Bulawayo City Tour: Railway Museum and colonial history

See steam locomotives from 1897 and walk through Bulawayo's oldest township in one morning

A guided city tour of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe with private transportation, covering the Railway Museum, colonial-era buildings, Joshua Nkomo's statue, and Makokoba township market. The tour includes a live English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle, entrance fees, and refreshments. It runs three hours and departs with hotel pickup.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Bulawayo's cultural history

• Visit Bulawayo Railway Museum
• See Joshua Nkomo statue and city walk
• Explore Makokoba township and market

The experience

The Bulawayo Railway Museum anchors this tour: one of the few of its kind in the world, holding steam locomotives that date to 1897 and the first engines ever used on Zimbabwe's first railway. You'll see the Rhodes funeral coach, built by an American company specifically for Cecil Rhodes, and the Jack Tar, the first locomotive to cross the Victoria Falls bridge. These aren't replicas or displays behind glass. They're the actual machines that shaped the country's colonial transition.

From the museum, the guide takes you through the city itself: past the statue of Joshua Nkomo, the man who started Zimbabwe's liberation struggle, and through the sandstone buildings on Main Street that date back to the first European occupation. The national art gallery sits among these older structures, anchoring the visual record of how Bulawayo changed. Makokoba, the oldest township and the first Black African suburb in the city, comes next: a place where artists, writers and musicians built creative life against the odds. The market there sells local crafts, antiques, and the everyday goods locals buy: meat, soap, food staples, rubber goods. It's where you see what the city actually is, not what it was built to be.

Private transportation means you move between stops without waiting for other groups. The air-conditioned vehicle carries bottled water and WiFi. The three-hour window leaves the rest of your day open for lunch or a second site if the schedule allows.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in English.
• entrance fee to the Railway Museum.
• bottled water and soda.
• WiFi on board.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (16 to 60 years) · Senior (61 and older) · Youth (11 to 15 years) · Child (4 to 10 years): free · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 12 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bonisa Excursions

Is this one for you?Three hours is short enough to fit a second activity into your day, but long enough to move through the museum, the city centre, and Makokoba without rushing any of the three stops.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 15 years); Child (4 to 10 years): free; Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is in the Bulawayo Railway Museum?

The museum holds steam locomotives dating to 1897, including the first engines used on Zimbabwe's first railway and the Jack Tar, which was the first locomotive to cross the Victoria Falls bridge. The collection also includes the Rhodes funeral coach, an American-made carriage built specifically for Cecil Rhodes, and other railway memorabilia spanning the country's colonial history.

Who was Joshua Nkomo and why does his statue matter in Bulawayo?

Joshua Nkomo, known as the Father of Zimbabwe, started the liberation struggle that led to the country's independence. His statue in Bulawayo marks the city's role as the centre of Zimbabwe's major historical transition from colonial to post-colonial era.

What is Makokoba and what will I see there?

Makokoba is the oldest township and the first Black African suburb in Bulawayo. The township market sells local crafts, antiques, and everyday goods (meat, soap, food staples, rubber goods), and reflects the vibrant, multicultural community that flourished there despite colonial constraints.

How long is this tour and what time does it start?

The tour runs three hours and includes hotel pickup, so your departure time depends on where you're staying in Bulawayo. The guide will coordinate the pickup window with you when you book.