Zimbabwe is one adventurous country in Africa. Our Guest nomad, Nnennaya, was on a sponsored trip to Zim and recently got back to share her experiences and some tips about the country.

Nnennaya Fakoya-Smith is a Tourism Promoter. She likes to travel & explore culture, sing, dance, collect postcards and coins/banknotes of countries and she’s also a lover of sports.

You can follow her personal & official Instagram pages and twitter

GETTING THERE

Visa: Visa fee to Zimbabwe costs $30 (Thirty Dollars). But you need to first fill their e-visa on their website and get visa approval. Payment is made at Zimbabwe airport. The process was quite okay. The online form took about 10-15 mins to fill. And I got a response in less than 5 days.

Flights: We flew Kenya Airways. Yes flights are quite pricey to Zimbabwe. However with Kenya Airways, which has it’s holiday team championed by KQ holiday, they have a total package with discounts on flights, hotels, airport transfers and tours. Also Kenya Airways who is in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Tour Authority, has offered to partner with some Nigerian tour operators packing Zim tours, by providing affordable flights to Zimbabwe. So keep your eyes peeled for such packages!

WHERE I STAYED 

We visited three places and lodged in three hotels. At Harare, we stayed at Monomotapo Hotel Bulawayo.
At Bulawayo, we stayed at Cresta Churchill. And at Victoria Falls we stayed at Elephant Hills Hotel. We also got to visit some 3, 4 and 5 star hotels in Zimbabwe. Most hotel prices range from $100 +. But there are a few budget friendly hotels, like Shearwater Explorers Village that are less than $100.

EATING IN ZIMBABWE 

Because my trip was sponsored, I didn’t pay for most of my meals. One meal I paid was about $20 (Twenty Dollars) with drink inclusive. However, food is quite affordable.

Local cuisines: The main staple of Zimbabwean cuisine are maize and corn which is used in variety of dishes. One of their popular local dishes I tried was Sadza. This is a maize meal made into a thickened porridge. It can be rolled into a ball and dipped in soup, sauce, gravy, or stewed vegetables. They love meat..lots of it! I will highly recommend eating at The Boma Dinner and Drum Show in Victoria Falls. You get to eat Zimbabwe traditional dishes and also get a cultural experience. Zimbabweans don’t really like spicy food. Their meals usually come with salt and pepper by the side. We had Nigerians asking for raw cooked pepper to add to their food.

Drinks: For drinks, try Stoney Ginger Beer (Not Alcholic) and their famous Amarula drink which is made from a local fruit called Marula.

THINGS TO DO

Exploring Victoria Falls is a must-do in Zimbabwe! Piece of advise: I would advise anyone visiting the falls to take the helicopter ride first then take a walk through the falls…both experiences are breath taking! I also recommend trying some adrenaline-junkie activities at Victoria Falls such as bungee jumping, zip lining and/or gorge swing. You will have a thrilling experience! Other activities I would also recommend are the Sunset Cruise and Safari (Game Drive). The other places we visited were Matobo National Park Tour at Bulawayo and Safari Lodge at Hwange. But the truth is that Victoria Falls has almost everything you find in those other places and more, thanks to the falls.

CULTURE SHOCK INCIDENCE

I think we Nigerians gave them more of a culture shock than they did! They kept saying Nigerians are loud! However for me, I didn’t really experience any culture shock.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Over-taking is prohibited in Victoria Falls. So if you plan to drive there, be warned or you will be fined.

MY BIGGEST TAKE HOME

One thing that caught my attention in all the places we visited is that they are clean and organized.

You can read more about Nnennaya’s Zimbabwe Trip on her blog:
ZIMBABWE: A WORLD OF WONDERS

ZIMBABWE: VICTORIA FALLS, THE SMOKE THAT THUNDERS

Have you been to Zimbabwe before? How was your experience? Zimbabwe looks like a country for an adventure seeking traveller. We really can’t wait to explore this country. As adventurers, we think we might just add this destination to our Nomad trips 2019.