Cheap accommodation in Zimbabwe.

¿ Is it possible to find cheap accommodation in Zimbabwe ?

In Zimbabwe, there are usually not too many cheap options for accommodation as they aren´t many hotels in towns. There are just a few backpackers lodges, mainly in Harare and Victoria Falls, offering dorms and also rooms but quite expensive.
There are lodges in the nature (around parks, mountains, countryside) but most of them are luxury style.

So low-cost travellers will have limited places to visit in Zimbabwe and will meet in the few cheap places avalaible. Just ask other travellers.

If you want to save money, carry your own tent, camping is the cheapest option. Camping is a good option too if visiting the game parks, and the backpackers lodges allow you to pitch the tent in the garden.

   ¿ How much cost accommodation in Zimbabwe ?   

A dorm is around  10-15 $/pp, camping is half price(5-8 $/pp) and a room is at least more than 30-40 $.

Not so many tourists nowdays in Zimbabwe, except in Victoria Falls. So booking is not needed, except maybe if you´re looking for a room in high season in Victoria Falls (during Christmas holidays and july-august).

The quality of the backpackers lodges is quite fine (owners are foreigners or white zimbabwens most of the times). Usually they have hot shower, toilet paper, kitchen, even pool. No too much free wifi, usually hotspots. 
Credit cards are not usually avalaible.

   Camping in Zimbabwe, the cheapest accommodation  

It´s the budget option for Zimbabwe. In average, 5-10 $/pp and 10-20 $/pp in the camps inside the game national parks.

Camping area at Shoestrings backpackers- Vic Falls
So carrying a tent is really interesting to save money (you can always buy one in South Africa, avalaible at the supermarkets, cheap; "technical" stuff is expensive and hard to find in Zimbabwe).

You´ll find big campsites like in Great Zimbabwe and inside the parks, but don´t expect too much maintenance (specially at the goverment ones), there are quite basic and offer limited confort, not hot shower for example, electricity or pools... like the campsites in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.

The garden at the backpackers is usually not too big but OK to do camping, (not too many people camping too) and the lodges have most of the times kitchen, electricity and hot shower. Usually wifi is not free.


   Couchsurfing in Zimbabwe  

In the capital city Harare and the other main towns like Bulawayo or Mutare, there´s a small active community.  Many hosts are foreigners.
We did couchsurfing only in Bulawayo, as we didn´t go to other big cities.

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