Region
Matabeleland
Base in Bulawayo; do Matobo and Khami as day drives. Add Hwange only if you have 3+ nights.
Key facts · Zimbabwe
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Currency
- US dollar in practice
- Language
- 16 official languages
- Plugs
- D · G · 220–240 V
- Time zone
- Central Africa Time
Rules in force · 7Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive befor…
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- Southern Africa ↗A rental car may leave its home country only with the rental company's cross-border letter, the registration papers and paid road taxes at each post; driving into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique or Angola without them ends at the border.
- Southern Africa ↗Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive before sunset: livestock, wildlife, pedestrians and unlit trucks make night driving the main cause of serious visitor accidents.
- Zimbabwe ↗Check visa and entry rules for your passport on official Zimbabwean government sources; if you will cross to Zambia, ask about the KAZA UniVisa and whether it is available to you.
- Zimbabwe ↗Do not photograph government buildings, police, the military or border posts.
- Zimbabwe ↗Bring enough US dollars in small, clean notes; do not rely on ATMs or foreign cards outside Victoria Falls, Harare and lodges.
Matabeleland is Zimbabwe's southwest: Bulawayo as the base, the Matobo Hills for rhinos on foot and rock art, Khami for stone ruins, and Hwange on the western edge for big-game safari. Roads are long and dusty; pick one base and drive out from it rather than moving hotels every night.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- BulawayoCity guide
Wide streets, airport, museums; the practical base for Matobo and Khami.
Best May–Aug
JFMAMJJASOND - Hwange National ParkPlanned
On the western side; 3–4 nights for elephants at the pans.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Day trip
- Matobo National ParkPlanned
South of Bulawayo; rhino tracking and rock art.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Bulawayo 3, Matobo and Khami as day drives
- 5 nights
- Bulawayo 2 + Hwange 3 (transfer by road or light aircraft)
- Bulawayo to Hwange by road is a long day; a light aircraft transfer costs more but saves the drive.
- Southern Matabeleland is hot and dusty for much of the year — carry water and sun cover.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matobo National Park | Bulawayo | 45 min | unknown | Go early; rhino-tracking walks are the main draw. Park fees are paid per person per day at the gate. |
| Khami Ruins | Bulawayo | 30 min | unknown | Half-day; a small stone-ruin site west of the city. |
Bags between cities
No luggage-forwarding habit here; most travellers drive or fly with their bags.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulawayo | × | × | × | ok | go | go | go | go | × | × | × | × |
| Zimbabwe (country-wide) | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulawayo and the Matobo Hillssouthwest highveld | wet | wet | wet | ok | best | best | best | best | best | best | ok | wet |
- Bulawayo and the Matobo Hills
- Dry season roughly May–October is best for game and rock-art walks; the rains come roughly November–March with afternoon storms and green bush. Southern Matabeleland is hot and dusty for much of the year.
Dry-season months are also the peak for Hwange; book safari camps ahead.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg (South Africa) | Bulawayo | Flight to Bulawayo (Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo) or drive via the Beitbridge border post | ~1 h 30 flight | Beitbridge is the main border crossing with South Africa; allow time for queues. |
| Victoria Falls | Bulawayo / Hwange | Road on the A6, or light aircraft | ~5 h to Bulawayo by road | Hwange sits between the two; break the drive there. |
| Harare | Bulawayo | Road on the A4, or domestic flight | ~6 h by road | Check current road conditions before driving. |
Regional passes
Zimbabwe national parks entry
checkPark fees are paid per person per day at the gate; confirm current rates for Matobo and Hwange.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Mopani worms (dried caterpillars) | Markets and roadside stalls | A local snack; sold dried and eaten as-is or cooked. |
| Sadza with relish | Bulawayo restaurants and homes | Stiff maize-meal porridge, the staple; usually eaten by hand with a stew or greens. |
Go next
Victoria Falls
Road on the A6 or a short flight
The classic pairing with Hwange.
Victoria Falls and Hwange
Combine as one loop
Falls plus safari in one leg.
Lake Kariba and the Lower Zambezi
plannedFlight or long road via Harare
Houseboats and Matusadona.
Southeastern Zimbabwe
plannedRoad or flight via Harare
Great Zimbabwe and Gonarezhou.
Eastern Highlands
plannedRoad via Harare
Mountains and waterfalls.
Mashonaland
plannedRoad via Harare
Central and northern Zimbabwe.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source