At first glance, Harare appears quite modern, but scratch the surface and you'll discover a thumping African core. As well as a range of galleries and museums dedicated to all things Zimbabwean, you'll find a bustling almost earthy atmosphere on the streets and in the Mbare musika, Zimbabwe's largest market.
To sample local nightlife, head for Kopje, hunt out a pungwe, and dance the night away.
A couple of weeks is enough to be introduced to, and seduced by, the charms of Zimbabwe. The flora and fauna are its most obvious asset. The languid Zambezi of the south gathers into a fierce rush as it nears Victoria Falls, site of a multitude of enjoyably dangerous pursuits - bungee jumping, whitewater rafting or simply standing at a vertiginous viewpoint admiring the rainbow spray. Canoe and land safaris here are often cheaper and just as impressive as those in Kenya.
Just as memorable are the less obvious pleasures: Bulawayo's impressive art gallery; the poignant National Archive in Harare; the view from Rhodes' rocky resting place; and the attitude of Zimbabweans, who may be one of the last nations in the world still to consider tourists to be guests.
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