Travel guide

Is Zimbabwe Safe to Visit? A Practical Guide

Yes, for most visitors to Victoria Falls and the parks who take normal precautions. The real risks: petty theft, wildlife in town after dark, and malaria.

Focus Travel & Tours November 13, 2026 12 views

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Key takeaways

The short version

Zimbabwe is generally safe for tourists who take normal precautions, and Victoria Falls is one of the country's most visitor-friendly towns.
At the time of writing the US State Department rates Zimbabwe Level 2, "Exercise Increased Caution". Check the latest advisory for your own country before you travel.
The most common risks are petty theft, scams, political gatherings and, in Victoria Falls, wild animals walking through town after dark.
Victoria Falls is a malaria area: speak to a travel clinic about tablets before you go.
Buy travel insurance that includes medical evacuation.

For most travellers heading to Victoria Falls and the national parks, the answer is yes, with the same common sense you would use anywhere unfamiliar. We live and work in Victoria Falls, so this is the practical version. The biggest threat to your dignity is usually a baboon with an eye on your snacks.

Is it safe to travel to Zimbabwe right now?

What the advisories say

Yes, for most visitors who stick to the main tourist areas and take sensible precautions. The US State Department lists Zimbabwe at Level 2, "Exercise Increased Caution", the same level it gives many popular destinations. The UK government publishes its own advice on GOV.UK. Advisories change, so read the current version for your passport before you book and again before you fly.

US State Department: Zimbabwe
https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/zimbabwe.html

GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Zimbabwe
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/zimbabwe

Is Victoria Falls safe for tourists?

The realistic risks

Victoria Falls is a small, tourism-focused town where visitors are a big part of daily life. Most trips here are trouble-free. The realistic risks are:

Petty theft: keep phones and wallets out of sight, and do not leave bags unattended.
Street sellers and money changers: polite but persistent. Only change money at banks or official bureaux.
Wildlife: elephants, buffalo and warthogs wander through town, especially at night. Take a taxi or transfer after dark, even for short distances.
Baboons and monkeys: do not carry food openly at the falls or in car parks.

What should you avoid in Zimbabwe?

Five things

Political rallies, demonstrations and large gatherings.
Photographing police, soldiers, government buildings or airports.
Driving at night outside towns: animals, potholes and unlit vehicles make it risky.
Walking alone at night in cities such as Harare and Bulawayo.
Carrying large amounts of cash. Bring smaller US dollar notes for daily spending.

Do you need malaria pills for Victoria Falls?

Talk to a travel clinic

Victoria Falls and the Zambezi Valley are a malaria risk area, so most travel health services recommend talking to a doctor or travel clinic about antimalarial tablets before your trip. The CDC's Zimbabwe page lists the current advice. Whatever you decide, avoid bites: use repellent, wear long sleeves at dusk, and sleep under a net or in air conditioning where provided. The risk is higher in the wet, warm months, roughly November to April. If you develop a fever during or after your trip, see a doctor and say where you have been.

CDC: Zimbabwe
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/zimbabwe

Do you need malaria pills for Victoria Falls?

Is Victoria Falls safe for solo travellers?

Yes, and easy to meet people

Solo travellers, including solo women, visit Victoria Falls all the time, and it is one of the easier places in southern Africa to travel alone. The guided falls tour, a sundowner cruise and a Chobe day safari are group-based, which makes it easy to meet people. A few extra tips:

Book airport transfers in advance so someone is waiting when you land.
Share your itinerary with someone at home and with your accommodation.
Use registered taxis or your lodge's transport at night.
Join group activities for the evening, such as the Boma Dinner & Drum Show.

Victoria Falls Airport Pickup to Hotels
https://focustravelandtours.com/what-to-do/experience/victoria-falls-airport-pickup/

Zambezi Sundowner Cruise
https://focustravelandtours.com/what-to-do/experience/sundowner-cruise/

Boma Dinner & Drum Show
https://focustravelandtours.com/what-to-do/experience/boma-dinner-and-drum-show/

Is Victoria Falls safe for solo travellers?

Do you need travel insurance for Victoria Falls?

Yes, with evacuation cover

Choose a policy that covers medical treatment and emergency evacuation, because serious cases may need transfer to a larger hospital outside the area. If you plan to raft, bungee jump or fly in a helicopter, check that adventure activities are covered: many basic policies exclude them. Also check cover for trip cancellation and lost luggage, and carry your policy number and emergency phone line on your phone and on paper.

Things to do in Victoria Falls
https://focustravelandtours.com/articles/read/things-to-do-in-victoria-falls/

Safety checklist for Zimbabwe

Before you go, and while you are there

Before you go: read your government's travel advisory; check your visa rules and passport validity; see a travel clinic about malaria and vaccines; buy insurance with medical evacuation; bring small US dollar notes.

While you are there: take transfers or taxis after dark; keep valuables out of sight; use repellent from dusk; avoid gatherings and demonstrations; follow your guide's instructions around wildlife.

KAZA UniVisa and the Zimbabwe visa
https://focustravelandtours.com/articles/read/kaza-univisa-zimbabwe-visa/

Travel with a local team

Someone on the ground if plans change

Booking with an operator based in Victoria Falls means you have someone on the ground if plans change. Our guides and drivers live here, and the team runs your transfers and activities directly.

Is Zimbabwe safe for American tourists? Most American visitors to Victoria Falls and the national parks have trouble-free trips.
Is Victoria Falls safer than Harare? It is a small tourist town and generally feels more relaxed than a capital city, but the same precautions apply in both.
Can you walk around Victoria Falls at night? It is best not to. Wild animals, including elephants, move through town after dark. Use a taxi or transfer.
Is it safe to drink tap water in Zimbabwe? Stick to bottled or filtered water, which is widely available in Victoria Falls.

Tell us your dates and what you want to see, and our team in Victoria Falls will put it together. Call us on +263 713 199 088 or send an enquiry.

Contact Focus Travel
https://focustravelandtours.com/contact

Meet the team
https://focustravelandtours.com/about-us/meet-the-team

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Is Zimbabwe Safe to Visit? A Practical Guide

Key takeaways

Is it safe to travel to Zimbabwe right now?

Is Victoria Falls safe for tourists?

What should you avoid in Zimbabwe?

Do you need malaria pills for Victoria Falls?

Is Victoria Falls safe for solo travellers?

Do you need travel insurance for Victoria Falls?

Safety checklist for Zimbabwe

Travel with a local team

Comments (0)

Leave a comment

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