By air
Robert Gabriel Mugabe International (HRE), ~4.5 h by road
Africa · Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
The stone city that gave a nation its name
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to October — dry and mild
Don't miss
The Great Enclosure
The Hill Complex
The Conical Tower
Lake Mutirikwi
Things to do
Walking the ruins
Climbing to the Hill Complex
The site museum
Boating on the lake
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Andrew Moore · CC BY-SA 2.0
What to pack
Sun hat, sunscreen, walking shoes
A quieter corner
The quiet shores of Lake Mutirikwi nearby
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Great Zimbabwe?
April to October — dry and mild. What to pack: Sun hat, sunscreen, walking shoes.
How do I get to Great Zimbabwe?
Fly into Robert Gabriel Mugabe International (HRE), ~4.5 h by road.
What is there to do in Great Zimbabwe?
Walking the ruins, climbing to the Hill Complex, the site museum, boating on the lake. A quieter find: The quiet shores of Lake Mutirikwi nearby.
What should I eat in Great Zimbabwe?
Sadza with relish, grilled meat and roasted maize.
About Great Zimbabwe
- Hills
Where it is
Great Zimbabwe is a ruined stone city in the hills of south-eastern Zimbabwe, near the town of Masvingo.
History
Ancestors of the Shona people built Great Zimbabwe from around the 11th century, and by the 14th century it was the capital of a wealthy kingdom trading gold and ivory with the Indian Ocean coast. The city declined in the 15th century and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
People
The surrounding area is home to Karanga-speaking Shona communities, for whom the site remains a place of ancestral and national importance.
Known for
- Dry-stone walls built without mortar
- The Great Enclosure
- The soapstone Zimbabwe birds
- The origin of the country's name
Did you know?
The country took the name Zimbabwe, from the Shona for houses of stone, after this site, and a soapstone bird found here appears on the national flag.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.