What budget to travel Zimbabwe? Money and currency

What budget for activities and outings Zimbabwe?

Victoria Falls is definitely a place where you can indulge in multiple activities, some of which are thrilling... Without being exhaustive, let's mention rafting, bungee jumping, mountain biking, cruises on the Zambezi River, helicopter flights over the falls, ziplining, abseiling, etc., or, in a more "classic" way, game drive, canoeing or horseback safari. There are a few small protected areas around the falls, both public and private, that allow for this.

The national park rangers sometimes organize activities, for much lower prices than those charged by private camps. Horseback safaris (especially in the Eastern Highlands and Matopos Mountains) can be arranged for $20 for two hours or $40 for a day. Many walking tours of varying duration (from 2 hours to several days) are also organized in most parks (Hwange, Mana Pools, Matusadona...). Their prices vary according to the number of participants (rarely more than six) and the chosen itinerary, but always remain very affordable. On the nights of the full moon, more atypical outings are sometimes organized by the rangers of certain parks: in Hwange, for example, it is exceptionally possible to go on night safaris to an observation platform overlooking a body of water.

Various outdoor activities are also offered by some tourist agencies and camps in the Eastern Highlands (Nyanga, Chimanimani and Bvumba): hiking and horseback riding, fly fishing, birdwatching or botanical outings... In Nyanga, you can also practice zip-lining or cross a suspension bridge.

There is the Moutain Club of Zimbabwe, which brings together hikers and climbers. The area around Harare is full of granite cliffs, while Chimanimani is a site of prodigious sandstone blocks.

Prices are inversely proportional to the number of tourists. Thus, the luxurious stores in the city center will charge you for their location, while the markets located on the side of an isolated road are a priori less expensive than those located in town.

Don't hesitate to bargain (only in markets). The price is more a reflection of your tourist appearance than of the item itself. You should also know that bartering is very common. If the seller offers to exchange his statuettes for your T-shirt and shorts, don't be offended, and ask him for the wicker basket that you would reasonably refuse to buy. Remember that everything can be exchanged! Electronic gadgets, batteries, shoes, clothes, watches, original pens, calculators, radios..

There are a few establishments in Harare, Bulawayo and, to a lesser extent, Victoria Falls that sometimes offer live music. In fact, they are rarely bars as such, but rather establishments that offer food, drink and entertainment in the evening.

Harare and Bulawayo have some movie theaters, but Victoria Falls does not.

What budget to eat Zimbabwe?

In Zimbabwe, as in many countries around the world, there is a wide range of prices between 2 USD and 30 USD for a dish. The first price range is for small restaurants where you can find the local maize paste, sadza, with a piece of meat and/or vegetables. At the second rate, you can find fine cuisine at the a la carte restaurants or at the buffet meals of hotels and some lodges. In between, you can find an intermediate fare in the multitude of small restaurants, fast-food joints and high-end traditional restaurants.

In a tea shop, you should count around 1.50 USD for coffee or tea, 2 USD for a pastry and from 5 USD for breakfast. You will have to add a few dollars in Victoria Falls. The bars of the big hotels and tourist sites are also expensive. If a can of beer sells for about 2 USD in a supermarket, it will cost 5 USD in these establishments. An imported beer will usually be 1 USD more expensive.

What is the budget for accommodation Zimbabwe?

While a wide range of housing can be found in Zimbabwe, high-end housing is much easier to find than low-end housing. The economic and political crises of the last twenty years have taken their toll on the vast majority of budget accommodations, and the adoption of the U.S. dollar as the official currency has seen prices rise. Sleeping in Zimbabwe is not the bargain it was in the 1990s. On the other hand, the selection is very good; it is almost impossible to find a dirty room, the mattresses are of good quality, and the bathrooms, almost without exception, are clean. Budget travelers are limited to backpacker dorms in major tourist centers or camping, which is much easier to find, but requires a thick sleeping bag during the winter months.

Hotels. All major tourist centers have at least one hotel. This category of accommodation is very diverse: from large hotels with several hundred rooms to small family-run structures, from very refined, even luxurious, to basic comfort. Each hotel offers a restaurant, or even several, depending on its accommodation capacity. In the vast majority of cases, the restaurant is open to the public. A swimming pool is often present, more or less engaging according to the hotels. Golf is very popular in Zimbabwe, and beautiful courses can be found nearby, at affordable rates. To sum up, the hotels in Zimbabwe are expensive, but always impeccable, with all the necessary comforts and a very good level of service. Beware: some establishments in the "hotel" category are called " lodges ". Very fashionable and sometimes abused, the traveler will have no difficulty in distinguishing between them after reading the description of the different accommodations.

Bed and Breakfast. B&Bs and guest houses are an intermediate category before the category of hotels in the strict sense. They are often of modest size and are created on the initiative of locals who start tourism. The atmosphere is therefore rather family oriented. They are installed in the tourist centers. They take on the appearance of small farms in more isolated areas, along paved roads. The comfort is good, the service is personalized and the rates are generally lower than those of larger hotels.

Backpacker hostels. A backpacker is a youth hostel in English. These establishments are generally well kept, clean, dynamic and well equipped. The atmosphere is often festive at night and relaxed during the day. In general, activities and excursions are offered by the establishment. In Zimbabwe, they are counted on the fingers of two hands, whereas they are legion in South Africa. Indeed, the policy of "small volume, large income" tourism does not favor the visit of small budgets.

Campsites. This is obviously the cheapest form of accommodation. Camping is practiced in most tourist centers, urban, rural and in protected areas. Often the price is not calculated per pitch, but per person per night. In the most remote areas, most campsites are simply tent sites with no infrastructure other than a sign indicating the location. The most frequented ones have sanitary facilities, even a functioning shower and a barbecue area. The rule is therefore absolute autonomy, including for water and electricity. In the parks, independent travelers will need to check with Zimparks for all the rules. However, many establishments - such as backpackers and lodges, in town, in the countryside or in protected areas - offer camping sites with very good sanitary blocks with hot water, straw huts for shelter and warmth around a fire, barbecue areas, and even offer to pitch the tent directly in the garden and take advantage of the common facilities inside the establishment (sanitary, lounge, kitchen).

Bush camps and lodges. A bush camp or a lodge is a complete place to stay that goes far beyond the sole function of accommodation. Indeed, the traveler comes to spend several days (on average two or three nights) in a bush camp, essentially for the ecotourism activities it offers. These activities are, in Zimbabwe, centered on the discovery of wildlife and to a lesser extent on cultural encounters with the different peoples of the country. The bush camps are of course accommodation and catering facilities. They are often canvas camps, from the most rustic to the most luxurious, from the closest to nature to the most sophisticated, over a large area. The atmosphere and the clientele vary, partly according to these criteria, but for all the camps, the service is very professional and very careful. The accommodation is always very comfortable and the food is of very good quality. Lodges are sometimes located in the reserves themselves or in nearby, equally wild areas. They offer daily packages including accommodation, food and activities (except perhaps some exceptional activities). It goes without saying that the prices charged remain high.

As for meals, the price of accommodation varies greatly. The tourist accommodation market favors more comfortable to luxurious options, while budget accommodations are more rare. Regardless of the price, cleanliness is a major plus: there are few dingy, dirty places in Zimbabwe, and the mattresses are also of good quality. Count on 10 USD per person for camping, from 30 to 60 USD for a basic room, from 60 to 120 USD for a cozy nest with bathroom and more than 200 USD for a luxurious room. Note that it is not uncommon for bush accommodations to be "all-inclusive", in which case the rates are over $300 per person per day, including activities.