Even though it’s across the world, the country has many beautiful sights and entertainment programs to offer.

Zimbabwe’s second city, is a major commercial, industrial and tourist city, rich in history and is the home of the National Museum. Nearby are the ancient Khami ruins, to the south is the Rhodes Matopos National Park.

At Lake Kariba, which has abundant elephant, buffalo, rhino living on its banks, boats can be hired. Canoeing safaris are especially popular between April and November along the Zambezi River past the Mana Pools flood plains.

Climbing the country’s highest mountain, Mt Nyangani, takes around one hour and 30 minutes. The World’s View offers a view across northern Zimbabwe. From here, a steep footpath leads to the road to Nyanga village with its English gardens, village common and church.

The best locations are Lake Kariba (famous for its tiger fish), the Zambezi River above the Victoria Falls (where its giant catfish live), the streams of the Eastern Highlands and the many other lakes.

A holiday in Zimbabwe would be incomplete without a visit to the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, the largest complex of ruins in Africa south of the pyramids in Egypt. The remains are what is left of a city-state that once flourished between the 13th and 15th centuries, trading in gold. Lake Kyle National Park is not far away; there is an organized campsite close to the lake.

Situated in the northwest of the country on the Zambian border, Lake Kariba holds a million gallons of water. Game can be viewed from various safari camps, or from well-appointed cruise vessels and safari-crafts.

Mana Pools National Park is one of Zimbabwe’s most beautiful national parks, occupying 2,196 sq km (848 sq miles) of forest. The animal population includes hippo, elephant, rhino, buffalo and antelope. Game-viewing on foot is allowed. The birdlife is particularly prolific. It is possible to fish for tiger fish, bream and the giant vundu.

Located close to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second major city, Matobo National Park is noted for its granite rock formations and its ancient rock paintings. Cecil Rhodes’ tomb can be visited at Malindidzimu. The Nswatugi and Pomongwe caves are also worth visiting.

In the mountain range in the eastern part of Zimbabwe, Nyanga National Park is an area of high grasslands, evergreen forests, waterfalls, cliffs and lakeside cottages. Trout fishing is popular and the trout hatchery is well worth a visit.

Made known to the wider world by the famous British explorer Dr David Livingstone in 1855, the Victoria Falls are one of Africa’s best-known natural wonders and one of the world’s most impressive waterfalls. The falls, named after Queen Victoria, were known to native Kololo tribes in the 18th century as Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning ‘the smoke that thunders’ and the spray that they generate can be seen for miles around. At their highest, they drop a distance of 108m (345ft), almost twice as far as the Niagara Falls.