Zimbabwe Covid19 Latest Travel News

2nd December 2021

The government of Zimbabwe announced new regulations on the 1st of December 2021 in response to the Omicron variant. These regulations included having PCR tests on arrival, and also going into mandatory quarantine. However, none of these regulations have actually been instituted yet, although they could be at any point. We will update this page the moment that the regulations have been implemented. Players in the tourism industry are having meetings with government and health officials to get these regulations revoked.

The below regulations are currently still in place.
 

26th November 2021

These are the latest details that we are aware of regarding travel to Zimbabwe, during Covid-19. We live in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and will update this page with any amendments that we become aware of. We actually contact the Port Health Authority to get the correct information, rather than reading press releases which are often inaccurate.

Highlights

• Zimbabwe is on a Level 2 lockdown from a Level 4, since covid-19 cases have gone down significantly (as of 7th September 2021).
• There is NO Mandatory Quarantine for travellers arriving  in Zimbabwe.
• Zimbabwe's international airports: are open to receive international travellers.
• Land borders: KAZUNGULA BORDER & VICTORIA FALLS BRIDGE BORDER ARE OPEN FOR DOUBLE VACCINATED TOURISTS. All other Zimbabwe land borders remain closed, except for transportation of goods and for returning residents.
• Intercity travel within Zimbabwe is allowed for all travellers.
• There is a nationwide curfew between 10pm and 5:30am.
• Victoria Falls National Park and other national parks around the country are open. Normal opening hours apply.
• Most hotels and lodges in Victoria Falls remain open.
• Restaurants and Bars within Hotels can open from 8am to 10pm, under strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines.
• Most activities are open in Victoria Falls.
• Please check with us for the exact details on the above.

Arriving By Air

• All passengers arriving at Harare, Bulawayo or Victoria Falls International Airports are required to present a negative PCR COVID-19 Clearance Certificate obtained within 48 hours of boarding. Passengers can then proceed unless the officials believe a traveller to be symptomatic. They then may be required to undergo a further PCR test on arrival at the travellers own cost ($60).
• All passengers are required to complete a COVID-19 contact-tracing document on arrival.
• An Airport Official may also take passengers' temperatures. Anyone recording a temperature equal to or higher than 38°C will be tested for COVID-19 at their expense.
• Travellers that test positive will then be required to go into local isolation for 10 days. Isolation is at the traveller's own expense. After isolation, travellers will need to be retested before they are permitted to travel home or on to their next destination.
• Travellers flying into Zimbabwe can overnight for up to 30 days before a road transfer or a flight out of the country.
• Travellers are to adhere to WHO COVID-19 standard practices at all times, such as maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask in public and practicing personal hygiene.

Arriving Through A Land Border

• Only the KAZUNGULA (Botswana) and VICTORIA FALLS BRIDGE (Zambia) borders are open to tourists who have received full vaccination. Other borders are restricted to transportation of goods and returning residents. All travellers still need to present a negative PCR COVID-19 Clearance Certificate obtained within 48 hours of crossing.
• Unvaccinated travellers can only enter through a land border if they are transiting Zimbabwe and are flying out on the same day. They have to produce a printed version of their departure flight for the same day. Travellers arriving in Zimbabwe by road cannot overnight in the country.

On Departure

Departing guests must show their negative PCR test upon entering the airport. The PCR test must be valid within 72 hrs of your departure. If you are staying in Zimbabwe and your PCR certificate expires you will need to be re-tested before departure. PCR tests are available at all international airports. In Victoria Falls tests are available at the Bio Express Lab, Health Bridge clinic, Lancet Laboratories and Lordsland Medical Laboratories, Cimas Medical Laboratories, MARS and Interpath Laboratories at a cost of $60 on weekdays and $70 on weekends. They will come to your hotel for and extra $5 to $10. Results generally take 2 to 6 hours.

Zimbabwe is registered on the Trusted Travel Initiative Platform and it is preferable to have your departing PCR test done at the Bio Express, Lordsland or Lancet Laboratories in Victoria Falls, who are accredited with this platform. However, this is not an absolute requirement at this stage and test results from other non-accredited labs are also accepted.

