How safe is Zimbabwe for travelers?

There is no advisory against travel

• The FCDO advises against travel to no part of Zimbabwe. Its regional page covers only two things: rural farming areas, where occasional invasions of commercial farms still happen and are sometimes accompanied by violence and threats, and mining areas, which are often restricted.
• Global Affairs Canada rates the whole country exercise a high degree of caution, because of crime. Canada adds that the Marange diamond fields at Chiadzwa are closed by the security forces and should not be approached.
• If you are stopped at a restricted mining area, turn back. That is the FCDO's instruction, not a suggestion.

Crime

• Crime is at a moderate level, and mugging, pickpocketing and bag-snatching are common in city centres, especially after dark. Street lighting can be poor and people travelling alone are more exposed.
• Be vigilant leaving banks and ATMs, and do not carry or display large amounts of cash. In a cash economy that is harder advice to follow than it sounds, which is why it matters.
• There have been occasional armed robberies targeting foreign residents. Keep the accommodation secured.
• Canada adds highway robbery, particularly at night, and flags Victoria Falls, the Honde Valley waterfalls and the Hwange and Mana Pools safari camps as places to be especially careful.

Cameras, and the things you may not photograph

• It is illegal to photograph government offices, airports, military establishments, political party offices, official residences, embassies and other sensitive sites without permission from the Ministry of Information. The police enforce this strictly.
• It is also illegal to photograph police and armed forces personnel, and demonstrations and protests.
• Airports are on that list. The habit of photographing the terminal on arrival is a specific risk here.
• Around State House in Harare, armed Presidential Guard patrol, loitering is not allowed, photography is illegal, the roads close from 18:00 to 06:00, and you should not use GPS navigation in the area at all. Avoid it.

Speech, journalism and the President

• It is illegal to make derogatory or insulting comments about the President, or to carry material considered offensive towards the office of President.
• Zimbabwe defines journalism broadly. It may include any interview, filming or photography, and journalism without accreditation is illegal. Posting, blogging or sharing photographs can be treated as journalism.
• Avoid political gatherings, and political discussion in public places or online. Demonstrations can turn violent and the authorities have used force to suppress them.

The motorcade rule

• It is illegal to keep driving when the President's motorcade passes, whichever side of the road you are on. Pull off the road, or on to the side of it if you cannot.
• Security forces have assaulted people for stopping in the wrong place or not stopping soon enough. This is the one road rule in Zimbabwe that is worth knowing before you drive anywhere.

Laws that catch visitors out

• It is illegal for civilians to wear any form of clothing made from camouflage material. That includes a camouflage-patterned jacket, hat or bag bought as fashion.
• Illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry a long jail sentence and heavy fines, and that includes transiting through the airport. The FCDO notes that Zimbabwean airports have excellent detection technology and scan transit baggage.
• Buying, selling, killing or capturing a protected wild animal, or trading its parts without a licence, risks up to 9 years in prison. Think about that before buying a carved souvenir of uncertain material.
• Do not carry precious or semi-precious stones without the correct paperwork, and it is illegal to carry or import pornographic material.
• A UK arms embargo makes it an offence in UK law to take firearms into Zimbabwe, even if you intend to bring them back.

Identity documents

• Carry a copy of the passport photo page and the visa at all times and leave the original somewhere safe.
• If the passport is lost, get a police report. You may need it to explain to immigration on departure why you have no proof of entry.

Dual nationality

• Zimbabwe's position has been inconsistent. The Constitutional Court has held that Zimbabwean citizens by birth may hold dual nationality, but the law prohibits it for those who acquired citizenship by descent or registration.
• The authorities may obstruct, detain or seek to prosecute someone they consider an offender. Take legal advice before acquiring Zimbabwean citizenship.

LGBT+ travellers

• Sex between men and same-sex marriage are illegal. Society is conservative towards same-sex relations, especially between men.
• Prosecutions are rare and there is a small but active underground scene in Harare, but showing affection in public could draw unwanted attention. Read the FCDO's advice for LGBT+ travellers before deciding.

Wildlife and safaris

• Safety standards in safari lodges and game reserves vary. Check with the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe that an operator is trained and licensed.
• Animal attacks have injured and killed visitors. Walking and canoe safaris carry real personal risk, so check the insurance covers the activity by name.

Blackouts, water and the roads

• Power blackouts are frequent and sometimes long, and traffic lights stop working during them. There is water rationing in parts of the country.
• The standard of driving is very poor and traffic accidents are a common cause of death and injury: deep potholes, broken traffic lights, unlit vehicles, stray livestock, badly marked roads.
• Emergency services may provide very limited help after an accident, and ambulances are unreliable. Avoid driving outside main towns at night, and carry a comprehensive medical kit.
• The rainy season runs November to April and heavy rainfall can damage roads or make them impassable.