Stand on the corner of Park Road and Leopold Takawira Avenue and you can spend a morning indoors among stuffed animals and live snakes, then walk a few blocks to a gallery where the artists are still working at their easels. Bulawayo rewards the unhurried visitor: its sights are close together in the central business district, and the streets themselves, wide enough for ox-drawn carts to turn around in, are part of the experience.
The city suits travellers who want museums, railways and ruins rather than resorts, and who are happy to arrange taxis for the outlying sites. This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time in Bulawayo, followed by a plan for a single day and answers to the questions visitors ask most.
Top things to do in Bulawayo
1. Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe
On the corner of Park Road and Leopold Takawira Avenue, this is the city's most substantial museum, with a large selection of stuffed and pinned animals alongside an array of live constrictors and venomous snakes. Sections on the history of Zimbabwe, the history of the Earth and geology round out a visit that takes longer than you might expect.
It opens daily from 09:00 to 17:00, and photography is not permitted inside. Pair it with the National Art Gallery, which sits on Leopold Takawira Avenue as well.
2. National Art Gallery
At the corner of J.M. Nkomo Street and Leopold Takawira Avenue, the gallery holds many works that are for sale, and there are artists' studios on-site. The artists are happy to chat about their work and often invite visitors to local events and showcases.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 09:00 to 17:00 and closed on public holidays. There is a craft shop and a cafe, so it works well as a slower stop after the museum.
3. Bulawayo Railway Museum
On the corner of Prospect Avenue and Crew Road, the museum's historical exhibits include Cecil Rhodes' private carriage, plus a range of decaying steam engines and other locomotives. The friendly curator lends you a guide book detailing every locomotive and carriage, and you can get access to the innards of most exhibits.
It is open daily from 08:00 to 16:00. Allow more time than you planned if you like machinery.
4. Khami Ruins
About 22 km west of the city centre, these are the ruins of the capital of the former Butua State civilisation, and you can wander around and visit the small exhibit centre on site. It is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00.
There is no practical way to reach it on foot, so plan on a taxi, roughly US$20 one way and about US$30 return. Go earlier in the day to leave time for the exhibit centre.
5. Queens Sports Club
At First Avenue and Queens Street, this is the city's cricket ground, mainly grass banking surrounded by trees that shade the spectators. It hosts mostly international matches, tri-series matches and practice matches.
Check what is on before you build a day around it, since the ground is busiest when a fixture is scheduled.
6. The city's outdoor swimming pool
At Samuel Parnenyatwa Street and 9th Avenue, the outdoor pool has ranks of brightly painted changing booths. You can lie on the grass and watch the cranes roost in the towering trees of the neighbouring botanic gardens.
This is an easy, low-key stop to fold into an afternoon rather than a destination in itself.
7. Hillside Dams
A hilly area on the south side of Bulawayo that used to be the city's water supply, now a park with walking and mountain biking trails, fishing and bird watching. It is a good change of pace from the museum-and-street circuit.
Bring what you need for the trails, and treat it as a half-day rather than a quick stop.
8. Amakhosi Theatre
On the corner of Old Falls Road and Lady Stanley Street, this is the place to try for local performing arts events. What is on varies, so it is worth checking before you go.
Combine it with an evening in the centre rather than making a separate trip.
9. Explore the streets
The Central Business District has the widest roads in the city, designed to accommodate the ox-drawn carts that were the primary means of transport when the town was planned, and to allow them to turn in the street. Walking them is a way to read the city's layout directly.
Do this between the indoor sights, since the museum, gallery and railway museum all sit within reach of the centre.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe when it opens at 09:00, then walk to the National Art Gallery on Leopold Takawira Avenue, keeping in mind that the gallery opens at 09:00 and is closed on public holidays.
Afternoon: Head to the Bulawayo Railway Museum before it closes at 16:00, and use the remainder of the afternoon to explore the streets of the Central Business District and its wide roads.
Evening: Check whether anything is on at Amakhosi Theatre, or take a late swim at the city's outdoor swimming pool and watch the cranes settle in the trees of the neighbouring botanic gardens.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe open?
Daily from 09:00 to 17:00. Photography is not permitted inside.
Can I visit Khami Ruins without a car?
It is about 22 km west of the city centre, so a taxi is the practical option, at roughly US$20 one way and about US$30 return. The site is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00.
Which days is the National Art Gallery closed?
It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 09:00 to 17:00, and closed on public holidays.
Where can I see live performance in Bulawayo?
Try Amakhosi Theatre on the corner of Old Falls Road and Lady Stanley Street for local performing arts events.
Decide which of these you want most, check the days and times that suit you, and start planning your trip to Bulawayo.