Should a guest test positive after this test, they are required to go into an isolation centre for ten days. Travellers will be retested after five days. Isolation will be at the traveller's expense. They can isolate at a Government facility, or if the property they are staying at has an isolation room, they can opt to stay there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does one have to go into mandatory quarantine on arrival?
No there is no mandatory quarantine, except and only if you are tested positive whilst in Zimbabwe.

Can one get a PCR test done in Zimbabwe and Where?
Yes, PCR tests are available at Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls international airports. They are also available at most clinics and hospitals throughout Zimbabwe. In Victoria Falls, the Bio Express Lab, Health Bridge clinic, Lancet Laboratories and Lordsland Medical Laboratories, Cimas Medical Laboratories, MARS, Interpath Laboratories and The Health Bridge offer PCR tests. In Victoria Falls you can also arrange for these Labs to come to your hotel to test you.

What is the validity requirement of a PCR test?
On arrival in Zimbabwe your PCR test needs to be valid within 48 hours of the departure time from your home country. On departure from Zimbabwe your PCR test needs to be valid within 72 hours of your departure time from Zimbabwe.

How much does a PCR test cost?
The average price for a PCR test is $60 on weekdays and $70 on weekends. It costs an extra $5 for the Lab to come to your hotel. Prices may differ depending on the testing centre.

How long does it take to get the results?
The results are on average taking 2 to 6 hrs.

Does my PCR test need to be registered on the Trusted Travel Initiative platform?
Zimbabwe is registered on the Trusted Travel Initiative Platform and it is preferable to have your departing PCR test done at the Bio express lab in Victoria Falls who are accredited with this platform. However, this is not an absolute requirement at this stage and test results from other non-accredited labs are also accepted.

Will I still need a PCR certificate if I am fully vaccinated?
A negative PCR COVID-19 Clearance Certificate is still required whether you have been vaccinated or not.

What will happen if a traveller gets infected while in the country?
They are required to go into an isolation centre for 10 days, this will be at the traveller's own expense. Travellers will be retested after five days. They can isolate at a Government facility, or if the property they are staying at has an isolation room, they can opt to stay there.

Are there curfew hours in Zimbabwe?
Yes, there is a curfew from 10pm to 5:30am.

Does Zimbabwe have a high rate of Corona virus infections?
It is difficult to compare the numbers of cases with other countries as the amount of testing done in Zimbabwe is very few comparatively. However, the death rate attributed to the corona virus is very low at about 0.03% of the population as of the date of this article. Victoria Falls itself has seen comparatively very little evidence of the corona virus.

Can I fly into Livingstone Airport and out of Victoria Falls Airport?
Essentially yes but you cannot overnight in Zimbabwe you have to depart on the same day. You have to be in transit and produce a printed version of your departure flight for the same day. This means that you will need a negative PCR certificate before crossing the border into Zimbabwe.

Flight Schedule to Zimbabwe

International Flights to Victoria Falls
• Ethiopian Airlines – return Addis Ababa - Victoria Falls flights every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
• Kenya Airways – flights from Nairobi to Victoria Falls on Fridays.
• FastJet – flies Johannesburg to Victoria Falls daily return.
• Mackair – two daily return flights between Kasane and Victoria Falls airports. These may change as the Kazungula border is now open to fully vaccinated tourists.
• BA Comair –  Daily return Johannesburg to Victoria Falls flights
• Airlink – return Cape Town to Vic Falls on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

Domestic Flights to Victoria Falls
• Air Zimbabwe – flies Bulawayo - Victoria Falls - Harare every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sundays. Please note that Air Zimbabwe flights may change without notice.
• FastJet – flies Harare to Victoria Falls daily return.
• FastJet – flies Harare to Bulawayo return daily except on Saturdays.

International Flights to Harare
• Emirates – flies Dubai to Harare return on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• Ethiopian Airlines – flies Addis to Harare daily.
• SA Airlink – flies Johannesburg to Harare (and Bulawayo) return daily. Also daily flights between Cape Town and Harare.
• South African Airways - daily return Johannesburg to Harare flights.
• BA Comair –  return Johannesburg to Harare flights on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
• Kenya Airways – flies daily Nairobi to Harare (some flights via Lusaka).
• FastJet – flies from Harare to Johannesburg return daily.

Here's information on Zambia's Covid-19 Updates

Here's information on Botswana's Covid-19 Updates

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