Harare

Harare is the capital and largest city in Zimbabwe. Harare has an excellent highland climate and well-planned garden suburbs that are very pleasant to walk around in. It has an extensive collection of public museums, institutions and many of the nation's most important historic monuments and memorials.

Understand
Harare is home to some two million people, with most in central Harare but some 500,000 in the surrounding districts of Rural Harare, Chintungwiza and Epworth. Once a city of modern buildings, wide thoroughfares, numerous parks and gardens, it suffered from increasing disrepair thanks to Zimbabwe's economic crisis, though there has been some improvement since the adoption the US dollar as Zimbabwe's currency has facilitated some investments.

By plane
Harare's airport is the major gateway for flights into the country. Air Zimbabwe also operated a small network of domestic flights before ceasing operations. However, an increasing number of foreign airlines are flying into Harare these days. They include South African Airways with direct flights from Johannesburg. Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa, Kenya Airways from Nairobi, TAAG Angola Airlines from Luanda and Egypt Air from Cairo via Dar es Salaam and KLM from Amsterdam.

Taxis from the airport to the main hotels cost $25. This exorbitant fixed price, given the relatively short distance and great age of the taxis, is attributed by the drivers to the high fees that they have to pay to the airport authority.

By train
Bulawayo has departures three times a week at 20:00, arriving next morning around 08:00. $12 for a sleeper and $10 for a seat. Trains from Mutare, at the border with Mozambique, run three times a week departing Mutare also at 21:00, arrival time in Harare is early morning at 18:00. $7 for 1st class sleeper. $5 for 2nd class sleeper. There are no international trains to Harare except occasional cruise trains.



By car
The condition of the roads in Zimbabwe has deteriorated dramatically since the government has failed to maintain them. Most of the country is now without street lights. The main highways are still in a good state of repair outside of the cities: traffic is so light now that damage from trucks is minimal.

A good road from Johannesburg allows easy access. However, be careful of the sometimes frightening drops at the side of the roads, at the edge of the tarmac, particularly with oncoming trucks at night. Driving at is not advised.

You should be all right without a 4x4 unless you head into rural areas and game parks. If you enter from South Africa, ensure that your insurance waiver is valid for Zimbabwe.

By bus
Buses from Johannesburg are easily available ranging from Eagle Liner (for R330). Greyhound (for R450) and Intercape (R420). The bus takes between 16-24 hours. Delays at the border are very common and typically range 3-8 hr, but they can be as much as 20 hr at Christmas time. Intercape, which has the largest intercity network in southern Africa also have buses from Mutare, Masvingo, Gweru, and Bulawayo.

Most ordinary long-distance bus services arrive at the Mbare Terminal, 3 km southwest of the Central district. The terminal itself is giant, hectic, confusing, and dangerous. There are several disconnected regions of the terminal, and finding something as simple as a taxi can require walking over 500 m through markets and alleys. Although minibuses to Mbare depart from the 4th Street Terminal in Central (at 4th and Mugabe), it may be worth taking a taxi, which will be able to find a bus to your destination for you.

"Luxury" buses (including Eagle Liner/Greyhound/Intercape) arrive and depart from the modern Roadport terminal at 5th & Mugabe.



Get around
Harare is very spread out. The best option to get around is by car, which is easier now that dollarization has made fuel shortages a thing of the past. Fuel is readily available at most outlets for cash or through a coupon system. Most operators now import fuel by themselves and prices are independently set. Most service stations close in the evening, while some offer 24-hour service.

Taxis: in 4+1 style taxis, it is very common to fit as many as 8 people inside. Rides around town should cost about $5 for the entire cab at night, typically $2 or $3 during the day, unless you are going to the suburbs. Make sure you negotiate the price before you get inside the car

Minibus taxis are readily available with frequent services between central and all suburbs. Ask around for the terminal for your destination. Typically the fare is about $0.50.

See
There is a strong appreciation for the city's cultural and historical heritage and a number of the older buildings have been preserved. The Mining Pension Fund Building at Central Avenue and Second Street is one example and many more are to be found along Robert Mugabe Road between Second Street and Julius Nyerere Way.



Do

 * Cricket:

Buy


All purchases in larger stores are made with US dollars, which is the national currency.

Anything made locally is inexpensive. Packets of Zimbabwe cigarettes cost $0.50 (as of April 2010). Everything that is imported is relatively expensive compared to South Africa. Cans of Coca-cola typically cost $1, for example.

If you want to experience shopping the way it is traditionally done in many African countries, you could stroll around at the open flea-market at Mbare. Here tourists could feast their eyes on a colourful array of baskets, food, clothing and other items.

ATMs give US dollars. The ATMs at Ecobank, Stanbic, Nedbank will accept international Visa or Mastercards.



Eat
Zimbabwe's staple food is sadza: a thick white porridge (a bit like mashed potato), that's made from corn (maize) meal, seen throughout Southeastern Africa. It's eaten for lunch and dinner, accompanied by vegetables or meat in some form.

In Harare there are many restaurants serving various cuisines, a good place to start are its numerous outdoor cafes:
 * Cafe Espresso on Cork Road, Avondale. Has a brilliantly landscaped garden, a wifi spot and excellent coffees
 * 40 Cork Road, Avondale. An outdoor cafe, art gallery, and sculpture garden. Very much the place to be seen.
 * 167 Enterprise Road, Chisipite. An old house converted into a restaurant with a huge garden with a pool, an art shop, gallery etc.

With the dollarisation of the economy, there has been a big increase in the number of restaurants and coffee shops in Harare. The Zimbabwe Tourism website has also been upgraded.



Drink
Try Chibuku, a popular local beer. It comes in "scuds", which are large 2 litre brown plastic containers. The beer is lumpy and opaque beige, but is good and very cheap.

Shake-shake is prepackaged sorghum beer (brewed in the traditional African style) and is very thick and filling, and comes in milk cartons.

The locally brewed Castle, Lion, Zambesi and Bohlingers are definitely worth trying.

Harare has a vibrant club scene that goes on until the early hours.

Sleep
The city boasts an a few high end hotels (such as the Meikles Hotel and Rainbow Towers), but also has a significant number of three to four star hotels that offer affordable accommodation without compromising on quality. These include the Crowne Plaza Monomotapa, the Cresta Lodge and the Holiday Inn.

Harare also has quite a number of bed and breakfast/guest houses and Airbnbs, mostly set in former residential houses with extensive gardens.

Connect
WiFi is available around the city provided by private from as little one as 1 USD, WiFi in Zimbabwe is very rare as many people don't engage in social media but those who do have. Connection is very much available in internet cafes.

Cope
Harare is safe walking around the town, however after dark, this should be avoided in high density suburbs, especially in poorly light area. If you leave your hotel to visit restaurants, take a taxi or rideshare as a precaution.

Embassies

 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇩🇿 Algeria Algeria
 * 🇧🇷 Brazil
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇮🇳 India
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * Republic of Korea
 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia
 * the Netherlands
 * 🇵🇰 Pakistan
 * 🇵🇹 Portugal
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next
As well as going to Zvishavane would Be fun!
 * Victoria Falls.
 * Bulawayo