Over the past few years, tourism activities in Nyanga have been on the decline. In 2017, the tourism sector in Manicaland Province was left in limbo when one of the most beautiful boutique hotels in Nyanga, the Inn on the Ruparara, closed down citing a substantial decline in tourism traffic to the Eastern Highlands.
Concerns were raised in many quarters on the need for a comprehensive strategy to revive the sector in Nyanga, but for years, little was done to rescue the situation. Our Editor-in-Chief Munyaradzi Huni recently travelled to Nyanga and was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. Something big, relaxing, serene and exclusive is fast taking shape in Mutasa District. It looks like tourism in Nyanga is on the rebound. Read on . . .
16 chalets that, from the outside, exude class and creativity
As one drives into the spacious Mountain Lakes Resort & Spa in Nyanga, he/she is welcomed by an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity that is hidden among lush green pine trees that give the resort a relaxing atmosphere. From a distance, a man-made waterfall splashes a blanket of water into one of the resort’s dams. Camouflaged under the towering pine trees are 16 chalets that, from the outside, exude class and creativity.
There is something about Mountain Lakes Resort and Spa which suggests that, on completion, this is not going to be your run-of-the-mill tourist destination. It has all the ambiance required to crank the revival of tourism in Nyanga into top gear.
bathrooms as well as a third bedroom upstairs which
can accommodate 2 adults. In other words, each
chalet can accommodate up to 6 adults.
The site manager, Trevor Fungai Tshuma, told Brick by Brick that construction of the resort and spa –which started in earnest in 2019 — is set to be a game-changer in Nyanga.
Tshuma takes up the story: “Although the project started around 2019, I only came on-board in 2021. When we were offered this piece of land, the idea was to turn it into an orchard. We actually bought some peach and apple seedlings and planted them here, but things didn’t go according to our expectations. Following some expert agronomic advice, we subsequently ventured into peach production. It was an instant success, and today boasts about 6,000 trees. For the record, we are now a leading supplier of peaches to local supermarkets and shops.
“At the moment, the project is about 80% complete. The completed works comprise 16 chalets, an arrival centre, a kitchen and restaurant, a clubhouse, an administration block, a chapel and a conference centre that can accommodate 200 delegates. We now in the process of building the health spar.
product that we are putting up. Besides the homely chalets, we are going to come up with a raft of activities,
e.g. boat rides, fishing, zip lines and sky walks, etc, that will attract tourists in their numbers.”
“We have golf carts to transport our guests to the chalets. Once our guests arrive here, they park their vehicles and we take them to their chalets in the golf carts.
“We turned our focus to chalets following an in-depth assessment of Nyanga’s tourism potential. We already have a property development company in Harare. So it was easy for us to switch to the construction of chalets.
soon be available for prayer warriors
“We estimated the budget for the project, on completion, at around US$3 million. We expect to finish construction around August 2023 with the doors opening for business in November. We are well on course to meet these deadlines. Only the health spar is left,” said Tshuma, who was optimistic that Mountain Lakes Resort and Spa has all that it takes to lure tourists back to Nyanga.
“We are quite confident of the product that we are putting up. Besides the homely chalets, we are going to come up with a raft of activities, e.g. boat rides, fishing, zip lines and sky walks, etc, that will attract tourists in their numbers. We are very good at marketing ourselves and we know holidaymakers will fall in love with our chalets. We believe in ourselves and we know we have the pulling power.
“Nyanga is just 240 km from Harare. It is possible for holidaymakers to drive here from Harare and return the same day. So there is no reason why we should not capture the Harare market.
“Each chalet has 2 bedrooms both with en-suite bathrooms. There is a third bedroom upstairs which can accommodate 2 adults. In other words, each chalet can accommodate up to 6 adults. The chalets come with a lounge, kitchen and cutlery. We offer self-catering even though we have a kitchen to prepare meals for guests who dislike cooking for themselves. Mountain Lakes Resort & Spa is targeting, first and foremost, the Zimbabwean market.”
