effective preventive strategy. The equipment of health is in addition relatively satisfactory only in the big cities and the tourist places. This is why it is highly advised to contract a insurance-voyage including/understanding a insurance-repatriation for the most serious cases. For more safety and to avoid risks of infection, it is recommended to consume only bottled water, to peel the fruits well and to make cook vegetables before consuming them. Lastly, think of providing you with a small first-aid kit of voyage.
Conditions of entry on the territory: for the French nationals, a valid passport and a visa of entry delivered by the embassy from Zimbabwe in Paris are necessary to penetrate on the Zimbabwean territory. The minor travellers must be provided with an individual passport.
For further information concerning vaccinations, the conditions of entry and safety, you can for example consult the site of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Travel and transport: Zimbabwe has three international airports, that of Harare (HRE), that of Bulawayo (BUQ) and that of Victoria Falls (VFA). To date, there do not exist direct flights of Paris bound for the Harare capital (HRE), but some international airline companies such as KLM (KM), British Airways (BA), Air France (AF) and South African Airways (SA) propose flights including/understanding one or two stopovers of Paris (CDG). The national company Air Zimbabwe (UM) proposes interior flights to join the other national airports.
The capital: Harare, in the past Salisbury, shelter 1,6 million inhabitants and constitute the economic and industrial center country. The city presents a resolutely modern face, very influenced by Europe. Harare counts many museums and galleries which expose local objets d'art, botanical gardens and the Mbare market on which one can acquire for a relatively modest price of the invaluable stones. The largest garden of the city, Harare Gardens, accommodates every weekend of the stage performances and artistic and conceals a miniature copy of the Victoria falls. Surroundings of the city, in the south, on the granite hill of Kopje, one enjoy a beautiful panoramic sight on all the city. Not far, to approximately 30 km of the capital, the Robert McIlwaine Recreational Park is in whom is celebrates it lake Chivero, source of supply out of water of the capital, and natural habitat of more than 400 species of birds.
Tourist sites: Zimbabwe can enorgueillir itself to have many national parks and reserves. The highest falls of the world, splendid safaris and the archeological sites of first importance constitute the major tourist assets of the country. The natural heritage and historical Zimbabwean is so rich that it is difficult, even impossible, to make the turn in a stay of it.
The town of Bulawayo, located in the south-west of the country, is the second most important city of the country. The city is characterized by broad alleys bordered of trees and the imposing frontages victoriennes of its constructions. Its Museum of natural history, founded in 1964, exposes the largest collection of mammals of all Africa and its Museum of the railroads deserves a visit. In the surroundings of the city, the ruins of Khami, dating from the 15th century, represent the ultimate vestiges of a city of the very powerful people of Rosvi.
The greatest tourist attraction of Zimbabwe after the Victoria falls is the city of Great Zimbabwe, which knew its apogee between 12th and the 15th century, and is placed today under the protection of UNESCO. The site is very easily accessible in the bus from the town of Masvingo. The territory of the powerful Monomotapa kingdom covered current Zimbabwe formerly and part of Mozambique and its capital was after the pyramid of Gizeh, most important construction out of stone of all the African continent. Today it remains of this wonder only the ramparts and the vestiges which extend on 7 km ². The history of this site is accompanied by many legends, but plunderings of which it was the victim during the last centuries deprived the scientists of many indices which could have informed us on its origins and on the habits which were practiced there. Not far from this extraordinary site, Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park which extends on the Zimbabwean territory, but also on the territories South-African and Mozambican, shelters many rare animal species.
The national park of Mana-Pools occupies a surface of 2.196 km ² in the North-East of the country. It is the only Zimbabwean national park whose entry is free. One can go there as of 6 hours of the morning and walk there freely, without guide, during the 12 daily opening hours. “Mana” means “four” in language bantoue and the name refers to the 4 lakes that contains the park and in which, about the middle of the day, the animals come to water and be offered thus to the admiring glance visitors. One can observe there crocodiles, hippopotamuses, zebras, antelopes, elephants, rhinoceroses, buffaloes and multiple species of birds. It should be noted that the park is closed between November and March during the rain season.
The greatest natural reserve of the country, National Hwange Park, was founded in 1929 and occupies a surface of 14.620 km2. The reserve is especially known to be one of the last and the most important refuges of elephants of the world. The best period to be able to observe them closely is at the beginning of October, towards the end of the dry period, when they go close to the last rivers to water there and to sprinkle water there. In-outside elephants, the reserve shelters all the endemic species of the area as well as a large population of primates among which one counts many baboons.
Not far from the town of Bulawayo, extends on 3.100 km ² Matobo National Park, oldest and more visited country. The park is especially famous to have been the fatherland of the warlike clan of the bochimans Without, there is more than 1.000 of that. These people left us in heritage cave paintings painted on old granite walls of more than 200 million years. The park also shelters a furnace bridge dedicated to the rain by the people of Ndebele and in front of which, still today, Mwalis come to request for the periods of dryness. The park also shelters many animal species such as antelopes, rhinoceroses, the cat-like ones, zebras and several species of eagles.
The natural reserve of Mavuradnha, located at 230 km in the north of Harare, offers 500 km ² imposing nature favourable with the excursion, even if the ways are not always well marked out there and that an excursion without guide can there be transformed into true adventure. A good alternative to discover these splendid landscapes in full safety, would be to take part in a one week safari to horse.
Chirinda Forest, located in the “Highlands of the East” is a splendid tropical forest which extends on more than 10 km ². While following a marked out way named “Big Tree Way”, one will end up highest discovering with amazement the tree of the country, an old mahogany tree of more than 1.000 years, high of 67 m and a diameter of 16 Mr.
With not missing: the greatest tourist attraction of Zimbabwe are without question the majestic Victoria falls, located in the national park of Mosi-Oa-Tunya, close to the border with Zambia. Broad and falling impressive a 110 m height, the falls 2 km are the most remarkable contribution of Zimbabwe to the beauty of the world, and it is only justice which they are placed under the protection of UNESCO. They are approximately 100 million liters of water which flow per minute in the basin and scum and the spray thus caused rise with more than 350 m and are visible until a distance of 30 km with the round. Only the falls of the Niagara and those of Iguaçu can compete of beauty with those of Victoria Falls. To still add to the charm, one can try to go there the nights of full moon during which the authorities show tolerance and the park remains open longer than to the accustomed one. In this highly tourist place, the tourist agencies compete of imagination to offer to the innumerable tourists an original manner to discover the falls. Visit in the plane, while passing by the jump in parachute or, to hold for the amateurs of very strong feelings, the jump with the rubber band, each one will find its happiness there. At the present time, the Zambian authorities are still relatively tolerant and one can also without formalities cross the border to go to admire the falls from another point of view.
Religion: approximately half of the Zimbabwean population declares Christian confession. The remainder of the population practices traditional worships animists.
Big cities and possibilities of lodging: Harare, Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, Mutare, Gweru, Epworth and Kwekwe.
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Flights expensive not preferred towards and of Zimbabwe/ZW
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