Safety Issues

Carjacking and street crime are on the increase in Zimbabwe especially in the urban areas.Criminals are constantly targeting foreigners and visitors from the rural areas operating in the vicinity of hotels, restaurants and shopping malls and in the major tourist areas.

Visitors should be watchful of their luggage at airports, railway and bus stations, and when making calls from public phones. Visitors may wish to take the preventive measure of leaving all valuables such as passports, money, jewelry and credit cards in the hotel safe when not being used. Travelers should not carry large sums of money or multiple credit cards while shopping.

Visitors should also be cautious when leaving banks and Automatic Teller Machines. Travelers who suspect that their vehicle is being followed, should drive to the nearest police or service station, or some other public area for assistance. Drivers should also be alert to "smash and grabs," in which thieves break car windows at stop lights and grab items from the car seats. These incidents are becoming more common in Harare.

Car doors should be kept locked and windows rolled up at all times. Handbags, wallets and other items should be stored on the floor of the vehicle, or in the trunk. In the event of a flat tire, drive to a service station for assistance. Drivers should be cautious of anyone offering to assist in the changing of a flat tire, which may have been deliberately punctured.

Land mines along the Mozambique border, situated beyond the main tourist areas, make travel to that border area potentially hazardous.

There is also a culture of demonstrations and political clashes which can result in serious violence prior to and during elections. Currently there is the ongoing occupation of commercial farms by War Veterans.However visitors and travellers are not affected by this conflict although its best to avoid farm areas!