Zimbabwe has always been a fascinating place for me because of its past as an African breadbasket, and its fall towards Mugabe and subsequent hyperinflation. Even in 2018 there has been a rigged election by the same party that kicked Mugabe out to try and make things better.
Victoria Falls (Spend 1 day here, I spent 1 as well) –
Personally, I like the Livingstone side of the river best. It is bigger, has actual locals and not just merchants, and you won’t get hounded as often to buy stuff like you will here. The town of Victoria Falls is pretty, and I get the impression that it may have been the better of it and Livingstone years ago, but today there are fewer tourists and plenty more street vendors.
That said, there is a cool brewery, some pretty buildings, a really nice national park nearby, and a very different Victoria Falls experience than the Zambia side. I’d recommend going to Zambia, staying there, and doing a quick day trip to Victoria Falls. Don’t get a taxi from the border to the town, it is literally half a mile.
Harare (Maybe spend a day here before heading to a national park, I skipped it)
Maybe years from now Zimbabwe will be a better place to visit, the capital included, but from the many people we spoke to, Harare is definitely skippable for now. If you fly in here, maybe check out the National Heroes Acre, because it looks pretty cool. There doesn’t seem to be much in the form of history, things to see, or even national parks.
Hwange National Park (I think most national parks are similar, but this sounds like the best one in Zimbabwe. I did not make it here.
While I didn’t come here myself, it does seem like a park that has everything you’re looking for. Check it out if you have the time.
Country-level of difficulty – 6/10
(This could change depending on safety. People speak English there are roads (though maybe not great ones) and decent infrastructure. It is just hard to say how safe the country is at night, and especially cross-country.
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