Vumba Botanical Gardens, Zimbabwe (all you need to know about visiting it)

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Click on the subheadings below to jump to their contents:

1. My personal experience
2. The surrounding views
3. Location, Entry fee & Best type of Vehicle
4. Tree ferns & the rest of the garden
5. The surprise – mother nature’s secrets

NB: It is strongly advised to read all the reviews on this site in their entirety to ensure that the destinations really suit all your needs & preferences. 

My personal experience

Working at the Botanical Gardens as an Ecologist trainee back in 2014, left quite a prominent mark in my “intimacy with nature” journey. The process of getting accepted though, took way more than just an interview. Before I applied, they had not taken any student there for over 3 decades so they were a bit hesitant and they would not fully understand why I was insisting on the Botanical gardens and not the other game parks that they were offering. I was persistent, I was not budging. Until finally they accepted.

Now my reason was the place’s strong, vibrant yet calm aura which I had experienced in 2011 when we went there as an A-Level Biology class. I had visited the place several times as a kid but that day things were most definitely different. The aura just seamlessly connected so perfectly with my aura, uplifting it in such a way I have never felt in any other place to date. That first time experience made me want more & more of it. So when the opportunity presented itself through academic means, I had to take it no matter what & I’m so glad that I did.

The surrounding views

The first thing that will grab you is the surrounding environment. If you haven’t checked out the “Marindi falls, Vumba” blog post then you better go there first for the views (& the falls). The thing about mountainous views is that, they make you feel like you have some type of super natural powers. It’s as if you are floating in the air because your sight takes you so far away than ever possible on a flat surface. Honestly, some of the feelings you get are difficult to describe. You just have to experience them in person to fully understand. I have travelled a bit, and I have never seen a place in Zimbabwe with such epic views. Typing it, is literally giving me chills. The views are simply phenomenal.

Location, Entry fee & Type of Vehicle

The Botanical gardens are approximately 30km from Mutare. You drive along Vumba road and get to a Y junction with several sign posts. You will see the “Vumba Botanical Gardens” sign post visibly displayed and it will direct you to the road on your right. You will just proceed on that road until you get to another sign post which will inform you to turn left. From there, you drive less than 5minutes and the entry point will be on your left. You definitely need a vehicle with high ground clearance though. The 5 minute drive can really damage your car if it is doesn’t have a suitable suspension. However, the route from White Horse Inn or Mutare is perfect tar.

Get ready to be welcomed by some stunningly gorgeous Sun-birds. They will gracefully flap their wings coming so close to you. If you are lucky they can even come to check themselves on your vehicle side mirrors. It’s the little things that will make your visit extraordinary and put a permanent smile on your face when you think back to that day. The entry fee is $3 per adult, $1 per kid and $3 per vehicle.

Tree ferns & the rest of the garden

When I first saw the tree fern as a kid I was confused – I was used to seeing ferns in my parents’ garden which are like most ferns – a lot smaller in size. The leaf was most definitely a fern leaf but the height left me stunned. This is one of the things that you will adore about the Botanical Gardens. There are so many interesting facts to note about ferns but one that you will be able to observe without having to dig up anything is how they do not produce seeds or flowers but rather reproduce using spores. These spores are found underneath the leaves and they look like little dots. They are enclosed in something called “sporangia” so when it is ripe & ready, it breaks open, releasing the spores into the wind for the new generation of ferns to establish.

The most popular part of the Garden is the dam area with a picturesque island. Countless weddings have been hosted on that island for generations and generations and it never gets old. There are also some well blended-green benches strategically placed in the garden, allowing you to relax and feel the Vumba breeze softly stroking your skin.

The surprise – mother nature’s secrets

It doesn’t matter how often you have visited the same place, even the hundredth time you visit, you are guaranteed to see something different which leaves you in awe. As I was enjoying the views on the Mozambican side, my eyes froze when they came across the results of what nature does when it unleashes it’s powers. That was a previously gigantic tree which was standing lifeless after it had got struck by lightning. The hole in the middle of the trunk is where the lightning hit & completely burnt it. I actually remember vividly that tree standing there a few years back and now it was just its remains standing. Far from being useless though because nothing in nature goes to waste. The tree continues to prevent soil erosion from especially the heavy rains experienced in that part of the country. It also influences drainage and soil moisture. The hole left in its trunk now provides a cozy habitat for various small animals. The list is endless…

Don’t forget to look past the tree by the way & see the views I was initially after when zooming out the camera 🙂

Remember to always have a little intimacy in your life, and as always I’m talking about intimacy with nature