Reserve overview

Gleneagles Mountain Reserve is a 2 000 Hectare block of land that stretches from the Gleneagles boundary near the 5th green of the Aberfoyle Club golf course, up as far as the eastern boundary of the Rhodes Nyanga National Park, Tsumba sub-division, 1 000 metres higher up. It includes a wide variety of different flora, ranging from primary forest through evergreen montane and tropical rain forest similar to the Chirunda forest, to Nyanga parkland. Whilst not a Game Park, there are large troops of monkeys - the Samango monkey which in Zimbabwe is confined to the remaining pockets of moist forest in the Eastern Districts - vervets and baboons, as well as squirrels, bushpig, various small buck species including the timid and protected blue duiker which is also a rain forest denizen, and leopard on the higher slopes. There is a rich birdlife population with such unusual species as the Silver Cheeked Hornbill, the Narina Trogon, Blue Spotted Wood Dove, the Red Faced Crimson Wing, and recently a visiting Palm Nut Vulture. And, of course, Eagles. You should also enquire at the Club about the rare Moustached Warbler and the Marsh Tchagra. There are numerous rivers and streams and no bilharzia, so you can both swim in and drink the water - subject to obvious precautions. There is also a spice garden, whose Manager Mr. Edson Tombo will be glad to show you round.

A small charge is made for entry to Gleneagles Mountain Reserve, and we strongly suggest that you take a guide for those paths that require them. For those interested in the past, there are a number of pit structures and ancient fortifications on the Reserve which are well worth a visit - again, ask at the Club. Long distance walking and camping trails through the area with overnight accommodation are planned, but these are not yet available.