Traveller Checklist

Make it your trip

Tell us when you are coming and what you have booked, and the list grows the checks that matter for your dates, your activities and your border crossings.

3 extra checks added below, counted in your progress.

The hottest month before the rains, with very low water.

• SPF 50, a wide hat and shade at middayOctober is the hottest month here — pace the days accordingly.
• Confirm the rafting put-in and whether Devil's Pool is runningLow water changes both, sometimes on the day.
• Keep a rain plan for the first electric stormsFronts arrive late in the month, often in the afternoon.

Zimbabwe is straightforward to enter, but the paperwork is checked closely.

• Passport with six months left and blank pagesBorder officials look for six months of validity and space for stamps.
• Sort your visa, or ask about the KAZA UniVisaIf you are eligible, one visa covers Zimbabwe and Zambia plus day trips to Chobe. Ask at the border before buying anything.
• Return or onward ticketHave it on your phone as well as printed, in case you are asked at the counter.
• Yellow fever certificate if you are arriving from a risk countryKeep it with your passport, not in the suitcase.
• Extra documents for travelling with childrenCarry birth certificates and, where required, an affidavit from the absent parent — Zimbabwe asks for it.
• Travel insurance that covers rafting, bungee and flightsPlenty of standard policies quietly exclude the fun things people come here for.
• Copies of passport, visa and insurancePhotograph each one and keep the copies on your phone and in the cloud.

The Zambezi valley is a malaria area and the sun is fiercer than it looks.

• Talk to a travel doctor about malaria prophylaxisSort it weeks before you travel rather than in the departure lounge.
• Insect repellent for duskMosquitoes come out as the light goes; repellent plus long sleeves covers most of it.
• Prescriptions in their original packagingTown pharmacies stock the basics, not necessarily your medication.
• SPF 50, a hat and lip balmThe mist hides how strong the sun is, and you will be out in it all day.
• Small first aid kit and rehydration sachetsPlasters for gorge steps, painkillers and something for an upset stomach.
• Plan to drink bottled or filtered waterUse it for brushing your teeth too, and refill a bottle instead of buying one an hour.
• Motion sickness tablets if you are doing the riverRafting, cruises and flights are all easier with them on board.

June and July mornings are cold; October is hot and dry; the spray months soak everything.

• Layers rather than one heavy jacketA jacket for the early game drive and short sleeves by midday.
• Light rain shellClose to the viewpoints the spray falls like rain, high-water months especially.
• Quick-dry shorts and shirtsCotton stays damp for hours here.
• SwimwearFor the lodge pool, the river and Devil's Pool if you are doing it.
• Walking shoes with real treadThe rainforest path and the gorge steps stay wet — smooth soles slide.
• Sandals or flip-flopsFor the lodge, the boat and the end of a long day.
• One smart-casual outfitFor the Boma, high tea or dinner at a lodge.

The rainforest walk is wet, bright and longer than people expect.

• Dry bag or waterproof linerIt keeps phone, passport and cash dry on the misty walk and on the water.
• Waterproof phone pouchCheaper than a new phone, and you can still take photos through it.
• Refillable water bottleOne per person, refilled at the lodge before you leave.
• Microfibre cloth for the camera and glassesThe spray settles on the lens within seconds.
• Charged power bankPower cuts still happen, and cold mornings drain a phone battery.
• Park entry fee and tips in small US dollar notesClean, newer bills — torn or old notes are often refused.
• Rain poncho, or plan to hire one at the entranceThere are hire points at the gate if you would rather not carry it.

Rafting, the gorge swing and the flights all have their own rules.

• Shoes you can trust on the gorge stepsOr plan to hire rafting shoes in town and leave yours at the lodge.
• Leave loose jewellery, watches and phones behindThere are lockers, but the simplest thing is not to bring them.
• A dry change of clothes for the climb outLeft at the top of the gorge so you are not wet all the way back.
• Waterproof sunscreenYou will be wet for hours at a time on the river.
• Strap or tether for the action cameraIf it comes off mid-rapid it is gone.

US dollars work everywhere; small notes are the real currency of the street.

• Clean, newer US dollar billsNotes from before 2006 and anything torn are regularly refused.
• US$1, $5 and $10 notes for tips and taxisNobody can change a $50 for a short taxi ride.
• A little local ZWG for small changeUseful in town where nobody wants to break a dollar.
• Tell your bank you are travellingCards are frequently blocked on the first attempt otherwise.
• Get a local prepaid SIM and data bundleEconet and NetOne are cheap in town; lodge Wi-Fi is patchy.
• Download offline maps, tickets and vouchersSignal drops in the gorge and out on the river.
• Universal adaptor (UK-style three-pin, 220-240V)Zimbabwe uses type D, G and M sockets.

A few words and a little respect go a long way here.

• Learn a greeting: Mhoroi (Shona) or Salibonani (Ndebele)It opens doors everywhere in town.
• Ask before photographing peopleEspecially in villages and markets — and take a no with a smile.
• Buy crafts directly from the makersMarket prices are negotiable, but pay fairly for the work.
• Ask your host before giving giftsUseful things beat sweets handed out to children.
• Dress modestly in villagesCovered shoulders and knees are appreciated.
• Pack a tote for shoppingThin plastic bags are banned in Zimbabwe.