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- Destinations
- Africa
- Zimbabwe
- Harare
Harare
Known as 'the sunshine city', Harare is the capital of Zimbabwe
and a gateway to the country's many attractions, including Victoria
Falls and Kariba. Recent turmoil in Zimbabwe cast a dark shadow on
the city, with fuel and food shortages affecting tourism and day to
day life throughout the country. However, the Zimbabwe situation
has improved of late and the shortages have abated, making Harare
an appealing travel destination once again. Beautiful residential
areas surround the city centre, the most developed being
Borrowdale, Chisipite, Mount Pleasant and Avondale. There are some
wonderful galleries and museums in and around Harare showcasing
local culture and heritage, some of the most popular being the
National Gallery, the Dendera Gallery and the Queen Victoria
Museum. Not far out of town, the Ruwa Sculpture Gallery is also
worth a visit. Borrowdale Village is a quaint complex offering a
variety of shops, restaurants, pubs and nightclubs - an excellent
place to spend the day (or night!) while on holiday. Other Harare
shopping centres include Westgate, which has a great movie theatre,
and the Eastgate Shopping Mall, located in the CBD. When not
sipping cappuccinos at a café in the village, the local residents
often go to the Harare Sports Club to watch cricket, or to Old
Georgians (OGs) for rugby. Golf is another favourite pastime, with
some fantastic courses based in the city, as well as a couple of
fun putt-putt courses. For nature lovers, visiting the Lion and
Cheetah Park is a must when in Harare, and the Chriemba Balancing
Rocks are also good to see. The National Botanic Gardens are
another good outdoors attraction in Harare. Horse riding and
walking safaris are offered in the nearby Mukuvusi Woodlands, while
Lake Chivero is great for jet-skiing, sailing and fishing.
Information & Facts
Climate
Harare has a sub-tropical climate with a summer season from
October to April. The days are generally hot and sunny, with
temperatures range around 86ºF (30ºC), and there are often
afternoon thunderstorms. Rain occurs mostly between November and
March. The winter climate is pleasant with warm, dry days from June
to August (temperatures drop more extremely at night) and the
average temperature is around 68ºF (20ºC).
Getting Around
Fuel shortages in Zimbabwe have made travel difficult in the
past but this seems to be on the mend and the most effective mode
of transport in Harare is still by car. There are rental car
companies based throughout the city, and taxi cabs and minibus
taxis are also widely available. Road conditions in Zimbabwe have
deteriorated dramatically in recent years but the main highways are
still functional. There are international and domestic flights to
and from Harare international Airport, and bus services are also
available.
Language
English is the official language in Zimbabwe, although it
is only spoken as a first language by a tiny percentage of the
population. Several indigenous languages are spoken including Shona
and Ndebele.
Money
The official currency is the US dollar (USD). The Zimbabwe
dollar (ZWD) was effectively abandoned as the official curency in
early 2009. Major credit cards, including Visa and MasterCard, are
accepted in most of the larger hotels, restaurants and shops; Many
smaller establishments still do not have credit card facilities;
Diners Club and American Express are sometimes not accepted. ATM
facilities, dispensing US$, are available in the cities.
Time
Local time in Zimbabwe is GMT +2.