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.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Mukuvisi Woodlands guided walks
December's short grass and waterhole top-ups make zebra, giraffe and eland easy to spot on the 2 km (1.2-mile) Yellow Trail. Thunderclouds build behind the msasa canopy and the smell is wet thatch and wild sage. Morning walks start at 7 am before the storms. You'll finish in time for coffee at the stables café while the first raindrops hit the tin roof.
Booking Tip: Book morning slots 2-3 days ahead through licensed guides at the woodlands office. Afternoon walks are cancelled if storm warnings flash amber. Plan ahead.
Hwedza day-hike to Bridal Veil Falls
The granite domes east of town steam after rain and the 6 km (3.7-mile) trail to the 30 m (98-ft) falls crosses fern forests that drip like green tunnels. December pools are warm enough to swim, and the quartzite rock slabs are grippy even when wet. Good for barefoot photos without the dry-season dust.
Booking Tip: Go with operators that include transport. Public combis to Hwedza drop you 5 km (3.1 miles) from the trailhead on a road that turns to custard after storms. Save the hassle.
Mbare Market night food crawl
Post-rain evenings the market stalls glow under paraffin lamps and the air tastes of peanut smoke and braising beef. Try chimoto (steamed maize buns) hot from paint-can steamers, then walk to the 60-year-old Sausage Zone for goat boerewors rolls smothered in tomato-chilli relish. December nights are warm enough to eat outside at 9 pm without a jacket.
Booking Tip: Join guided night tours that depart at 6 pm from Rotten Row. Solo wandering after dark is not advised even for seasoned travelers. Stay safe.
Chapungu Sculpture Park sunset tour
Black serpentine eagles carved by second-generation artists steam gently after a cloudburst and the granite glows amber in low sun. December light is soft until 7 pm, giving you an extra hour to photograph the 2-tonne 'Zimbabwe Bird' against bruised storm clouds.
Booking Tip: Self-guided walks are free. Local sculptors often hang around the last hour and will quietly explain their stone choices if you buy them a beer at the onsite shebeen. Cheap chat.
Where to Stay in Harare in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
Public Holidays in December
Dates that affect opening hours, transport and crowds
Unity Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Boxing Day
Known in English as St. Stephen's Day. Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Unity Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Boxing Day
Known in English as St. Stephen's Day. Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Unity Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Boxing Day
Known in English as St. Stephen's Day. Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Packing Checklist
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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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