Things to Do in Harare in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
December Weather in Harare
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
79°F (26°C)
High Temp
60°F (15°C)
Low Temp
7.2 inches (183 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Green season: the msasa trees along Borrowdale Road flush scarlet, the jacarandas drop purple carpets over Samora Machel Avenue, and the city smells of wet earth and blooming flame lilies. Harare's most photogenic month. Point, shoot, grin.
- + Low-season prices: lodges in Greendale and Avondale run stay-three-pay-two deals, and British Airways releases discounted business-class seats for the quiet Cape Town-Harare route. Grab them.
- + Thunderstorm theatre: afternoon cells roll in around 3 pm, drum on tin roofs for twenty minutes, then roll out leaving the air washed clean and cool enough to walk Sam Levy's Village without breaking a sweat. Perfect timing.
- + Christmas build-up: carpenters on Mbare's Siyaso Market carve toy trucks from mukwa wood, supermarkets pipe in 90s Zimbabwean gospel, and the scent of baking mapopo (papaya) Christmas tarts leaks from township bakeries. Follow your nose.
Considerations
- − Mosquitoes wake up: the 70 % humidity after rain means dusk on the veranda of a Greystone lodge requires repellent or you'll donate blood to Harare's malarial-season mozzies. Spray early.
- − Load-shedding roulette: ZESA typically schedules 6-hour cuts twice a week in December. Boutique guesthouses in the northern suburbs run generators, budget digs in the Avenues don't. Ask first.
- − Road surprises: flash floods turn Sam Nujoma Street into a ford for twenty minutes and taxi drivers still charge full fare while you sit in axle-deep brown water. Pay anyway.
Year-Round Climate
How December compares to the rest of the year
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°C | 15°C | 7.5 inches (190 mm) |
| Feb | 26°C | 15°C | 6.9 inches (175 mm) |
| Mar | 26°C | 14°C | 3.9 inches (99 mm) |
| Apr | 25°C | 12°C | 1.5 inches (38 mm) |
| May | 23°C | 9°C | 0.3 inches (8 mm) |
| Jun | 21°C | 6°C | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Jul | 21°C | 6°C | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Aug | 24°C | 8°C | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Sep | 28°C | 11°C | 0.3 inches (8 mm) |
| Oct | 28°C | 14°C | 1.6 inches (41 mm) |
| Nov | 27°C | 15°C | 3.7 inches (94 mm) |
| Dec | 26°C | 15°C | 7.2 inches (183 mm) |
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
December in Harare means afternoon thunderstorms. They arrive daily, leaving the air thick with the scent of rain on hot tarmac. Locals call this time *zhizha*, summer. It is a season of sudden cooling rains and fresh evenings. Life moves outdoors. You will hear lunchtime chatter under awnings and the sizzle of backyard braais. This is when the city gathers. Listen for sungura guitars at the Harare International Food Festival in Haka Park, where mopani-smoke from the braai competition hangs in the air. Later, candlelight fills Harare Gardens as thousands sing Shona carols under paper lanterns. Visit in December to find the city sociable and lushly green.
Harare City Tour & Zimbabwe Highlights
guided_experienceIt moves from the angular concrete of the National Archives to the cool halls of the Anglican Cathedral. Feel the city's textures. Touch the polished granite of the Balancing Rocks. Navigate the busy, crowded aisles of Mbare Musika market, where the air smells of ripe fruit and diesel.
This tour stitches together monumental architecture, contemporary art, and daily market life. It provides an essential city story.
Insider tip: Visit Mbare Musika early in the morning. You will see the market at its most animated, before the midday sun amplifies the heat.
This month: Afternoon thunderstorms in December often give a dramatic, cooling break during drives.
13 Day Zambezi River Private Glamping Expedition
otherYou will wake to hippo grunts and fish eagle cries. Feel river spray on your skin. Taste wood-smoked bream cooked over riverbank coals.
