Harare

Harare is blessed with a lovely subtropical highland climate.

The average annual temperature is 17.95 °C (64.3 °F), which is quite low for the tropics owing to its high height and the predominance of a cool south-easterly breeze.

There are three primary seasons: a warm, rainy season from November to March/April; a cold, dry season from May to August (which corresponds to winter in the Southern Hemisphere); and a hot, dry season from September to October.

Daily temperature ranges are around 7–22 °C (45–72 °F) in July (the coldest month), approximately 15–29 °C (59–84 °F) in October (the hottest month), and approximately 16–26 °C (61–79 °F) in January (the warmest month) (midsummer).

The climate supports open forest vegetation in its native state. The most frequent tree in the area is the Msasa Brachystegia spiciformis, which turns the landscape wine crimson in late August with its new leaves. Two South American tree species, the Jacaranda and the Flamboyant, imported during the colonial period, add to the city’s color pallet, with streets lined with either the Jacaranda’s lilac flowers or the Flamboyant’s blazing red blooms. They bloom in October/November and are planted on off-the-beaten-path streets across the metropolis. Bougainvillea is also common.

Internet access is accessible in hotels and at one or two internet cafés, although it is sluggish and inconsistent.

Cell phone coverage is adequate in and around Harare. SIM cards are inexpensive and widely available. However, there may be issues with international calls. International landline calls remain unstable as well.

Harare International Airport is the country’s main entry point. Prior to discontinuing operations, Air Zimbabwe also operated a modest network of domestic flights. However, a growing number of international airlines are already flying into Harare. South African Airways, for example, has 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 andKLM from Amsterdam.

The cost of a taxi from the airport to the major hotels is $25. The drivers blame the enormous costs they have to pay to the airport administration for the exorbitant fixed pricing, which is justified considering the small distance and age of the taxis.

Bulawayo has three weekly departures at 8 p.m., with arrivals at 8 a.m. A sleeper costs $12 and a seat costs $10. Trains travel three times a week from Mutare, near the Mozambique border, departing Mutare at 9 p.m. and arriving in Harare at 6 a.m. The cost of a first-class sleeper is $7. The cost of a 2nd class sleeper is $5. There are no international trains to Harare at the moment, save for the odd cruise trains.

From Johannesburg, buses ranging from Eagle Liner to Greyhound are readily available (for R330). Intercape (for R450) and Greyhound (R420). The bus journey takes anything from 16 to 24 hours. Delays at the border are common and normally last 3-8 hours, although they can go up to 20 hours around the holidays.

Buses go from Harare to Mutare, Masvingo, Gweru, and Bulawayo by Intercape, which has the largest intercity network in southern Africa.

The Mbare Terminal, 3 kilometers southwest of the Central city, is where most typical long-distance bus services arrive. The terminal itself is enormous, chaotic, perplexing, and even hazardous. The station is divided into various sections, and even locating a cab might take up to 500 meters of wandering through marketplaces and lanes. Although minibuses to Mbare depart from Central’s 4th Street Terminal (located at 4th and Mugabe), a taxi may be more cost-effective in finding a bus to your destination.

The modern Roadport terminal at 5th and Mugabe is where “luxury” buses (such as Eagle Liner, Greyhound, and Intercape) arrive and depart.

Easy access is provided by an excellent route from Johannesburg. However, be cautious of the occasionally terrifying dips along the side of the road, near the tarmac’s edge, especially at night with incoming vehicles. In fact, driving at night is not recommended.

Harare is a large city with a lot of different neighborhoods. The best way to get around is by car, which is even easier now that currency depreciation has eliminated fuel shortages. Most outlets have free fuel, which may be purchased with cash or through a coupon system. The majority of operators now import their own fuel and set their own prices. The majority of service stations close around p.m., while there are a few that are open 24 hours a day.

Taxis: It is fairly normal to fit as many as 8 persons within 4+1 taxis. Unless you’re traveling to the suburbs, rides throughout town should cost roughly $5 for the full cab at night, and $2 or $3 during the day. Before you get in the car, make sure you negotiate the price.

Minibus taxis are readily available and run frequently between the city center and all of the suburbs. Inquire about your destination’s terminal. The fare is usually around $0.50c.

Tourist (Backpacker) – 73 $ per day. Estimated cost per 1 day including:meals in cheap restaurant, public transport, cheap hotel.

Tourist (regular) – 214 $ per day. Estimated cost per 1 day including:mid-range meals and drinks,transportation, hotel.

MARKET / SUPERMARKET

RESTAURANTS

ENTERTAINMENT

PERSONAL CARE

CLOTHES / SHOES

TRANSPORTATION

A great sense of pride in the city’s cultural and historical history exists, and many of the older structures have been conserved. Many more may be seen along Robert Mugabe Road between Second Street and Julius Nyerere Way, such as the Mining Pension Fund Building between Central Avenue and Second Street.

