Zimbabwe Lion Rehabilitation Victoria Falls

General Country Information

Zimbabwe, formally known as Rhodesia, has been independent since 1980, although it has been through some turbulent times since independence.

Zimbabwe borders Zambia, South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique. It is a diverse and exhilarating destination, in just one visit you could experience walking with lions, visit a pristine wildlife reserve that is home to hundreds of tropical species of birds and animals, learn to scuba dive or enjoy the thrill of white water rafting and other adrenaline sports.

Zimbabwe is home to one of Earth's biggest waterfalls, Victoria Falls, and the wild Zambezi River.  It is claimed that Dr Livingstone discovered the falls from Zimbabwe, although Zambia claims that the falls are in their territory! 

Zimbabwe also has some of the most beautiful and well-protected game reserves in the world. These privately run reserves are on a mission to protect the bio-diversity and wildlife that Zimbabwe is home to.  

There are over 10 large National Parks and numerous private reserves across Zimbabwe.  Your voluntary work will be vital to the protection and conservation of many endangered animals and their surrounding environment, which is conducive to their survival.

The Political Situation in Zimbabwe
As you will more than likely be aware, Zimbabwe is currently in the media spotlight with a focus on increased political tensions. We would like to take this opportunity to explain the situation to you and reassure you that at this time Real Gap is confident that your time in Zimbabwe will not be affected.

Problems in Zimbabwe have been present for many years, but there is currently some heightened tension in the poorer suburbs and townships around some major cities, mainly Harare, with the occurrence of a number of political demonstrations and rallies. This is not unusual over recent years and tourist areas remain unaffected.

Real Gap is monitoring Government and travel websites everyday, namely the FCO travel advice and Red24. We will heed any advice issued, but at present, none of the sites are advising against travel to Zimbabwe. We are also in close contact with our project staff located on the ground in Zimbabwe who also continue to monitor the situation. The midlands and Victoria Falls areas of Zimbabwe remain quiet and safe and your project is located well away from the areas experiencing increased tension.

Upon your arrival into Zimbabwe, a project coordinator will meet you and will be present throughout your time at the project. If you do wish to travel after or during your programme, we strongly advise that you do this via an organised tour operator and avoid any independent backpacking. The project staff will be able to advise you on this matter and assist you in making onward travel arrangements.

The media is very good at portraying and distorting the true image of Zimbabwe, which in fact is an extremely beautiful country, filled with warm and generous people who will welcome you with open arms.

Real Gap does take participant safety extremely seriously and if the current situation changes we will inform you immediately. Meanwhile if you have any further questions, please contact us.

Time
Zimbabwe is two hours ahead of GMT.

In Africa, time is not a priority like it is in much of the western world – there is a saying that Africa works to ‘Africa Time’, which basically means you must exercise a lot of patience! If a boat is due to leave at 12pm, don’t be surprised if it still hasn’t a couple of hours later… keep an open mind, and arrive ‘expecting the unexpected’.

Getting There

You will need to arrange your flights to arrive into Victoria Falls airport in Zimbabwe (usually via Johannesburg or Harare). When you arrive, one of your team representatives from the Programme will be there to meet you and take you to your accommodation to settle in, before starting your placement.

Climate

Zimbabwe has a very tropical climate, dominated by the wet and dry seasons. For both dry and wet seasons, you will need to bring outdoor clothing preferably neutral in colour as well as a hat and sun block; the sun can be very harsh to your skin.

April-September: Dry Season
Nights and early mornings can be very cold, especially during the winter months of May to August and can reach as low as minus 2°C while midday can reach up to 25°C. The season is very barren and dry, yet a perfect time for game viewing! If you are arriving during winter ensure you bring some warm jumpers, hats, scarves, etc.

October-March: Wet Season
Days and nights can get very hot and sticky. You need light clothes although there might be a day when the temperature drops so ensure you also bring a sweater. There is a period of heavy rain, especially between mid-November and mid-February so bring a raincoat, waterproof shoes and plenty of clothes you can change into just in case you get caught in the rain; it is a fascinating season where everything turns green and you will find many young animals appearing.

Climate table for Harare