Asked why Mountain Lakes Resort and Spa had decided to venture into tourism, Tshuma had this to say: “We are helping to build our country in our own small way. This is building the country brick by brick in support of the President’s call that nyika inovakwa nevene vayo. Zimbabwe is the jewel of Africa.
“I love my country so much that I don’t want to leave it in any other person’s hands. I am staying here in Zimbabwe to use my expertise here. If I am to go out of the country, I would rather go as a consultant and come back.”
“There are about 140 workers working at the site, the majority of them drawn from the local community. When it eventually opens its doors, the resort is expected to have a staff complement of around 50 people.
“The majority of the contractors here are from Harare, but an agreement was reached with them to recruit most of their staff from the surrounding areas. While the team leaders can be recruited from Harare, the general hands should be recruited from here. In addition, most of the building materials we are using are sourced from the local community. As a result, the community here is 100% behind the project.
“To protect the environment, we have resisted the temptation to cut down the indigenous trees. We are obliged to maintain the Eastern Highlands’ natural beauty. To show our commitment, over the past 2 years we have planted about 13,000 pine trees within our premises. We have gone a step further by donating some pine tree seedlings to our neighbouring villages for them to plant on the periphery of their homes,” he said.
As a new kid on the block, is Mountain Lakes Resort & Spa ready to battle it out with the Goliaths of the hospitality industry?
Came the answer: “We are not afraid of competition. In fact, we are complementing the existing tourism facilities in Nyanga. We are actually keen for other hospitality players in Nyanga to come and see what we are doing. We will exchange notes on how to run such a facility. The ‘cross-pollination’ of ideas will be quite beneficial to all stakeholders in the industry. Tourism is slowly picking up in Nyanga and we are confident that we will get our share of the cake.
“These chalets should catch the eye of anyone who comes to Nyanga. We want our guests not to feel out of place.
“The theme at Mountain Lakes Resort and Spa revolves around mountains, plants, trees and orchards. Our idea is that this is going to be a 5-star mountain resort built within orchards. In our orchards we will grow peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots. In the long run, the orchard is earmarked for the export market.
“The resort and spa should have a rustic, mountain, stone, timber, quiet, serene and relaxing feel. That is why we are putting together what we think is going to be the biggest spar, if not in Zimbabwe, at least in Nyanga. It’s very relaxed and very exclusive.
“Just like in any business, there are ups and downs in tourism, but we believe the Covid pandemic went a long way in changing the face of tourism. There was a time when international tourists were the prime target. We are targeting the local market. Nyanga is just 3 hours’ drive away from Harare. Why should our people incur the expense of flying all the way to South Africa or overseas for their holidays when they can enjoy quality holidays right here on their doorstep? We are going to have a product that is equally good, if not better. And, above all, convenient. No need for airline tickets or visas. You just jump into your car and in less than 3 hours you are at a resort of international standards.
“The resort will also have a golf feel. There is no golf course, but our clients have golf carts at their disposal. We want our guests to feel like they have travelled beyond borders yet they are still in Zimbabwe,” explained Tshuma.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority pose for a photo shoot
in front of one of the 16 chalets
Naturally, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) in Manicaland is elated with the project.
”This facility will add capacity to our rooms in the Eastern Highlands. We are very short on room capacity. Sometimes holidaymakers experience challenges when it comes to securing accommodation in Nyanga. The entry of Mountain Lakes Resort and Spa into the market will go a long way in plugging that gap.
“We want companies to hold their conferences in Nyanga, just like they do in Victoria Falls and Kariba, etc. Tourism in Nyanga is on the rebound and we are bracing for exciting times. The terrain, the weather and the scenery in Nyanga are nothing short of breathtaking. It will be good to see Nyanga going back to its glory days,” said Tsitsi Madzingo, speaking from the ZTA’s Nyanga offices.
