Tracking rhino on foot
Tracked on foot at a distance, with guides who know every valley, in one of the safest places in Africa.
Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice
4.6 / 5 from 294 reviews
500+ five-star reviews across all platforms
01 A place like no other
Carved from three billion years of granite.
The Matobo Hills hold a stillness the modern world has forgotten.
Here, a handful of guests share a private corner of a UNESCO-listed wilderness, with rhino on foot, ancient rock art, and a silence you can feel.
We are the only private lodge inside the park, which means the hills empty out by the time the day visitors have gone.
A place like no other
Six reasons people come.
03 The chalets
Stone, sky, silence.
Seventeen chalets nestled into the hillside, with no neighbours and no noise.
Each has a private veranda looking out over the granite horizon, an en-suite bathroom, complimentary Wi-Fi, a tea and coffee station and daily housekeeping.
04 Signature experiences
What you will actually do.
An Ndebele afternoon
A homestead visit with the neighbours. A meal shared, a craft shown.
Your time in the hills
Three nights
at Matobo
3 nights 4 days
Rhino on foot. Ancient rock art. Evenings in the hills. A suggested stay, shaped around you.
Day one · Arrival
A slower kind
of arrival.
Settle into your chalet. Then make your way to the deck as the granite turns gold.
- Sunset
- A drink overlooking the hills
- Evening
- Three-course dinner at your private table
Day two · Rhino & rock art
On foot.
Into the wild.
Walk with a guide in search of white rhino, then discover San rock art in the cool of a granite cave.
- Morning
- Guided rhino tracking
- Afternoon
- Rock art, then time for a swim
Day three · Village & views
Meet the people.
Take in the view.
Visit a nearby Ndebele community, then climb to World's View for a sundowner above the kopjes.
- Morning
- A village visit with local hosts
- Afternoon
- World's View and a sundowner
Day four · Departure
One more morning.
Take it slowly.
A last breakfast on the deck. A little more time with the view. Then the journey back to Bulawayo.
- Morning
- Breakfast at the lodge
- Afterwards
- Your onward journey
ZIMBABWE
Best of20272027 rates & early bird booking specialsSave 20% Book by 31 December 2026
2027 RATES & EARLY BIRD BOOKINGS
Make time
for Matobo.
A few days away or a fresh setting for your team. Explore our 2027 stays and conference packages, and save 20% when you book by 31 December 2026.
Book by 31 December 2026.
Stay or conference from 1 January to 31 December 2027.
Accommodation and conference packages. A 20% non-refundable deposit secures your booking. Subject to availability and standard booking terms.
Planning notes
Useful guides before you travel.
Culture & History
Matobo Hills: A Visitor's Guide
A 2.6-billion-year landscape of granite, paint and memory. The definitive guide to one of Africa's oldest places.
20 min read
Read the guide
Travel Planning
Best Time to Visit Matobo Hills
Every season in Matobo brings something different. When to come for wildlife, for walking, and for the light.
6 min read
Read the guide
Experiences
Walking with Giants: Rhino Tracking
There is a moment when time stops. You are standing twenty metres from a two-tonne white rhino, on foot.
8 min read
Read the guide
Culture & History
The Ancient Art of Matobo
Painted 13,000 years ago, and made as a way into the spiritual world rather than a picture of it.
5 min read
Read the guide
Wildlife
Wildlife Safari in Matobo: What Will You See?
Rhino, sable, leopard and the world's densest population of Verreaux's eagles.
6 min read
Read the guide
Travel Planning
The Merino Wool Travel Clothing Guide
GSM weights explained, safari-specific layering, and what actually survives a week in the bush.
7 min read
Read the guide
The Matobo Journal
Read the rest.
Guides, field notes and a monthly letter from the lodge.
Open the journal
A glimpse of Matobo.
Getting here
Closer than you think.
- 50 kmSouth of Bulawayo
- 55 minBy road
- 90 minFrom J. M. Nkomo International
- InsideMatobo National Park
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Rates & park fees, in writing.
Accommodation, guided activities, park fees and transfers. Everything for a 2026 stay, in a single PDF, sent to your inbox.
In their words
What guests say.
Rated 4.6 out of 5 across 294 reviews on Tripadvisor.
Such an amazing location and built to fit in perfectly with the rocks of Matopos.
Its setting is magnificent, its comfortable chalets blend seamlessly into the landscape, the food was delicious and the staff delightful.
A special shout-out to our cheerful tour guide, TK, for an unforgettable rhino experience and trip to World’s View.
The attention to detail was deliberate and consistent, and the staff operated at a level of attentiveness that genuinely stands out.
Fine dining, beautiful location, very peaceful, great service.
Start your enquiry
Tell us what you have in mind.
Dates can be flexible. A few details are enough for our team to begin shaping a Matobo itinerary.
Stone underfoot. Eagles overhead.
Inside the UNESCO Matobo Hills, with the family that has opened the door here since 1994.
Before you come
Frequently asked questions.
How far is the lodge from Bulawayo?
About 50 km south, roughly 55 minutes by road. J. M. Nkomo International Airport is around 90 minutes away and we arrange transfers on request.
What is included in the rates?
Every package includes the chalet, breakfast, Wi-Fi and pool access. Dinner, full board, guided activities and park fees are added depending on which package you choose.
Is rhino tracking on foot safe?
Yes. Walks go into the Intensive Protection Zone accompanied by an armed National Parks ranger alongside our own guides. Matobo is one of the safest and most reliable places in Africa to track white rhino on foot.
Is Matobo a malaria area?
Matobo is a low-risk area and most of the year presents very little concern. We would always suggest speaking to your own doctor before you travel.
Can children join the rhino walk?
Younger children are welcome at the lodge and on most activities. For the rhino walk specifically, please talk to us about ages when you enquire so we can advise honestly.
Can you cater for dietary requirements?
Yes. Tell us when you book and the kitchen will plan around it. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergies are all routine for us.
Is there Wi-Fi and mobile signal?
Wi-Fi is available in the main lodge area. Mobile signal is intermittent in the hills, which many guests come to appreciate.
What should I pack?
Sturdy walking shoes above all, because you will be on granite. Layers for cool mornings and evenings, sunscreen, a hat, and binoculars if you have them.