• National Gallery of Zimbabwe. It not only houses a significant and intriguing national collection, but it also accommodates international traveling exhibitions and includes a permanent display of excellent Shona soft-stone sculptures.
• National Archives. Diaries, journals, and reports of diverse provenance house a valuable collection of Rhodesiana and Africana. Original works by some of the most famous figures in African exploration and missionary service may be seen.
• Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences. Previously known as the Queen Victoria Museum.
• Harare City Library. Previously known as the Queen Victoria Memorial Library
• The Kopje. A granite hill towering over central Harare’s southwest corner is a fantastic site to go for city views.
• Chapungu Sculpture Park. The abundance of black serpentine stone boulders found across Zimbabwe, visible even as you drive in from the airport, has prompted Zimbabwe’s great artisans to make stone sculptures. Numerous artists’ shows are on display in this big space.
• Harare Botanical Gardens
• Mukuvisi Woodlands, Hillside Rd, +263 4 747 111. 277 hectares of unusually well-preserved natural woods along the Mukuvisi stream’s banks. Giraffe, zebra, impala, tsessche, wildebeest, bushbuck, steenbuck, reed buck, and eland are among the bird and wild animal species that may be seen.

Sadza is Zimbabwe’s national dish, a thick white porridge prepared from corn (maize) meal that resembles mashed potatoes. It’s served with vegetables or meat in some manner at every meal.

There are several westernized restaurants in Harare that serve European or American cuisine, however the outside cafés are arguably more exciting:

• Cafe Espresso on Cork Road in Avondale, Harare, boasts a beautiful garden and a wifi hotspot, as well as superb coffee.
• An outdoor cafe, art gallery, and sculpture garden can be found at 40 Cork Road in Avondale, Harare. This is unquestionably the spot to be seen.
• 167 Enterprise Road, Chisipite, Harare – an old home that has been turned into a restaurant, with a large yard with a pool, an art shop, and a gallery, among other things.

The number of eateries and coffee shops in Harare has risen dramatically as the economy has become more dollarized. The Zimbabwe Tourism website was also updated lately.

• Amanzi Restaurant, 158 Enterprise Road, Highlands,  +263 4 497768,+263 912 336 224, e-mail: restaurant@amanzi.co.zw. Amanzi, widely regarded as Harare’s greatest restaurant, is a lengthy ($10-15 each way) but worthwhile journey out of town into the posh suburbs. If you don’t make a reservation, you won’t be able to get past the gatekeeper.
• Coimbra, 61 Selous Avenue, corner 7th St ($5 taxi ride from the main hotels),  +263-4-700237, e-mail: coimbra@zol.co.zw. The atmosphere of this Portuguese eatery is sparse, but that isn’t an issue. You come for the cuisine, not the atmosphere, and the food is excellent. Quick Service – $10 for half a chicken and $25 for chips.

Chibuku, a popular local beer, is a good choice. It comes in enormous 2 litre brown plastic containers known as “scuds.” The beer is lumpy and opaque beige in color, but it’s tasty and affordable.

Shake-shake is a thick and satisfying prepared sorghum beer (made in the traditional African form) that comes in milk cartons.

Castle, Lion, Zambesi, and Bohlingers, all brewed locally, are deserving of your attention.

The official currency, the US dollar, is used to make all purchases at major stores.

Anything created in the area is cheap. Zimbabwe smokes cost $0.50 per pack (as of April 2010). In comparison to South Africa, everything that is imported is quite pricey. Coca-cola cans, for example, are usually $1.

You may wander through the open flea market in Mbare if you want to experience shopping the way it is done in many African nations. Tourists might enjoy a colorful display of baskets, food, clothing, and other products here. The government, on the other hand, destroyed Mbare flea market, as well as every other informal market in the country, in September 2005. Thousands of individuals have been left homeless and without a source of income.

In a country with one of the worst unemployment rates in the world, the government’s attempt to reduce informal commerce was devastating. Markets began to rise again over time.

US dollars are available at ATMs. Most foreign Visa or Master cards are accepted at Ecobank, Stanbic, and Standard Charted ATMs.

Harare boasts a thriving nightlife scene that lasts into the early hours of the morning.

• Stars is a high-end bar/club/lounge located close to the Rainbow hotel that plays hip hop and house music. It can be costly, but it’s a lot of fun.
• Symphony is a comparable hip hop club/lounge like Stars.
• The Globe Trotters, or GT, is a significantly more affordable club.
• Balcony is very similar to Globe Trotters.
• Beverlino Restaurant, 100 Nelson Mandela Corner Fourth/Nelson Mandela(Opposite Quality International Hotel),  +263 4 704741. Beverlino Restaurant, famous for its baskets, offers a broad variety of cuisine and beverages to suit your preferences. Warm, savory meals will be delivered to your door step wherever you are in town. Now is the time to place your meal order.