Zimbabwe is a visually stunning and fascinating place. There’s the grandeur of Victoria Falls, incredible wildlife, amazing ruins, the Zambezi River and the unmistakeable warmth and friendliness of the Zimbabwean people. You can spend the night in a tent listening to snuffling hippopotami in a nearby river, or dance the night away at a percussion jam. Despite internal conflict and ongoing drought, Zimbabwe offers an incredibly rich and diverse rang of tours, activities and scenery.

May to October (dry season)-or before 1980 when Robert Mugabe came to power

The incredible display of art at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Harare Joining a pungwe, an all night drinking, dancing and music performance Taking in the enormous dimensions of the ruins of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe Spotting lions, giraffes and zebras at Hwange National Parks Watching a full moon rise over majestic Victoria Falls Enjoying the natural beauty of Mana Pools National Parks Hiking through the fascinating landscape of the Mavuradonha Wilderness Visiting the remote sculptors’ community at Tengenenge Farm

Read Doris Lessing’s The Grass is Singing, a critique of race relations in Rhodesia

Listen to Viva Zimbabwe by various local artists, a good introduction to Zimbabwean pop music

Watch Cry Freedom Richard Attenborough or The Power of One by John G Avildsen, both filmed in Zimbabwe

Eat sadza ne nyama, a white maize-meal porridge with meat gravy; grilled trout in the Eastern Highlands; biltong, a salty dried meat snack; or gem squash, a type of delicious marrow

Drink chibuku, the beer of the masses that’s not particularly tasty but has a knockout punch

Mhoro (‘hello’ in Shona)

National parks; incredible wildlife; World Hertage sites; remote villages; just about every kind of safari you can think of; the bustle of Harare; mesmerizing music; canoeing down the Zambezi River; world-champion soccer player Bruce Grobbelaar

Being invited to share in a local festivity; the massive bulk of Zimbabwe’s biggest tree in the Chirinda Forest Reserve; white-water rafting at Victoria Falls

Stunning Victoria Falls is Zimbabwe’s contribution to the world’s greatest attractions, and miles and miles of film and videotape are gobbled through cameras here every year. The falls measure a whopping 1.7km (1mi) wide and drop between 90m and 107m (300-350ft) into the Zambezi Gorge. An average of 550,000 cubic meters of water plummet over the edge every minute…