CITY OF KINGS · ART DECO
Zimbabwe's second city — wide colonial boulevards, Africa's finest art-deco architecture, and the gateway to Matobo and Khami Ruins.
Why Bulawayo
Bulawayo was laid out in the 1890s on a grid wide enough for a span of oxen to turn around — the streets are extravagantly broad. The city kept its 1930s-1940s art-deco buildings, painted in original creams and pinks; it kept its galleries; it kept the National Museum of Natural History (Africa's largest).
Most travellers to Zimbabwe overnight in Bulawayo without seeing it. They miss the most consistently surprising urban afternoon in southern Africa.
Bulawayo is also the gateway: 35 minutes to Matobo, an hour to Khami Ruins, four hours to Hwange, six hours to Great Zimbabwe.
“I grew up here. The city has rhythm and architecture and food the rest of the country forgot it had — it deserves a day, not a transit stop.”
— Josh Elliott · Founder · Fifth-generation ZimbabweanAt a glance
Area
Zim's 2nd city
Best Time
Year-round
Wildlife
Urban — wildlife in nearby Matobo
Stay
Boutique hotels · 4★ city stays
Heritage
Art Deco · Railway · Museum
From
$180
pp / night
Highlights
Three hours through Africa's finest art-deco quarter. Pastel-painted 1930s façades, original signage, and the City Hall.
Africa's largest. World-class taxidermy, natural-history exhibits, and the Cecil Rhodes archive.
Bulawayo has Zimbabwe's strongest contemporary art scene. National Gallery + smaller studios reward an afternoon.
The Cattleman steak house, Indaba Book Café, and the Bulawayo Club. Rural city pricing, not Cape Town.
Gallery
Experiences
A thrilling yet family-friendly adventure combining safaris, cultural encounters, and the iconic Victoria Falls.
Ten days across Zimbabwe's four great wilderness areas — Mana Pools, Hwange, Lake Kariba, Victoria Falls. Charter flights…
Zimbabwe’s Iconic Destinations: Matobo, Khami, Hwange, Victoria Falls
Trace Zimbabwe’s story through ancient ruins, sacred hills, and timeless cave paintings—on this immersive journey from Khami to…
Step into Zimbabwe’s ancient empires at Great Zimbabwe and Khami Ruins. This journey explores powerful stone legacies, sacred…
An 11-day privately guided birding safari through Zimbabwe’s finest ecosystems—luxury, rarity, and wilderness in harmony.
On the map
We had one night in Bulawayo and stayed three. The architecture, the food, and the conservation library at the Museum kept pulling us back.
Daniel & Jeyne · Toronto · 14-night Zimbabwe+Botswana, June 2025
When to travel
JAN
○FEB
○MAR
○APR
○MAY
○JUN
○JUL
○AUG
○SEP
○OCT
○NOV
○DEC
○Year-round. Mild winters May-August (jumper at night). Hot summers October-March. Best mornings May-July.
Combine with
Conservation
Bulawayo's heritage architecture is protected by the Bulawayo Heritage Trust. Many of the city's iconic art-deco buildings survive only because of small heritage grants.
The National Museum's natural-history collection is a regional resource for biodiversity research and education.
Practical
Bulawayo airport (BUQ) — direct flights from Johannesburg, Harare. Drive from Vic Falls: 5 hours. Drive from Harare: 5.5 hours.
Currency: USD widely accepted.
Connectivity: Strong throughout the city.
Malaria: Generally low risk in city; standard precautions in summer.
Yellow fever: Not required.
Vaccinations: Routine.
Smart-casual for city; layered clothing for Matobo day trips. Closed shoes for walking tours.
Speak to a specialist
I plan every Zim Travellers itinerary myself. Tell me what you'd want from a few days here and I'll write you a route — no template, no aggregator, no commission desk.
"I answer every email here personally — within 24 hours."
Frequently Asked
Yes — half-day at minimum. The architecture walk + Museum + a meal is one of Zimbabwe's most underrated afternoons.
Bulawayo is 35 minutes from Matobo gates — many travellers base in Bulawayo and day-trip into Matobo.
Yes — safe by African urban standards. Standard travel sense applies.
An hour from Bulawayo. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Half-day round trip — combine with the city tour.
The Cattleman, Bulawayo Club, Indaba Book Café, Granny Liston's Tea Garden. Variable but characterful.
