Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve in Nyanga
The Sanganai/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi World Tourism Expo 2025 is set to catapult the Eastern Highlands’ growing agro-tourism sector onto the global stage, revealing a treasure of experiential travel that marries breathtaking landscapes with agricultural heritage.
Hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), the Expo has been preceded by a dedicated familiarisation tour for a delegation of international buyers and media.
The tour has showcased the region’s hidden potential, transforming it from a scenic pass-through into a premier standalone destination.
The delegation’s journey weaved through the dense plantations of the Eastern Highlands. A drive through the spectacular Honde Valley, with its terraced tea plantations stretching to the horizon, brought them to what many are calling one of Zimbabwe’s best-kept secrets: the Aberfoyle Lodge.
Nestled amongst rolling tea estates, rivers, mountains, and pristine riparian forest, Aberfoyle offers a serene getaway that perfectly encapsulates the region’s unique charm.
From the historical La Rochelle Country House and Spa in Mutare, where hospitality meets botany in its world-class orchid and historic flora collection, to the vast, productive estates of the Honde Valley, the Eastern Highlands stands as a thriving agricultural paradise open for tourism exploration.
In Mutasa District, the newly constructed Mountain Lake Resort and Spa is a testament to this modern agro-tourism vision, seamlessly integrating luxury accommodation with its own vast plantations. The resort is a prime example of the cluster being promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
Speaking to journalists at the resort, Mountain Lake’s General Manager, Ms Keara Shumba, expressed confidence in the region’s growth and potential.
“I think Manicaland is really growing. All the way from Macheke, we have got the blueberries, the strawberries. As you can see behind me here, we have got some beautiful peaches. We have planted, I think, about 18,000 to 20,000 peach trees, and then maybe another 5,000 or so of the pine trees, which are still young and growing. So I definitely think it’s really big,” she said.
She drew comparisons to established agricultural giants in the region.
“We know Monte Clair have been doing apples for years, and everyone’s growing. Some are trying to start citrus farming, all the local produce. Honde Valley is like the Garden of Eden — pineapples, all the things. Eastern Highlands is definitely the prime agro-tourism destination of Zimbabwe, in my personal opinion,” she said.
To capitalise on the agro-tourism cluster, the resort has launched innovative packages.
“For us, our peach season is towards the end of October, beginning of November into December. So we have actually launched a package, which is a day trip, where people just come for fruit picking. On the day we opened last year, we had over 130 guests coming from Harare, Mutare, all the surrounding areas, literally just for fruit picking. So it is a super prime activity for guests.
“We are very passionate about agro-tourism. We have been planting trees, we are continuing to plant trees, we are going to be doing the fruit picking day trips, giving accessibility to people from places such as Bonda Mission, AU students, all the way to Mutare, to Honde Valley. Guests can come just for the day, enjoy the fruit picking, have a picnic within the trees, just come and enjoy the natural environment,” she said.
With the world’s buyers now aware and interested, the Sanganai/Hlanganani Expo has sown the seeds for the Eastern Highlands to blossom as Zimbabwe’s undeniable agro-tourism capital.
