My Exciting Trip to Mutare

Last December, I got the privilege of traveling to Mutare. Located approximately 558km from Bulawayo, it was a drive and a half. We made a few stops along the way, not just to rest, but to really get the feel of the camp. We enjoyed the trip a lot.

We had left Bulawayo at midnight to be able to maneuver the curves and meanders of the unfamiliar Mutare roads. Passing through the Birchenough Bridge was a sight for sore eyes. It was engineering expertise at its best. The 1935 engineering architecture of the bridge was expertly crafted and is still standing up to date. I finally got to discover why the steel structures were once the talk of the globe and the region’s highlight. Located in Manicaland province, connecting Chipinge and Buhera, you could see how human handiwork exercised its mastery in that masterpiece.

As we passed through the towns from Masvingo up till Mutare, we got the chance to really take in the Eastern Highlands and their grandeur. The roads have a way of going uphill! The greenery was epic!

We finally arrived at the campsite we had booked. It was the Chitakatira Primary and Secondary Schools. We were there for a Seventh-day Adventist church youth congress, running for the whole week from the 21st to the 28th of December 2025. Besides the scenery and view-seeking, we got spiritually uplifted. God was speaking to the youth through nature, and we got to see it with our own eyes.

We managed to have two tours: one at the Nyachowe Falls and another at the Bvumba Heights. The experience of a different culture for a whole week was something worth exploring. Mutare became a home away from home for a whole festive week. The social aspect was also utilized during that time as friends, acquaintances, and new friendships, as well as spiritual bonds, were formed.

Being the traveler that I am, I took a quick detour to Harare on Christmas Eve for some business-related stuff. I couldn’t resist the urge to travel; it is in my DNA. All I can say is I got the 100%+ experience to see Zimbabwe for what it is: Nature’s Finest indeed. We really are endowed as a country. From the famous “Christmas Pass,” those things are worth experiencing on your own and then getting to tell the tale.

I got the chance to unwind away from familiar environments, the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to a breathtaking place. Not to mention hiking to the famous Bvumba Heights—the fatigue afterwards was worth it! Surely the ZIMBHO mantra does live up to its name. Why don’t you “Dare to defy” the odds and put it on your bucket list!

_{This article was first published in Travels & Thrills magazine Vol. 2: Iss. 3 (Aug-Oct 2026).}