Travellers to the Zimbabwe capital city of Harare will be enthralled by the rich cultural and historical heritage as well as priceless collections of Rhodesiana and Africana. The bustling metropolis has an extensive collection of public museums and institutions and houses many of Zimbabwe’s most important historic monuments and memorials.
History of Harare
Before 1982, Harare was known as Salisbury. The city was founded in 1890 and named Fort Salisbury after the UK Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. Salisbury was the capital of the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia and of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It retained the name Salisbury until 1982, when it was renamed Harare on the second anniversary of Zimbabwean independence from the United Kingdom.
Activities and Experiences in Harare
There are a number of popular tourist attractions in Harare that deserves inclusion in your Zimbabwe vacation plans. The National Gallery houses a collection of interesting and valuable pieces of art and sculpture, with a number of superb Shona soft-stone carvings. It also hosts several temporary international exhibitions. The National Archives have a rare collection of historic diaries, notebooks and reports of various origins regarding famous missionaries and explorers. Some of the original works of some of the greatest names in African exploration can be viewed. Other institutions in Harare which are well worth visiting on your holiday to Zimbabwe include the Queen Victoria Museum and the Queen Victoria National Library.
Shopping in Harare is highly recommended while on safari in Zimbabwe. This city has an array of shops catering to every budget. More interestingly, Harare offers the huge traditional open market at Mbare, where visitors can find a colourful array of baskets, food, clothing and various other items. By supporting the local craftsmen who sell their hand-made artwork, stone and wooden sculptures, and wicker goods, visitors can take home a unique piece of Africa that will be treasured for years to come.
For a taste of life on the wild side, include a visit to Chivero Mukuvisi Woodlands in your safari plans for Zimbabwe. This natural woodland of 227 hectares just to the east of Harare, provides a home to a wide range of game like giraffe, zebra, impala, tsessebe, wildebeest, bushbuck, steenbuck, reedbuck and eland as well as more than 230 bird species. Botanists will enjoy the Chivero Mukuvisi Woodlands as well, with no less than 300 species of trees and shrubs that naturally occur in the area.
Harare Tours with JENMAN
Discover the magic of Zimbabwe on the holiday of a lifetime with the 13-day Grand Zimbabwe safari package that ends in the capital city of Harare. On this fully inclusive tour to Zimbabwe you will also get to experience the sights and sounds of the mighty Victoria Falls and the water-wonderworld of Lake Kariba. Fantastic wildlife viewing awaits in Hwange National Park and Matobo National Park.
