Zimbabwe, a landlocked blob with a western spike, is roughly the same size as the UK if you chucked an extra Scotland in. It's in south-eastern Africa, bordered by Mozambique to the east and north-east, Zambia to the north-west, Botswana to the south-west and South Africa to the south. Four countries - Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia - meet at a single point at the country's westernmost pointy extreme.

The north-west consists mostly of plateaux, characterised by bushveld dotted with small rocky outcrops and bald knob-like domes of slickrock, making for an acne-writ-large landscape. The hot dry lowveld of southern Zimbabwe is comprised mainly of level savanna, sloping almost imperceptibly towards the Limpopo River on the border with South Africa. The Eastern Highlands, straddling the Mozambique border, are Zimbabwe's main mountainous region. The highest peak is Nyangani, which rises 2592m (8500ft) near the northern end of the range.

The critters, crawlies and crops in Zimbabwe are mind-boggling. Elephant, buffalo, lion, cheetah, hyena, jackal, monkey and antelope are amongst the wildlife grazing, gobbling, louching and lounging around the national parks. Species which are unique to Zimbabwe or found only in limited ranges elsewhere, include the rare nyala, the king cheetah and the samango monkey. Zimbabwe is also one of Africa's last rhinoceros ranges, and both black and white rhino are present, albeit in small numbers.

Zimbabwe's cutest strapling is the sausage tree, which takes its name from the immense sausage-shaped brown fruits which grow to a barbecue-busting 1m (3ft) in length and 18cm (7in) in diameter. The fruit is a favourite antelope nibbly, but is also dried and turned into a paste by humans to use as an ointment. Sausage-tree cream is gaining international recognition as a cure for basal-cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer associated with aging and prolonged exposure to the sun. Look out for it in pharmacies if you're feeling a bit spotty.

Because Zimbabwe stretches over a high plateau averaging 900m (3000ft) above sea level, it's not as hot as the latitude would suggest. Winter (May to October) is similar to the Mediterranean summer with warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights. It never snows, not even in the Eastern Highlands, but overnight frosts and freezing temperatures are not uncommon on the plateaux. The lowveld and the Zambezi Valley experience hotter and more humid temperatures, but in winter there's still very little rainfall. Most of Zimbabwe's rain falls in brief afternoon deluges and electrical storms in the relatively humid summer months (November to April).

Zimbabwe has recently been in the grips of economic turmoil, with inflation above 55% and rising. Although foreigners are made to pay considerably more for goods and services than locals, Zimbabwe is still not expensive for overseas visitors carrying stronger currencies. Inexpensive hostels are springing up around the country, national parks are still a good value and food is reasonably priced. Due to a shortage of foreign exchange, imported items are expensive, but consumer goods produced in Zimbabwe, although rarely of optimum quality, are quite affordable. It's possible to travel on less than US$15 a day if you stay in hostels or camping grounds and eat in cheap local establishments or self-cater. It's quite a financial leap to hotel accommodation: count on spending up to US$50 a day for a reasonable room with private facilities and a couple of restaurant meals. If you want to travel in high style, count on at least US$100 per day.

Banks are open Monday to Saturday (closed Wednesday and Saturday afternoons). All brands of travellers' cheques in US dollar or UK pound denominations can be easily exchanged for Zimbabwe dollars at any bank. Major international currencies are also accepted, but due to rampant counterfeiting, no-one in Zimbabwe is currently accepting US$100 notes. Informal currency exchange is illegal and not worth the risks - you're almost certainly dealing with a scammer. Credit cards are accepted by establishments catering to tourists and business people. There are some Barclays Bank ATMs, compatible with Visa cards, but you shouldn't rely on plastic to get cash.

There's a 15% tax on hotel rooms, safaris and other tourist services. Zimbabwe's other hefty consumer taxes are almost invariably included in the price. Tips of around 10% are expected by taxi drivers and in tourist-class hotels and restaurants. Some establishments automatically add a 10% service charge to the bill, which replaces the gratuity.

The dry winter months (May to October) are the most comfortable for travelling, but you'll miss the green landscapes that characterise the hotter and wetter summer season (November to April). In winter, night-time temperatures can fall below freezing but the days are best for wildlife viewing because animals tend to concentrate close to water holes and are therefore easily observed. National parks are most crowded during South African school holidays, so to avoid the throngs, avoid mid-April to mid-May and mid-July to mid-September. There's a secondary rush around the Namibian school holidays in December and early January.