Harare
Discover Harare
Harare is the capital and largest city in Zimbabwe. Harare has an excellent highland climate and well-planned garden suburbs that are very pleasant to walk around in. It has an extensive collection of public museums, institutions and many of the nation's most important historic monuments and memorials. Harare is home to over two and a half million people, with most in central Harare but some 500,000 in the surrounding districts of Norton, Chintungwiza and Epworth. Though a city of modern buildings, wide thoroughfares, numerous parks and gardens, it suffered from increasing neglect thanks to Zimbabwe's economic crisis, however in the 2010s there has finally been some new investments in infrastructure. Despite this, Harare is still one of Africa's most pleasant cities to visit with plenty of attractions and friendly locals.
Taste of Harare...
Zimbabwe's staple food is sadza: a thick white porridge (a bit like mashed potato), that's made from corn (maize) meal, seen throughout Southeastern Africa. It's eaten for lunch and dinner, accompanied by vegetables or meat in some form. In Harare there are many cafes and restaurants serving various cuisines, a good place to start are its numerous outdoor cafes: With the dollarisation of the economy, there has been a big increase in the number of restaurants and coffee shops in Harare. The Zimbabwe Tourism website has also been upgraded. Try Chibuku, a popular local beer with the working class. It comes in "scuds", which are large 2 litre brown plastic containers. The beer is lumpy and opaque beige, but is good and very cheap.Shake-shake is prepackaged sorghum beer (brewed in the traditional African style) and is very thick and filling, and comes in milk cartons. The locally brewed Castle, Lion, Zambesi and Bohlingers are definitely worth trying and more popular with suburbanites. Wine consumption tends to be the preserve of the middle class, with most restaurants going for South African and to a lesser extent French and Australian wines. However, Zimbabwe does have a small wine scene of its own, dominated by the Delta Corporation and its wine brand, Mukuyu. However, newer upstarts such as, Kumusha produce wines of much better quality and are extremely affordable by international standards. Harare has a very vibrant club scene that goes on until the early hours.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsHarare's airport is the major gateway for flights into the country. Air Zimbabwe also operated a small network of domestic flights before ceasing operations. However, an increasing number of foreign airlines are flying into Harare these days. They include South African Airways with 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 and KLM from Amsterdam. Taxis from the airport to the main hotels cost $25. This exorbitant fixed price, given the relatively short distance and great age of the taxis, is attributed by the drivers to the high fees that they have to pay to the airport authority. National Railways Of Zimbabwe service was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, and remains suspended as of November 2025. The condition of the roads in Zimbabwe has deteriorated dramatically since the government has failed to maintain them....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Harare is very spread out. The best option to get around is by car, which is easier now that dollarization has made fuel shortages a thing of the past. Fuel is readily available at most outlets for cash or through a coupon system. Most operators now import fuel by themselves and prices are independently set. Most service stations close in the evening, while some offer 24-hour service. inDrive is popular in Harare and probably the best app to book a taxi. Hwindi is another option. Rides around town should cost about $5 for the entire cab at night, typically $2 or $3 during the day, unless you are going to the suburbs. If you do not use an app, make sure you negotiate the price before you get inside the car. You can also take shared taxis. In 4+1 style shared taxis, it is very common to fit as many as 8 people inside. Minibus taxis are readily available with frequent services between central and all suburbs. Ask around for the terminal for your destination.
Where to Stay
The city boasts a few high end hotels (such as the Meikles Hotel and Rainbow Towers), but also has a significant number of three to four star hotels that offer affordable accommodation without compromising on quality. These include the Crowne Plaza Monomotapa, the Cresta Lodge and the Holiday Inn. Harare also has quite a number of bed and breakfast/guest houses and Airbnbs, mostly set in former residential houses with extensive gardens. WiFi is available around the city provided by private from as little one as 1 USD, when in doubt look for a finer hotel and connect to their network for a better connection. Internet cafes are slowly becoming extinct but are reliable if you can find one . Harare is a safe walking around the town a lots of locals are on the streets, however after dark, this should be avoided in high density suburbs, especially in poorly light area. If you leave your hotel to visit restaurants, take a taxi or rideshare as a precaution.
Money & Budget
All purchases in larger stores are made with US dollars or the Zig which is the national currency. Anything made locally is generally very affordable. Look for Zimbabwean goods as they tend to be of high quality. Everything that is imported is relatively expensive compared to other African countries, due to high import taxes and a lack of competition. Cans of Coca-cola typically cost $1, for example. If you want to experience shopping the way it is traditionally done in many African countries, you could stroll around at the open flea-market at Mbare or the more upscale experience at Avondale market. Here tourists could feast their eyes on a colourful array of baskets, food, clothing and other items.