Harare

Harare is the capital of Zimbabwe.Its name is a derivative of a Shona tale. A King was seriously ill and his subjects thought that he was not going to 'sleep' and live another day. In Shona 'Ha a rare' literally means He will not sleep. And the place where the sick king lived became to be known as 'Chikomo che HA A RARE' meaning the mountain where he won't sleep.

It is home to a population of 1,903,510 people in total, approximately 16.36% of the total population (Source: Census 2002, Preliminary Results Summary, Central Statistical Office). The total urban population of Harare is 1,444,534 with the remainder of the population spread between Rural Harare (23,310), Chitungwiza (321,782) and Epworth (113,884). These statistics compare to a total population of 1,478,810 in 1992 (1,184,169 urban population), 14.22% of the total population. Harare, is a beautiful, light-filled, open city; high on the country's central plateaux.

It is a city of modern buildings, wide thoroughfares, numerous parks and gardens. A city whose streets are lined with flowering trees and a wonderful and invigorating climate.

Get in

By plane

Harare's airport is the major gateway for flights into the country. Air Zimbabwe also operates a small network of domestic flights. In recent times flight with Air Zimbabwe often had to be cancelled due to a lack of spare parts and fuel. So rather use a foreign airline. These include South African Airways => and low-fare Kulula.com =>, both flying from South Africas Johannesburg Int. Airport.

By car

A National Road from Johannesburg allows easy access. Note that it is a Toll Road, meaning you have to pay from time ti time to use it.

Get around

Although the best option to get around is by car, it can become difficult, as there are fuel shortages in Zimbabwe.

See

There is a strong appreciation for the city's cultural and historical heritage and a number of the older buildings have been preserved. The Mining Pension Fund Building at Central Avenue and Second Street is one example and many more are to be found along Robert Mugabe Road between Second Street and Julius Nyerere Way.

The National Gallery houses not only a valuable and interesting national collection but also hosts travelling international exhibitions and has a permanent display of some outstanding Shona soft-stone carvings.
The priceless collection of Rhodesiana and Africana in the form of diaries, notebooks and reports of various origins, are housed in the National Archives. Some of the original works of some of the greatest names in African exploration and missionary can be viewed.
Other institutions which are well worth visiting include the Queen Victoria Museum and the Queen Victoria National Library, both at the Civic Centre; in Rotten Row.

The city was laid out with large open spaces like the 68ha National Botanic Garden with more than 900 species of wild trees and shrubs from all over the country. The Mukuvisi Woodlands is 277 hectares of remarkably preserved natural woodland that stances astride the banks of the small Mukuvisi stream. A variety of bird and of wild animal species such as giraffe, zebra, impala, tsessche, wildebeest, bushbuck, steenbuck, reed buck and eland can be viewed.
The Kopje, a granite hill rising above the south-west corner of central Harare, is a great place to go for views of the city.

Buy

If you want to experience shopping the way it is traditionally done in many African countries, you need to stroll around at the open flea-market at Mbare. Here tourists can feast their eyes on a colourful array of baskets, food, clothing and other items.

External links

http://www.zimbabwetourism.co.zw