Planning a trip to Zimbabwe? It’s a safe country to visit and the locals are incredibly friendly, however like any vibrant country with big cities, you should practice caution. Here are top six tips to stay safe while visiting Zimbabwe:
The use of marijuana is illegal in Zimbabwe; it’s not a recreational drug here, it’s an illegal substance and in fact falls under the Dangerous Drugs Act. You can be arrested for the possession, use, trade or ingestion of marijuana. You don’t want to spend your time here in a prison cell, Zimbabwean prisons aren’t as beautiful as the rest of the country unfortunately. Remember the earlier point of not imitating the locals? Well, you’ll find marijuana dealers in a lot of street corners in the bigger cities, and a lot of locals using the substance, but it’s still illegal, and you can’t be certain of the grade/strength.
This is going to sound a little strange, but don’t imitate local behaviour, for example don’t exchange money on the black market. Ask your tour guide, or ask a local you are familiar with for some help – Zimbabweans are the most helpful people in the world. Zimbabwe has several laws that are hardly enforced, but sometimes the authorities get the work bug and attempt a law enforcement spree, you don’t want to be caught on the wrong side. Make no mistake, serious crimes are dealt with as they should, so you need not fear that you could be murdered in cold blood and no one will care, those aren’t the laws under discussion. You might find locals trading foreign currency on the street for local cash or vice versa and no one bats an eyelid. This is illegal and could get you into trouble even though the locals engage in such activities all the time.
Pro tip: You could also get scammed. Whilst most money traders are often honest enough, others aren’t above short-changing or giving you fake notes once they smell foreign blood.
Zimbabwe, like any other democracy, has its fair share of protests and rallies, however, stay away from protest marches and political rallies. Whilst it’s noble to want to assist locals in airing out their grievances, there are a great deal of political undertones you might be unaware of. Taking pictures during these protests might cause trouble for you and you could easily be mistaken for a protestor and dealt with as such.
More so, it is illegal to take pictures of the police, soldiers, government buildings or snap a few selfies, particularly the Parliament building located in the Central Business District and the State House, where the President resides. These buildings are easy to spot; the flag is a dead giveaway if you don’t notice the armed forces guarding these areas.
Stay away from food cooked and sold by street vendors, far, far away. It’s not to say all cooked food bought on the street will make you sick, after all, you’ll see locals confidently buying and eating that food, however, you should only buy food from licensed places such as restaurants Ndleyo & Gava Restaurant, supermarkets and established fast food outlets for example. Just ask your tour guide or placement advisor if you are on an internship, they will take you to reputable outlets.
Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables you buy, especially on the street before you eat it and only drink water from trusted sources, and wash your hands often.
Zimbabwe’s rain season is from November to March, and there is an increased risk for malaria during this time in the lowveld & areas surrounded by dams and rivers. It’s important to bring a course of Malaria pills, after all, prevention is better than cure. If you’re visiting the game parks and staying in the bushier areas, arm yourself with mosquito repellent. You can purchase the cream or the jelly for your skin, or a mosquito coil that produces repellent smoke or request to stay in accommodation equipped with mosquito nets. If you’re coming from a yellow fever country, it’s best to visit a travel clinic or hospital for a check and medical records before embarking on your journey to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe itself is yellow fever-free and has been for years, so you don’t need the vaccination for Zimbabwe, unless you are then heading to another destination.
It’s not unusual to extend your adventure in all sorts of directions when you visit a foreign country with people who look and sound different from you, however it is necessary to be cautious. Whilst the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe has decreased over the years, it is still a problem you should be aware of. Should you decide to have adventures of the sexual kind, remember to use condoms, they can be purchased quite cheaply from stores, supermarkets and pharmacies. In some instances, you can acquire them for free from local clinics.
Zimbabwe is a beautiful country with lots of sunny, warm days and the friendliest people on the planet, you’re almost guaranteed to have a good time. Take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety and you’ll have a memorable trip. When you travel with a sustainable company like Tiritose Sustainable Travel, we’ll enlighten you of necessary precautions to take through our pre-departure information pack for volunteers and interns, and we will do our very best to ensure your safety and enjoyment of your stay in Zimbabwe. After all, we are proud of our 100% safety and health record!
For more inspiration, follow them on their social media handles:
Facebook: Tiritose Sustainable Travel – Home
Twitter: Tiritose Sustainable Travel (@TiritoseTravel)
Instagram: Tiritose Sustainable Travel (@tiritose_sustainable_travel)
Pinterest: Tiritose Sustainable Travel (tiritose_sustainable_travel) – Profile
LinkedIn: Tiritose Sustainable Travel | LinkedIn
