Manicaland Province · Zimbabwe
Mutare travel guide
Mutare is a city in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe, home to about 225,000 people.
- Best months
- May to October
- Nearest airport
- VPY82 km · Chimoio Airport
- Currency
- ZWGZimbabwe ZiG
- Time zone
- Africa/Harare
- Language
- Barwe, Chewa, English
About
About Mutare
Mutare, known as Umtali until 1982, is the capital and largest city in the province of Manicaland. It is the third-largest city in Zimbabwe.
Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Mutare
See
- Cross Kopje Memorial
- Cecil Kop Nature Reserve
- Mutare museum
- The Civic Centre Complex
- Mutare Main Park Aloe Gardens
- Lake Alexander / Ozdani Dam
Do
The National Arts Gallery and Courtauld Theatre are two places in Mutare where you can go to experience some culture.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Mutare
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Mutare are May to October. November is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; January is the wettest, with about 361 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Mutare: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Chimoio Airport (VPY), about 82 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
Although Mutare has a small airstrip there are no regular scheduled services; however airtaxi or small private planes may land. The nearest international gateway is in the capital, Harare.
Getting around
The town is small and walkable. You can also take a ride on minibus combis for US$0.50.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
VPY · Chimoio Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Mutare
Eat
Karen’s Kitchen (lunch), Green Coucal (lunch), Nando’s, Chinese in 1st street in Mutare, Hillside Sports Club (Good curry), Portuguese Club (prawns and chicken), Greek Club (good chicken), Wise Owl (go for the steak), Calvary (best sadza in town), Mira Sol (chicken or pasta) and Fasho. White Horse Inn and Tony’s Café (great cakes) are very good and somewhat expensive places to eat in Bvumba.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Mutare: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Mutare?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Mutare are May to October. November is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; January is the wettest, with about 361 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Mutare?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Chimoio Airport (VPY), about 82 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Mutare?
Zimbabwe ZiG (ZWG).
Nearby
Destinations near Mutare
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.