Matobo Hills Lodge · Weddings
A wedding in the granite hills
The entire lodge, exclusively yours. To love, laughter, and happily ever after.
A wedding at Matobo
Let yourself be enchanted
Imagine exchanging vows surrounded by timeless granite boulders, with every detail carefully held by one team on the ground. From the moment your date is confirmed, the lodge is yours alone: no strangers, no rushed timelines, and a landscape that provides the backdrop all by itself.
Many couples plan their entire Matobo wedding from another city, or another country, then simply arrive for the day itself, confident that the ceremony site, food, timings and guest rhythm are being looked after by people who do this in their own home.
- 17 stone-and-thatch chalets in double, twin and family configurations, plus the Director's Cottage: a separately styled cottage, recently refurbished, with a character of its own
- Open-air ceremony settings among the granite, timed around light and weather
- In-house kitchen, stocked bar and service staff throughout
- Rhino tracking, San rock art and game drives to turn the wedding into a stay
The shape of the day
From the night before to the morning after
Booking the lodge for 24 or 48 hours sets the rhythm. This is how most weddings here unfold.
The night before
Smoky flavours and endless views
Gather on the rocks for the I Do braai. Woodsmoke, cold drinks, and family finding each other again while the hills hold the last of the light.
The vows
An open-air ceremony, held by the hills
Granite underfoot, big sky overhead, and timing planned around the light. Nature does the decorating.
The reception
A long table, a longer evening
Dinner from the lodge kitchen under thatch and lantern light, with the bar and our service team at your side.
The morning after
Slow coffee, softer light
Breakfast for the whole party is included, with no one watching the clock. Couples who stay on after the guests leave have the hills to themselves: see a honeymoon in the Matobo Hills.
2027 wedding packages
Your day, your way
Wedding pricing has two parts: private hire of the whole lodge, and the reception, charged for every guest. Add the two together for your total. All prices are in US dollars and include tax.
Private lodge hire
Exclusive use, 11 am to 11 am24 hours
$6,600
One night and breakfast, for up to 42 reception guests.
- Exclusive use of the whole lodge, 11 am to 11 am
- One night's accommodation for up to 42 guests sharing
- Breakfast the following morning
48 hours
$9,500
Two nights and both breakfasts, for up to 42 reception guests.
- Exclusive use of the whole lodge, 11 am to 11 am
- Two nights' accommodation for up to 42 guests sharing
- Breakfast on both mornings
- Time to settle in, decorate and host the I Do braai the night before
Venue hire is based on the total number at the reception, including overnight guests. Reception capacity is 90 guests.
Choose your reception
Charged for every reception guestYour celebration, priced
Lodge hire plus reception| 24 hours | ||
|---|---|---|
| Reception | 42 guests | 80 guests* |
| Royal | $8,280 | $10,800 |
| Gold | $8,574 | $11,360 |
| Ivory | $7,860 | $10,000 |
For example: 42 guests, the Royal menu and 24 hours of exclusive use. $6,600 venue plus 42 × $40.
$8,280before drinks and décor80-guest weddings* The 80-guest venue fee includes $1,000 for additional hire, delivery, setup and staffing. Your final venue price and inclusions are confirmed in your quotation. Other weddings above 42 reception guests are quoted individually.
Inclusions and extrasRoyal and Gold include basic reception crockery, cutlery and glassware. Ivory tableware is agreed separately. Drinks, furniture, linen, décor, sound, extra meals, activities, park fees and transfers are additional unless included in your quotation.
Days that happened here
Real weddings in the hills
Ceremonies on the granite, long tables under the thatch, and the light that arrives late in the afternoon. Every photograph is from a wedding held at the lodge, across more than ten years of them.
Open any photograph to see the full set. Want to see the venue in person? Send us your date and we will arrange a visit or a video call.
Practical information
The details, plainly stated
Guest numbers
- Maximum overnight guests: 42
- Maximum reception guests: 90, including your overnight guests
- 17 stone-and-thatch chalets in double, twin and family configurations, plus the Director's Cottage
- We can help source nearby accommodation and shuttles for additional guests at extra cost
Timings
- Venue hire runs 11 am to 11 am
- Check-out for in-house guests on the day of venue hire is 10 am; décor and service providers arrive when venue hire begins
- Room check-in is guaranteed from 2 pm on the day venue hire starts
Included and not included
- Both venue packages include breakfast setup for 42 guests
- Royal and Gold include basic reception crockery, cutlery and glassware. Ivory tableware is agreed separately
- Not included: décor, tables, chairs, chair covers, tablecloths, sound equipment, and drinks
- Our bar is fully stocked and our bartenders can build a drinks menu for your day, from traditional cocktails to Matobo Specials
Payment terms
- A provisional booking is held for 14 days before automatic release
- Confirmation requires a signed contract and a $1,000 deposit
- A second $1,000 is due 6 months before the event
- The balance is payable 6 weeks prior
Cancellation
Payments made are not refundable, but they may be transferred to another date at the lodge's discretion. If a booking is cancelled outright, the following charges apply to the booking value.
- 52+ weeks out: 25%
- 27 to 51 weeks: 50%
- 13 to 26 weeks: 75%
- 12 weeks or less: 100%
The 2027 brochure and pricing guide
Download the 2027 wedding brochure or the 2027 pricing guide (PDF) to share with family and your planner.
2027 weddings
Plan your 2027 wedding at Matobo
The brochure shows how a wedding at the lodge works, from arriving the day before to breakfast the morning after. The pricing guide sets out every 2027 price, with worked totals for 42 and 80 guests.
Download them now, or have both sent to your inbox to share with family and your planner.
Begin the conversation
Tell us about your wedding
We will come back to you with availability and a costed shape for the day. No obligation, no pressure.
Thank you
Your enquiry is with the lodge. We will come back to you within one working day, usually sooner.
If it is easier to talk, call or WhatsApp +263 77 587 6661.
One lodge. One couple. One unforgettable day.
Opened by Alan Elliott in 1992. Rebuilt and run by his son Josh since 2012. The only lodge inside Matobo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape.
Royal $40 pp · Gold $47 pp · Ivory $30 pp · Whole lodge from $6,600