56 HOW TO SELL
zimbabwe Zimbabwe HOW TO SELL... by Jo Austin
ZIMBABWE ESSENTIALS VISAS: £40 single entry from Zimbabwe Embassy in London or on point of entry (which may take time) TIME ZONE: GMT +2hrs CURRENCY: US Dollar (small change given in Rand) CAPITAL CITY: Harare LANGUAGE: English USEFUL CONTACTS:
zimbabwetourism.net BOOK IT: Audley Travel features a nine-day safari taking in Hwange Game Park and Victoria Falls staying at Wilderness Safaris' Davisons' Camp in Hwange. £3540pp including flights. 01993 838500
audleytravel.com GETTING THERE: South African Airways offers daily flights into Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls via Johannesburg.
Flysaa.com
Zimbabwe is ready and waiting. This is a country that has seen year after year of political and economic turmoil and there is a sense of cautious optimism, combined with a feeling that its luck is about to change. Bursting with friendly people getting on with their lives, tourists are quickly made to feel at home in Zimbabwe and the welcome is genuine. People appear genuinely ‘happy with their lot’, although admittedly that ‘lot’ is not very much. Supermarket shelves are well- stocked and there is no shortage of fresh fruit and vegetables for sale along the roadside. Fields of tobacco, maize and potatoes appear well-managed and hotel and lodge menus feature a wide range of wild game, domestic meats, fi sh and salads. The crime rate in Zimbabwe is low
and visitors are safe to wander around town without harassment or begging. Where there is more ‘hassle’ around Victoria Falls, visitors are reassured by the presence of Tourism Police to fend off any persistent curio salesmen!
WHY SELL? Once a favourite safari destination
with UK holidaymakers, Zimbabweans are a very friendly nation and visitors are immediately welcome. Zimbabwe is rich in wildlife and adventure and features some extraordinary cultural sights. While suffering from regular bad press over the years, Zimbabwe has to be seen to be believed. It has everything, and perhaps more, than its close neighbours have to offer in the form of lakes, rivers, history and safety.
WHO TO? Experienced safari-goers with a
passion for Africa will be excited to see what Zimbabwe has to offer in terms of culture, game and high-quality hotel and safari camp accommodation. Guides are expertly-trained in their knowledge of wildlife, and hotels and lodges are well managed. While some
restaurant menus lack choice, the quality in the main is quite good with plenty of ‘colonial’ options such as English breakfast, toad in the hole and rice pudding! Not a great place to eat for vegetarians.
SELL WHAT?
Victoria Falls remains a fi rm
favourite with tourists and rightly so. More than the Falls are a huge amount of activities such as bungee jumping, white water rafting and helicopter and micro-light fl ights over the Zambezi. Venturing out as self-drive or in a private hire minibus has huge rewards and the roads are, in the main, good. The ruins of Great Zimbabwe are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a 900 year-old mystery. Lake Kariba features houseboats to rent and fi shing safaris.
“Experienced safari-
goers with a passion for Africa will be excited to see what Zimbabwe has to offer”
Elephants are free to roam across the borders of Gonarezhou National Park
Mana Pools is known for canoe safaris and close-ups with hippo, elephant and crocs. 4WD safaris in Hwange (the size of Wales) and spectacular, remote Gonorazhou on the Mozambique border, offer the chance to see the Big Five, although rhino are heavily protected and a rare sight. The Eastern Highlands are a stunning range of boulder-like mountains full of trout lakes and rivers. Safari lodges are all-inclusive in the main and children are welcome over the age of 12 (and less in some camps). This is a country with everything to offer the adventure seeker, even Bear Grylls has discovered it with the launch of his latest Survival Camp at Vic Falls.
SELL WHEN? Know your seasons when selling
Zimbabwe as these differ in different regions. December to March is green with rains, good for viewing huge herds of grazing animals and new borns. (No access to Mana Pools on the Zambezi). April to May things start to dry out, and June to December is the dry season when game viewing is good. October can be very hot.
www.sellinglonghaul.com
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