Zimbabwe's second city, Bulawayo, lies at a much lower altitude and is generally hotter and drier than Harare. For much of the time the place tends to look parched, its street covered by a thin film of Kalahari sand, but the well-watered central area and its adjacent parkland - a broad "green lung' that flanks the AmatsheumhlopeRiver - remains gloriously verdant throughout the year. The residential gardens, too are lovely and the wide thoroughfares, originally designed to allow a full span of oxen to turn, are lined by old British colonial buildings and a gorgeous profusion of jacarandas and crimson flames.

Inviting an hour's stroll is Bulawayo's Central Park, decorated by a magnificent variety of tall trees and an exquisite rose garden; and adjacent Centenary Park, a shady expanse of lawns, flowering shrubs, aviary, game enclose and, on the perimeter, the Natural History Museum.

The museum boasts the southern hemisphere's most extensive animal collection (75,000 exhibits), the world's second largest mounted elephant, a recreated mine including a display of gold and emeralds, and the fascinating Hall of Mines.

Well worth visiting, too is the open-air vintage train museum, the earliest of whose steam locomotives first took to the tracks over a hundred years ago.

Passenger steam trains still do honourable duty on Zimbabwe's rail network, operating under the aegis of a company called Rail Safaris. A truly memorable run is the Zambezi Special rail safari: elegant 1920's coaches afford luxurious game-viewing as the train skirts the Hwange National Park on its way to the Victoria Falls.

Animal lovers are welcome at the Tshabalala Game Sanctuary, where visitors can walk, ride and picnic as well as watch wildlife such as zebra, giraffe and kudu.

Those in search of local arts and crafts should make a point of visiting the Mzilikazi Art and Craft Centre, in the suburb of the same name, northwest of the city centre, where potters, painters, sculptors and other craftsmen display their considerable, and in some cases internationally renowned, talent.

Recommended excursions farther afield include those to the Matobo Hills and the national park that they encompass, and to the walled terraces of the Kame ruins, the remains of a city-state established in the 17th century. Situated to the west of Nulawayo, the ruins, second in size only to great Zimbabwe are a proclaimed World Heritage Site.

Bulawayo    J     F     M     A     M     J     J     A     S     O     N     D     

Average     72    72    70    66    63    57    57    63    68    72    72    72    
Temp F                                                                              

Average     22    22    21    19    17    14    14    17    20    22    22    22    
Temp C                                                                              

Hrs of Sun  7     7     8     8     9     9     9     10    9     9     7     7     
Daily                                                                               

Rainfall    5     4     2     1.5   0     0     0     0     0     1.5   4     5     
ins.                                                                                

Rainfall    134   104   52    38    8     2     1     2     8     35    96    128   
mm                                                                                  

Days of     12    11    4     4     2     1     1     1     1     5     10    13    
rainfall                                                                            

go back