Region guide
Great Zimbabwe & Masvingo
The medieval stone city that gave the country its name, with Lake Mutirikwi beside it and Masvingo as the practical stop on the north–south road.
Photo: Great-zim-aerial-looking-West.JPG by Janice Bell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Province
- Masvingo
- World Heritage
- Great Zimbabwe National Monument, inscribed 1986
- Main bases
- Lodges near the monument; Lake Mutirikwi; Masvingo town
- Getting there
- By road: Masvingo lies on the main Harare–Beitbridge highway, with the monument roughly 30 km to the south-east
- Pairs well with
- Bulawayo and Matobo; the Eastern Highlands; Gonarezhou
Where to stay in Great Zimbabwe
16 places to stay are currently listed here, each one checked before it was published.
The availability button opens a Booking.com search for Great Zimbabwe through Stay22, not one named property. Booking is made with an independent provider, which is the merchant of record; we may earn a commission on a qualifying booking.
Tours and activities in Great Zimbabwe
12 guided experiences here are currently bookable through our catalogue, run by local operators and booked through Viator.
The site
Great Zimbabwe was the capital of a powerful state that flourished in the region roughly between the 11th and 15th centuries, trading gold and ivory with the Indian Ocean coast. Its dry-stone walls were built without mortar, and the Great Enclosure is often described as the largest single ancient structure in sub-Saharan Africa. The site has three main areas: the Hill Complex on a granite ridge, the Great Enclosure with its conical tower below it, and the Valley Ruins between them.
The soapstone birds found at the site are now Zimbabwe’s national emblem. An on-site museum helps make sense of what you see, and a guide adds a great deal.
Planning a visit
Allow at least half a day, and ideally a full day with the museum, because the walk up to the Hill Complex is steep and it is best done in the cooler early morning or late afternoon. That is why many travellers stay nearby rather than visiting in passing.
Lake Mutirikwi — still widely called Lake Kyle — and its recreational park lie just beyond the monument and add a lake setting to a stay.
Where to stay
Stay close to the monument for early and late visits, by Lake Mutirikwi for a quieter setting, or in Masvingo if you are breaking a long drive.
All Great Zimbabwe accommodationSearch this region in the finder
Opening hours, entry fees and guiding arrangements at Great Zimbabwe are set by National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe and can change. Confirm them before you go.
Nearby regions
Sources and further reading: UNESCO: Great Zimbabwe National Monument. Operational details such as fees, opening times and road conditions change; confirm them with the official source before travelling.