Things to Do at Harare International Conference Centre
Complete Guide to Harare International Conference Centre in Harare
About Harare International Conference Centre
The gold aluminium cladding hits you first. Imported from France, those sheets throw back the afternoon sun until the whole building glows against Harare's wide sky. Energoprojekt, a Belgrade construction firm from what was then SFR Yugoslavia, built the HICC ahead of the 8th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1986.
Yugoslavia, France and Zimbabwe financed the joint effort. The total floor area covers 30,115 square metres across a ground floor and three mezzanine levels. Yugoslavian marble lies underfoot, cool and smooth against the tropical heat. Inside, royal purple and gold dominate. The corridors feel diplomatic, not commercial.
The main auditorium seats roughly 4,500 people across three angled galleries with stalls below and a full stage with orchestra pit. That space divides into four individually sound-proofed rooms. You might stumble into an international medical congress in one wing and live music in another. Simultaneous interpretation covers up to 11 languages.
The Rainbow Towers Group manages the HICC, which sits beside the Rainbow Towers Hotel. Over 2,000 parking bays sprawl beyond the entrance. The exhibition area spans around 2,000 square metres for up to 128 stands. The ICASA conferences came here in 2015 and 2023. The SADC 44th Summit and College of Surgeons gatherings for East, Central and Southern Africa followed.
What to See & Do
Main Auditorium
Sound rolls upward through three steeply raked galleries before vanishing into the high ceiling. The seating splits into three large blocks with stalls below the stage. An orchestra pit sits at the front. The four sound-proofed sections still feel generous when divided. Acoustics work from front stalls to upper gallery. Purple upholstery against gold trim adds theatrical flair.
Gold Aluminium Facade
The French-imported gold aluminium cladding dominates Harare's skyline. Early morning brings warm amber tones. Midday blazes almost white. Dusk deepens to burnished copper. Photographers love this exterior. The southern car park offers the best angle. You get the full sweep against the jacaranda canopy.
Yugoslav Marble Interiors
Yugoslavian marble shipped in the mid-1980s has aged well. The surface feels cool and slightly veined through your shoes on hot afternoons. Foyer corridors swallow several hundred people during breaks. Stone echoes underfoot. Casual conversation gains gravity here. Pause between sessions. The craftsmanship deserves attention.
Exhibition Hall and Meeting Rooms
The exhibition space covers roughly 2,000 square metres with capacity for up to 128 stands. Floor polish and cool air conditioning greet you. Overhead lighting suits product displays without the glare of lesser venues. Meeting rooms range from boardroom to mid-range conference size. Interpretation booths hide behind glass at the rear. This venue was built for multilingual diplomacy.
Press Centre and VIP Offices
The press centre includes galleries inside the main auditorium. Journalists observe without crowding the floor. Secretarial offices, VIP suites and a business centre with printing complete the back-of-house. Few southern African venues match this setup. Delegates notice the difference. They have seen improvised alternatives elsewhere.
Practical Information
Opening Hours
Public access depends on the schedule. Major conferences open early morning and close late evening. Curiosity visitors should call ahead. The Rainbow Towers Hotel reception confirms walk-in availability. No event means no entry.
Tickets & Pricing
Entry follows the event. Large public exhibitions sell tickets at the door. Advance booking saves queue time. Conference delegate passes come from hosts. Rainbow Towers Hotel guests can walk the ground-floor corridors freely. Marble and gold interiors remain visible without tickets. The auditorium stays locked outside event hours.
Best Time to Visit
Harare's dry season runs roughly May through October. Mild days and cool evenings make the hotel walk pleasant. The conference calendar peaks August through November. Major events cluster then. Hotels fill fast during headline summits. Book early.
Suggested Duration
Conference attendees need the full day. Casual visitors can cover the marble foyers, gold facade angles, and open exhibition halls in an hour. Pair it with lunch at the Rainbow Towers next door. You have a comfortable half-day.
Getting There
The HICC sits in central Harare, right next to the Rainbow Towers Hotel. That location makes it easy to reach however you arrive. From Harare's Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, a taxi to the city centre takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic, and the fare is moderate by regional standards. Minibus combis run through the city centre.
Ask for the Rainbow Towers stop, though the walk from the nearest combi rank adds a few minutes. Drivers get 2,000-plus parking bays. You will not circle for a spot. That is rare in central Harare. From African Unity Square, it takes only a couple of minutes by car or a manageable stroll on foot. The Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences sits about a seven-minute walk to the north.
Ride-hailing apps operate in Harare. They are the easiest option for visitors who do not know the combi routes.
Things to Do Nearby
The museum sits roughly 600 metres from the HICC. That is a seven-minute walk through tree-lined streets. The collection covers archaeological and ethnographic material from across Zimbabwe. It pairs well with a conference visit. The rhythm is completely different: quiet galleries, dim lighting, and the faint smell of old wood and stone.
The National Gallery is a short drive or brisk walk away. It holds one of southern Africa's strongest collections of Shona stone sculpture alongside contemporary Zimbabwean art. The courtyard garden works well after hours in air-conditioned conference rooms. Sit under a msasa tree.
The city's central park lies within walking distance. It offers shade, birdsong, and green open space that resets your head after presentations. The rainforest section is surprisingly dense for a city park. The ground smells of damp earth and fallen leaves even in the dry months.
African Unity Square, formerly Cecil Square, sits near the Parliament buildings. It is one of Harare's most recognisable public spaces. The fountains, flowering beds, and jacaranda canopy in spring make it a pleasant detour. It fits into a lunch break.
Eastgate Centre sits about two kilometres east. Its termite-mound-inspired ventilation design keeps the building cool without conventional air conditioning. Stop here for phone credit or a quick meal. Architecture enthusiasts appreciate the biomimicry angle.
Tips & Advice
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