Mutare's appeal is almost entirely in the landscape surrounding it. The town itself is a practical base — pleasant enough, with some colonial-era architecture and a lively market — but the Eastern Highlands are the reason to come. The Vumba Mountains to the south, the Nyanga highlands to the north, and the Chimanimani ranges to the southwest all offer hiking, wildlife viewing, and spectacular scenery accessible from Mutare.
Birdwatching is exceptional throughout the region: the Eastern Highlands are one of the top birding destinations in southern Africa, with species found nowhere else in Zimbabwe. The Bvumba and Nyanga areas host montane forest and grassland species; the Honde Valley below the escarpment has lowland forest birds.