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Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe

The Eastern Highlands comprise three main mountain groups -

Nyanga (to the north),
Bvumba (centrally situated near the city of Mutare)
Chimanimani (to the south).

These regions are all sparsely populated, highland country with a cooler and wetter climate than other parts of Africa. They are popular holiday destinations for the local people with the main activities being hiking, camping and fishing.

Nyanga National Park

is situated in the northernmost part of the Eastern Highlands, the park is not a game park but there are waterbuck, steenbok, leopard, kudu, wildebeest and the area is rich in birdlife.

Here you will find:

Zimbabwe's highest mountain, Nyangani (2593m)
Nyanga's Ancient Ruins
Nyazengu Nature Reserve
Pungwe Gorge
Honde Valley with it's tea and coffee estates and fruit farms
Mutarazi National Park where Africa's second highest waterfall, Mutarazi Falls, can he seen.

The nearest major centre to Nyanga is Mutare.
It is surrounded by mountains and has an excellent climate. There are nature reserves within a few minutes drive of the city centre

Bvumba

Eastern highlands Just twenty kilometres to the south of Mutare is a mountainous region called Bvumba

Apart from fantastic views into Mozambique there is a range of vegetation which varies from green lush pasture lands to deep montane forests
* Bunga forest in the Bunga Botanical Reserve.
* Bumba Botanical gardens is known for it's wooden bridges, streams, lakes, aloes and its spectacular views

The Chimanimani

are big, rugged peaks, the highest reaching to over 2400 metres. see activities for more about hiking and other activities.

The circular drive (called the Burma Valley Road) through the Bvumba Mountains offers spectacular views and takes you through cloudforest, protea and coffee farms and plantations growing bananas, mangoes, macadamia nuts and burley tobacco. The hills around Bvumba are alive with colourful trees and plants. And then there is the Bvumba Botanical Gardens with its display of orchids, tree ferns, aloes, fuschias, hydrangeas, lily ponds, azaleas and other exotic plants. The gardens are landscaped harmoniously into the mountainside and the plants thrive on an annual rainfall higher than that of London

Paths meander through the shrubs and trees which are gathered from all over the world. The gardens are set aound a central ornamental lake with waterlilies. Adjoining the gardens, lies the Bvumba Rainforest Reserve which you can explore on marked paths and trails. Depite its modest appearance, the teahouse in the gardens has an excellent reputation and is highly recommended as a resting place after touring the grounds. The pecan pie and lemon cake both received top marks !

Gonarezhou game reserve in the Eastern lowlands

Gona-rez-hou National Park is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP), a massive Pan-African Park that includes South Africa’s famed Kruger National Park and Mozambique’s Gaza.

Gonarezhou is also one of the last places in Africa where you can experience a African camping experiece as it was over 100 years ago