By Wallace Mawire
Sport, music, wellness and tourism will converge in Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands on September 26, 2026, when Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) hosts the inaugural Nyanga Mountain Valley Marathon and Music Festival.
RTG is in the final stages of preparations for the event, with arrangements for the races, entertainment and hospitality experience progressing ahead of the inaugural festival.
Held under the theme “Run. Breathe. Celebrate.”, the event will combine mountain races, live entertainment and wellness activities, with award-winning Zimbabwean musician Jah Prayzah headlining the post-race music festival.
RTG Corporate Affairs and Quality Manager Pride Khumbula said preparations were progressing well, with the company focused on ensuring a seamless experience for participants and visitors.
“Preparations for the Nyanga Mountain Valley Marathon and Music Festival are progressing well, and we are focused on ensuring that every aspect of the experience is ready for participants when they arrive,” Khumbula said.
“From the race routes and participant support to the hospitality and overall guest experience, our teams and partners are working to deliver an event that is professionally organised and worthy of Nyanga’s spectacular setting.
“The Nyanga Mountain Valley Marathon and Music Festival is about creating an experience that brings people together through sport, wellness, music and tourism. We want participants to challenge themselves against the backdrop of Nyanga’s spectacular landscapes, but also to slow down, enjoy the destination and experience everything the Eastern Highlands has to offer.”
The event is expected to contribute to efforts to position the Eastern Highlands as a year-round tourism destination by encouraging visitors to explore Nyanga’s alpine landscapes and eco-tourism attractions.
The marathon will feature 3km Fun Run, 5km, 10km and 21km Half Marathon categories, catering for participants with different levels of fitness and experience.
The shorter distances are expected to appeal to families, casual runners, walkers and those seeking a more relaxed participation experience, while the 21km Half Marathon will provide a more demanding challenge across Nyanga’s highland terrain and elevation changes.
Gateway Stream Media Manager Elton Kurima said the music festival was deliberately incorporated to broaden the event’s appeal beyond the running community.
“The idea was to build a complete weekend experience where sport and entertainment complement each other. Jah Prayzah brings a major music offering to Nyanga, while the marathon gives people another reason to travel, explore the destination and spend the weekend there,” Kurima said.
“For runners, the concert becomes an opportunity to celebrate after the race. For people who are not necessarily interested in running, the music festival provides a reason to come to Nyanga and be part of the experience. That combination gives the event a much broader lifestyle and entertainment appeal.”
The entertainment programme will culminate in a headline performance by Jah Prayzah, supported by additional acts and live DJs, turning the post-race programme into an evening celebration.
RTG is also providing accommodation and travel options for participants and festivalgoers as part of efforts to create a complete destination experience.
The Group plans to establish the marathon as an annual event and eventually expand it into a full 42km marathon, with the long-term ambition of developing it into a qualifying event for major international marathons, including the Comrades Marathon in South Africa.
The event is being supported by a range of corporate and brand partners, with Pacific Breeze serving as the title sponsor.
Other partners include Stanbic Bank, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Musabvunda, Montclair Resort and Conference Centre, Heritage Expeditions Africa, Colourmart Solutions, Aqua Sure, Colcom, Passion Events, Morefresh and Defined Media.
According to RTG, registration for the marathon can be completed online through the official Gateway Stream platform at https://events.gatewaystream.com/marathon/.
RTG’s tourism and hospitality footprint
Rainbow Tourism Group is one of Zimbabwe’s major hospitality and tourism companies, with operations spanning hotel accommodation, conferencing, destination management, travel experiences and digital services.
The Group operates seven hotels with a combined room stock of 979 across Harare, Bulawayo, Kadoma, Victoria Falls and the Eastern Highlands.
Its properties are Rainbow Towers Hotel and Conference Centre, New Ambassador Hotel, Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre, Victoria Falls Rainbow Hotel, A’Zambezi River Lodge and Montclair Resort and Conference Hotel.
Rainbow Towers Hotel and Conference Centre is RTG’s flagship property and home to the Harare International Convention Centre, Zimbabwe’s largest conference venue, with a single-seating capacity of 4,500 for conferencing.
The venue also provides indoor and outdoor space for exhibitions, meetings and banquets and continues to host major national, regional and international events.
In Victoria Falls, the four-star A’Zambezi River Lodge offers accommodation on the banks of the Zambezi River, while Victoria Falls Rainbow Hotel provides access to attractions and activities including game drives, bungee jumping, white-water rafting and boat cruises.
Montclair Resort and Conference Hotel extends RTG’s leisure and conferencing operations into the Eastern Highlands.
Quality remains a key focus for the Group, which says it has invested close to US$30 million in product upgrades over the past six years.
Recent investments have included refurbishment programmes at New Ambassador Hotel, A’Zambezi River Lodge, Victoria Falls Rainbow Hotel and Montclair Resort and Conference Hotel, with Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre next in line for a rooms transformation.
In July 2026, RTG completed a US$2 million refurbishment of Montclair Resort and Conference Hotel, modernising guestrooms, bathrooms, public areas, utilities and guest technology.
The refurbishment also increased the hotel’s room stock from 85 to 110 through the optimisation of previously underutilised spaces.
RTG said all seven of its hotels are certified to the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System standard. The Group also attained ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 22301 management systems certifications during the first half of 2026, strengthening its approach to information security and operational resilience.
Beyond accommodation, RTG’s tour operations arm, Heritage Expeditions Africa, provides destination management, transport, transfers, itinerary development and curated travel experiences.
Its offerings include game-drive safaris, quad biking, boat cruises and mountain biking, allowing RTG to provide a range of services covering accommodation, ground handling, tours and multi-destination travel across Zimbabwe.
Sustainability initiatives across the Group include renewable-energy generation through the solar plant at Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre, energy- and water-management systems incorporated into refurbishment projects, reduced use of single-use plastics through bulk guest amenities, on-site water filtration and the RTG Green Stays linen-reuse programme.
The Group’s RTG Agro Garden-to-Plate initiative is also aimed at reducing its carbon footprint and food miles while providing fresh, organically produced vegetables.
RTG is also expanding its footprint beyond Zimbabwe through the acquisition of MSK House in Cape Town, South Africa, which is planned for conversion into an internationally branded hotel.
The investment is expected to provide opportunities to package Cape Town and Victoria Falls for international travellers while expanding RTG’s regional presence and foreign-currency revenue base.
Through continued investment in its properties, people, quality systems and regional expansion, RTG says it is positioning itself to develop an integrated African tourism business serving Zimbabwe, the region and international markets.