Trip readiness checklist for Zimbabwe

What to pack

Zimbabwe is the Victoria Falls town side of the world's biggest curtain of water, plus Hwange's elephants and Mana Pools' walking safaris. Pack small US bills, neutral clothes and a torch for the power cuts.

• Small US dollar bills, clean and recent

  Dollars are the currency that works; change is scarce, so ones, fives and tens. Torn or pre-2013 notes get refused.

• Neutral colours, no camouflage

  Khaki and olive for the bush; camouflage print is illegal for civilians in Zimbabwe and is confiscated at the border.

• A poncho and a dry bag for the Falls

  The rainforest walk opposite the Falls is a downpour from March to May. Everything electronic goes in the dry bag.

• A head torch and a power bank

  Load-shedding power cuts are routine, even in Victoria Falls town. Lodges have generators; the streets do not.

When to go

May to October is the dry season and peak, with September and October the best game viewing in Hwange and Mana Pools, though hot. The Falls are at full, spray-drenched volume from March to May; by October and November the flow is low but the Zimbabwean side still has water when the Zambian side has run dry. The green season from November to April is cheap, lush and humid.

Money & getting around

Zimbabwe's official currency is the ZiG (Zimbabwe Gold), but visitors use US dollars for almost everything and most prices are in dollars; bring enough cash for the trip, in small bills, because cards and ATMs are unreliable. Tipping is 10 percent and around $10 a day for safari guides. Victoria Falls town is walkable and the Falls are a short taxi ride; most safaris are flown or driven in by the lodge.

Local quirks worth knowing

Zimbabwe is warm, articulate and running on improvisation. A few rules are strict; the rest is handled with a greeting and a sense of humour.

• Camouflage is illegal

  Any camouflage pattern, on clothes or bags, is for the military only. It gets taken at the border, and arguing does not help.

• No photos of government buildings, police or the army

  Including the airport and the president's residences. Cameras pointed at uniforms cause real trouble.

• Greetings run long

  Mhoro (hello) and makadini (how are you) in Shona, then the answer, then the business. Skipping to the point reads as cold.

• The baboons in Victoria Falls town are thieves

  They open bags, snatch food from hands and follow anyone carrying a plastic bag. Nothing edible in sight on the walk to the Falls.

• Haggle gently at the curio market

  Carving prices start high and settle at a third with a smile and patience. Rudeness ends the conversation.

A week in Zimbabwe, the list starts here

Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.

• Passport & travel documents1
• Phone charger & adapter1
• Wallet, cards & some local cash1
• Toiletries bag1
• Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
• Underwear7
• Socks7
• T-shirts / tops5

• Everything in my carry-on, and why each thing earns its spot
• The packing trick that got me through 3 countries with one carry-on