Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls is the draw, but the wildlife inland is world class

Victoria Falls is the headline and the timing matters enormously. The Zambezi is at peak flow around March to May, when the falls throw up so much spray you can barely see them and get soaked from a hundred metres away. By September to December the flow drops enough that you can swim in Devil Pool at the lip, which is either a highlight or a nightmare depending on temperament.

Beyond the falls, Zimbabwe has some of the best and least crowded safari in Africa. Hwange has enormous elephant herds. Mana Pools on the Zambezi is one of the few parks where you can walk unguided, and the light through the albida trees is unlike anywhere else. Zimbabwean guides are widely regarded as the best trained on the continent.

Great Zimbabwe, in the south, is the stone city that gave the country its name: a substantial medieval capital built without mortar, and for decades the subject of colonial-era attempts to attribute it to anyone but Africans. The economy has been through severe difficulties and currency instability, so US dollars in cash remain widely used.

Annual events and festivals

• Harare International Festival of the Arts, HIFA (Apr-May) — the biggest cultural event in the country.
• Independence Day (18 Apr) — marks 1980 independence.
• Victoria Falls Carnival (Dec) — three days of music over New Year at the falls.
• Zimbabwe International Film Festival (Aug-Sep) — a long-running event in Harare.
• Heroes Day (Aug) — commemorating the liberation war.
• Shoko Festival (Sep) — urban culture, hip hop and satire in Harare.
• Intwasa Arts Festival, Bulawayo (Sep) — the main cultural event in the second city.
• Great Zimbabwe cultural events (varies) — traditional ceremonies at the monument.
• Mbira and Bira ceremonies (year round) — Shona spiritual gatherings built around thumb piano music.
• Devil Pool season (Aug-Dec) — not a festival, but when the falls are low enough to swim at the edge.