Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve in Mutare
The Eastern Highlands, long celebrated for its misty mountains, lush landscapes and temperate climate, is receiving a powerful reaffirmation of its status as a premier tourist destination, driven by multi-million dollar investments in luxury hospitality.
At the forefront of this renaissance is the Mountain Lake Resort and Spa, a burgeoning world-class facility located in Mutasa District, Manicaland Province, already making waves in the industry ahead of its grand opening later this year.
The scale and ambition of the investment were unveiled during a media tour organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA). The tour highlighted new and emerging attractions, with Mountain Lake Resort standing out as a testament to confidence in the region’s potential.
Although some components, including a central spa and wellness centre, are still under construction, the resort has already begun operations. It soft-launched to the public last year, opening its first luxurious accommodations. The investment has successfully hosted international buyers and delegates during the recent Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, unlocking foreign markets and placing the Eastern Highlands on the global luxury travel map.
Briefing the media, the Resort’s General Manager, Ms Keara Shumba, outlined the vision and current state of the facility.
“We have been in construction since around the COVID period. In 2020, we started building the vision. We did our first launch last year, opening our 16 villas to the public. The villas are six-sleepers, with two ensuite bedrooms and a loft. All come with their own private pool, private bar stand and fireplace. It’s quite a nice setup,” she said.
The current capacity stands at 96 guests, with plans for expansion.
“We do have plans to continue growing the resort to reach about 100–120 guests. We still have some double rooms under construction,” she added.
Beyond the villas, the resort features a restaurant and clubhouse bar open to guests and the public, a non-denominational chapel, and conferencing facilities for up to 100 people. A unique differentiator is its commitment to agro-tourism, with seven hectares dedicated to orchards producing peaches, nectarines and plums for the local market, with export ambitions on the horizon.
Ms Shumba emphasised the resort’s local roots and community impact.
“Mountain Lakes is 100 percent Zimbabwean, 100 percent black-owned, and we are very proud of that. About 95–98 percent of our staff are locals. We are passionate about empowering the local community,” she said.
The resort’s strategic participation in the Sanganai/Hlanganani Expo has already delivered significant benefits.
“Since the announcement of Sanganai, we have hosted many guests and international buyers. We’ve been privileged to host some of them,” she said, describing this as the immediate return on investment. She also praised the Ministry and ZTA for bringing traffic to the Eastern Highlands, which she considers the most beautiful part of the country.
Looking to the future, the resort’s vision focuses on wellness and holistic experiences. The upcoming spa and wellness centre, slated for completion by year-end, will feature treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room, beauty salon and heated spa.
“Our main objective in the coming years is wellness—educating the local community on wellness and mental health. We want to offer a detox experience,” she said, highlighting the limited on-site network designed to encourage guests to disconnect and reconnect with nature and companions.
“When you leave here, we want you to come back feeling better than when you arrived,” she added.
The continued development of Mountain Lake Resort and Spa signals a new era of high-end, sustainable tourism for the Eastern Highlands. It stands as a symbol of local investment, community empowerment and the untapped potential of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector, poised for a grand unveiling that promises to put the region firmly on the global luxury travel map.
