Travel deep dive
Mountains, Mist and Waterfalls Along the Mozambican Border
Along the eastern border with Mozambique, Zimbabwe rises into the Eastern Highlands, a long chain of mountains with a climate and a look all their own: grassy uplands and pine plantations, rainforest in the valleys, waterfalls, trout streams and tea estates on the slopes. Three areas draw visitors, Nyanga in the north, the Bvumba near the city of Mutare, and the rugged Chimanimani in the south, a cool counterpoint to the safari parks of the lowveld.
Updated 2026-10-08
Nyanga
Nyanga National Park covers a high, rolling upland of grassland, pine and streams, crowned by Mount Nyangani, the highest peak of Zimbabwe, climbed on a day's hike when the mist allows. On the edge of the escarpment, the Pungwe Falls drop into a deep gorge and the Mutarazi Falls fall far down the cliffs towards the Honde valley, with its tea estates below. Old stone terraces and enclosures scattered through the hills are a reminder of the farming communities who lived here centuries ago.
The Bvumba
South-east of Mutare, the Bvumba mountains are often wrapped in mist, their slopes covered in forest, gardens and coffee and tea plantings. The Bvumba Botanical Gardens lay out lawns, lakes and flowering trees on the hillside, and walks through the forest show birds, butterflies and the shy samango monkey. Lodges and cottages make it a quiet place for a few days.
Chimanimani
In the south, the Chimanimani mountains rise in jagged ridges of pale quartzite along the border, wild country of peaks, gorges, clear pools and caves. Walkers climb into the national park for one or several days, sleeping in a mountain hut or in caves, with a guide or a good map, and the village of Chimanimani at the foot of the range has lodges and a view of the peaks. The Bridal Veil Falls lie a short way from the village.
Visiting and the season
The Highlands are reached by road from Harare, with Mutare as the gateway to the Bvumba and the south, and a car is the way to move between them, often after Great Zimbabwe on the road from the south. They are cool all year and cold on winter nights, and the dry months, from about April to October, are the best for walking; in the rains the mist and cloud are frequent, and the mountain paths are slippery.