Bvumba Mountains

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The Bvumba Mountains or Vumba Mountains lie on the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, approximately 2,5km south east of Mutare. The Bvumba rise to Castle Beacon at 1911 metres, and are, together with the Chimanimani and Nyanga part of the Eastern Highlands in Zimbabwe bordering Mozambique. Referred to as the "Mountains of the Mist", (Bvumba is the Shona name for "mist".), as so often the early morning starts with a mist but clears by mid morning.

In their centre lies the Forest Botanical Reserve and neighbouring Bvumba Botanical Garden.

These cool green hills shelter country hotels, a casino and golf course at the Leopard Rock Hotel and a Botanical Gardens with one of the best views in Africa^[1]. The mountains are also known for their coffee plantations.

Although small in area, the mountains are a botanical paradise and home to some of the rarest butterflies in the region. The Bvumba mountains offer exciting and varied birding opportunities. The area is probably best known as one of the main breeding areas of Swynnerton's Robin which lives and breeds in small patches of forest, some on private land, others within the Bunga forest. A smaller number of mammals inhabit the Bvumba, perhaps the most notable of which are the leopard and the samango monkey, the latter's range being very limited.