Travel Guide Monts Bvumba

About 30 kilometers southeast of Mutare is a series of high hills punctuated by lush valleys. Benefiting from higher rainfall, but also slightly cooler than average temperatures, these highlands, some of which rise to an altitude of 1,800 m, are known as the Bvumba (or Vumba) Mountains, a Shona term meaning the Mountains of Mist. It is a name that can sometimes make sense. There are all the species of trees, bushes, flowers, birds and animals endemic to the region and in two botanical reserves you can discover gardens and forests with imported species. Everything is intertwined or arranged in a charming way, forming a bouquet of colors worthy of a painter's palette. Paths wind through the trees and small streams swirl around the tree ferns. Viewpoints invite contemplation while a lake reflects the flowering bushes and surrounding trees. As you can see, the Bvumba Mountains are a haven of tropical greenery in a country that is mostly savannah.From Mutare, take Bvumba Road, heading southeast. After about 15 km, the mountains offer their undergrowth on either side of the road; the road crosses the Vumba River to the Leopard Rock Hotel. Shared cabs leave from behind Choppies Supermarket in Mutare and also go to the Leopard Rock Hotel.