ZIMBABWE
- Overview - General Information
SITUATED:
Zimbabwe is a land locked country; bordered by Mozambique in the east, Botswana on the west and in the south the Limpopo River marks the southern border with South Africa. The north-eastern border with Zambia is marked by the mighty Zambezi River, along which is located the incomparable spectacle of Victoria Falls and the magnificent expanse of Lake Kariba.
Zimbabwe occupies more than 390 000 km sq of central Southern Africa and is situated on a high plateau, the countries terrain consists primarily of grasslands bordered on the east by mountains.
CAPITAL:
Harare
TIME:
GMT +2
COMMUNICATIONS:
Telephone country code: 263
Internet country code: .zw
LANGUAGE:
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English is the official language.
Major vernacular languages: Shona and Sindebele widely spoken.
Other languages: Tonga, Venda, Hwesa, Sotho, Nambya, Doma & Shangaan
ELECTRICITY:
220/240 volts AC. Plugs vary between 3-pin round and 3-pin flat.
CURRENCY & CREDIT CARDS & TRAVELLER'S CHEQUES:
1 Zimbabwe Dollar = 100 cents.
NB - (The Zimbabwean Dollar is very volatile, therefore rules and restriction may vary from day to day) - Visit:
http://www.rbz.co.zw/
There is a restriction on the amount of Zimbabwean dollars that you can take out of the country, please check the current restrictions.
There are no restrictions on foreign currency brought in. If you don't declare the foreign money you bring in, you'll only be able to take out 500 US dollars.
You may be asked to account for foreign currency exchanged/spent in country.
Hotel bills must be paid for with credit cards or in foreign hard currencies e.g. US dollar. Users of credit cards are subject to a surcharge of about 3 percent on the total value of goods purchased.
Avoid street money changers who promise "no commission, best rates", but then cheat on delivery. There are strict penalties for illegal foreign currency trading.
Several of the city's large stores don't accept American Express cards; travellers' cheques are the most convenient means of payment, US dollar traveller's cheques are recommended.
CLIMATE:
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Sub-tropical, with a climate of short mild winters and long warm summers it is favourable for visits year round.
The best time to visit is April -October when weather is mild with little rain. Winter (May-August) is dry and sunny. Rainy weather is November – March /April.
| TEMPERATURES |
| |
JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
MAY |
JUNE |
JULY |
AUG |
SEPT |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
| Maximum |
25 |
25 |
26 |
25 |
22 |
20 |
20 |
22 |
26 |
26 |
27 |
26 |
| Minimum |
17 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
12 |
9 |
9 |
10 |
13 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
BUSINESS
HOURS:
(Times may vary) |
| Shopping |
Monday to Friday 08:00 - 17:00
Saturday
08:00 - 13:00 |
| Banks |
Monday to Friday 08:00 - 15:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 13:00
Saturday
08:00 - 11:30 |
| PUBLIC
HOLIDAYS |
| 01 January |
New Year's Day |
| 02 January |
Public Holiday |
| * (See Below) |
Good Friday |
| * (See Below) |
Eastern Monday |
| 18th April |
Independence Day |
| 1st May |
Labour Day |
| 25tg May |
Africa Day |
| 14th August |
Heroes Day |
| 15th August |
Defence Force Day |
| 22nd December |
Unity Day |
| 25th December |
Christmas Day |
| 26th December |
Box Day |
| * Easter
weekends from 2006: |
| Year |
Good Friday |
| 2006 |
14 April |
| 2007 |
06 April |
| 2008 |
21 March |
| 2009 |
10 April |
| 2010 |
02 April |
SOCIAL CONVENTIONS:
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Christianity is the main religion, but in rural areas people have traditional beliefs. Western/European courtesies are observed. Return invitations are appreciated. Handshaking is the common form of greeting. Dress is casual, but most hotels require more formal wear, e.g. tie and jacket; business meetings require suits.
HEALTH:
Yellow fever immunisation is essential if you arrive from an infected country or area. Visitors are also advised to take pre-arrival precautions against hepatitis A, polio, typhoid and malaria (depending on the area visited especially those outside of towns). Other health concerns include bilharzia (don't swim in the rivers/dams or drink the water from them as it may be infected), sunburn, limited medical facilities and supplies outside of towns, AIDS and influenza (risk extends throughout the year).
SHOPPING:
Shona soft-stone carvings; woodcarvings; T-shirts; safari clothing; pottery; leather goods; basket ware; sculptures; textiles. Nail polish and old clothes can sometimes be
swapped for carvings.
CLOTHING:
Light tropical clothing with from November -March. The evenings during the winter months, from May-August can be cool. Neutral colours on safari and smart casual evening wear for top hotels and restaurants.
All camouflage clothing is prohibited in Zimbabwe
TIPS & GRATUITIES:
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Ten-fifteen percent is common.
· First hand, first rate Information
· Efficient travel consulting & booking services
· Excellent value for money
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Zimbabwe
click the map to enlarge ...
| SERVICES &
SUPPORT |
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Itinerary Planning |
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Quotations & Preparations |
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Bookings & Confirmations |
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Ground Handling |
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Invoicing & Administration |
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Vouchers & Documentation |
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Meet & Assist Services |
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24/7 Emergency Support |
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