This journey trades urban bustle for profound river quiet. It has a luxurious disconnection anchored in the African bush.
Insider tip: Pack lightweight, quick-dry trousers. December rains arrive suddenly, turning paths muddy and adding adventure.
Great Zimbabwe Tour from Harare
guided_experienceThe drive south passes hills dotted with msasa trees. Anticipation builds until you see the granite ruins rising from the green landscape. Feel their scale in the Conical Tower's cool shade. See the panoramic view from the Hill Complex.
Walking these eleventh-century ruins connects you to a sophisticated African civilization. It thrived long before European contact.
Insider tip: Wear sturdy closed shoes with good grip. The ancient stone pathways on the Hill Complex become slick after December showers.
10 Day Zimbabwe and Chobe NP Tour
guided_experienceIt begins in Harare, then ventures to Hwange's vast plains and the thunder of Victoria Falls. Feel the dry wind of Kalahari sands. Hear an afternoon lion roar across the savanna. Watch elephants stir the chalky water of Chobe River at sunset.
This tour weaves the architectural grandeur of Great Zimbabwe with well-known African wildlife landscapes. It is a complete narrative.
Insider tip: December rains bring newborn wildlife to Hwange. Ask your guide to listen for the bleat of impala calves. It attracts predators.
7 Hour Private Guided Golf Round at Championship Course in Harare
private_tourIt is a world away from traffic hum. The experience is defined by the crisp sound of a well-struck drive. Feel lush, rain-softened greens underfoot. See brilliant red flame lilies bordering the rough.
It has a privileged way to experience the city's elite sporting culture. See impeccable landscape gardening under the vast December sky.
Insider tip: Book a mid-morning tee time. This allows overnight rain to drain for firmer fairways. It avoids the afternoon thunderstorm.
Harare International Airport Transfers
transportAfter recycled aircraft air, you will immediately smell the petrichor of a recent downpour. Feel the summer heat as you drive past flowering hibiscus hedges on the airport road.
It guarantees a stress-free journey start or end. You can absorb first or last impressions without navigation.
Insider tip: Pre-book for December arrivals. This bypasses the lengthy taxi queues that form during peak holiday travel.
Where to Stay in Harare in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Mid December
Harare International Food Festival
Three-day lakefront fair at Haka Park with 40 food stalls, live sungura bands and cooking demos by township mothers. The 2026 edition runs 11-13 December. Arrive Friday evening for the braai competition where the smell of mopani-smoke lingers over the wetlands.
Mid December
Carols by Candlelight
Amphitheatre at Harare Gardens packs 3,000 locals singing Shona translations of carols under paper-lantern constellations. Gates open 6 pm, bring a candle (sold outside for a pittance) and expect the harmonies to start even before the conductor lifts the baton.
Packing Checklist
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Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Harare Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Book dinner tables at 7 pm, not 8. The second storm band often rolls through at 8:30 and taxis vanish when the first drops fall.
Carry a 'two-plate' token (a tattered USD 1 note) for the robots at Sam Levy's traffic circle. Police rarely man them during rain and locals treat the junction as a polite free-for-all.
If ZESA cuts hit your lodge, head to the Eastgate Centre food court. The backup generator kicks in within 30 seconds and the cappuccino machine still steams.
Fresh mhunga (pearl millet) meal appears in Mbare only in December. Ask for sadza ye mhunga at the rank behind the bus depot. It tastes nuttier than white maize and keeps you full longer on hiking days.
Avoid These Mistakes
Assuming 'dry season' logic. December afternoon storms can cancel half-day trips; build buffer days into itineraries.
Wearing white sneakers. Harare's red clay stains cotton mesh permanently and lodge laundry services refuse to touch them.
Changing money at the airport on arrival. The bureau closes at 10 pm and the ATMs sometimes run dry. Instead keep USD cash and swap at Eastgate Mall forex desks open till 9 pm.
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