Matetsi Victoria Falls

The luxury suites at Matetsi Victoria Falls are modern and contemporary, filled with modern furniture – giving a luxury hotel atmosphere to the suites. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors throughout the suite work to bring the outside in, and mean that guests will never miss a view. A comfortable king-size bed draped in mosquito netting sits in the centre of the room, with a small seating area to the side and sweeping views across the river which can be enjoyed without leaving the comfort of the bed.

All suites come complete with an ensuite bathroom which includes a luxurious circular bathtub and an indoor and outdoor rainfall shower. Private tiered verandahs sit outside the front of the suites and include a cosy outdoor sofa and a private sparkling plunge pool where guests can enjoy a refreshing dip after a long day while gazing over the Zambezi River rushing past.

With the same modern design as the Luxury Suites, the Family Suites at Matetsi Victoria Falls are elusive and private, including a master bedroom with a luxurious king-size bed and a second twin bedded room for children up to 16 years old. Both bedrooms are ensuite and have wide windows and doors which fill the room with bright, natural light and allow guests sweeping views across the river.

The private verandah is split across two levels with an outside sofa perfect for relaxing as a family on the lower level. A private plunge pool offers guests the perfect place for some family fun, or a great place to cool down on a warm afternoon while not missing any activity around the flowing Zambezi River.

Perfect for large families or groups of friends travelling together, this exclusive and luxury private villa offers guests everything they could wish for and more. The villa comes complete with its own private team who will be dedicated solely to the guests of the villa – this includes a private chef, butler, safari vehicle, guide and tracker. With four ensuite bedrooms (two of which are master bedrooms), guests will be able to enjoy privacy whenever they wish and can spend time as a group in the open-plan living areas both inside and outside.

An expansive verandah includes comfortable outdoor furniture where guests can relax when the weather is good, including outdoor dining facilities. A sparkling private pool offers the perfect place to unwind after a long day spent exploring, to gaze over the flowing River Zambezi and the breathtaking surroundings.

Guests can head to the elegant and luxurious dining area for meals. Dinners are created by talented and experienced chefs who use only the freshest of local produce to create unique culinary experiences which will leave guests wanting more. The menu is changed daily to reflect available ingredients and meals can be catered for dietary requirements. Meals can be paired with a smooth wine from Matetsi’s impressive collection. Private in-room dining can also be arranged.

Head out on a traditional safari activity – a game drive – and experience the bushveld and its inhabitants. Drive through the wilderness with a trained guide and tracker, who will be able to take you to all the best viewing spots and point out what the untrained eye may miss. Head out in the early morning, afternoon or evening and experience the bush at different times of the day – witnessing the amazing animals up close and in their natural habitat.

Optional guided walks in the bush are available for guests who wish to immerse themselves in the wilderness on their own two feet. Following a trained and friendly guide, wander through the bushveld keeping an eye out for micro-ecosystems, insect life, and animal prints. This is also a great activity for the keen birder, with no engine noise the bird song fills the air.

Matetsi Victoria Falls can arrange full- or half-day tours of the magnificent Victoria Falls. Known as Mosi-oa-Tunya (the smoke that thunders) locally, experiencing this natural wonder of the world and UNESCO World Heritage Site is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enjoy a walking tour around the thundering waterfall, explore the surrounding rainforest and learn from your guide all about the local flora, fauna, and history.

Also recommended by Matetsi is a helicopter flight over the falls, zip lining across the Batoka Gorge, white water rafting on the rapids of the Zambezi, or visiting the town of Victoria Falls – all of which can be arranged through Matetsi Victoria Falls.

The prime location on the banks of the Zambezi River means Matetsi Victoria Falls can offer guests boat cruises. With a personal guide and tracker take to the waters and enjoy a relaxing cruise at sunrise or sunset. As the golden sunlight gleams off the river keep your eyes on the riverbanks where your guide may point out a lazy pod of hippos lounging in the shallows or a variety of wading birds.

Enjoy gliding along the sparkling waters of the Zambezi in a Canadian-style canoe. Your canoe guide will guide you and point out some amazing wildlife while you can focus on unwinding, photography or the stunning surrounding nature, visible through provided binoculars.

After days spent exploring guests can head to the spa for a relaxing treatment. Africology spa products offer guests the utmost in African luxury, and guests can enjoy a massage in the heart of nature by a skilled masseuse which will promote rejuvenation and relaxation – perfect for resetting your mind, body, and soul.

A conscious decision has been made by Matetsi to ‘conserve our natural resources, ensure minimum impact on our environment, implement sustainable practices across the property and to build environmental awareness within our communities.’ When creating and building the lodge they worked with a female Zimbabwean designer, and supported local talent by hiring artists and local craftspeople who were also Zimbabwean.

This not only supported local artisans but helped create an authentic lodge with a true sense of place. To reduce their impact on the environment the lodge was built on top of the footprint of a previous lodge, saving them from building on the untouched ground. The materials for the lodge were locally sourced, re-used, and re-purposed.

Matetsi Victoria Falls is engaged in a lot of important conservation work within the Matetsi Private Game Reserve. The last six years have been spent rewilding the land and creating a safe haven for the animals without the threat of illegal hunting and poaching. One of their first tasks was to create a road network within the reserve which is essential not only to help with anti-poaching but also game viewing. 16 solar-powered boreholes were also installed to create water holes for the wildlife. A radio communications network was established with 2 dedicated to anti-poaching initiatives.

4 anti-poaching vehicles have been donated to anti-poaching initiatives, which enable anti-poachers to rapidly respond to any reports of poaching incidents. Overall, these initiatives have been ‘highly effective in reducing poaching in the area.’ Annual controlled burns are also carried out to mimic the natural wildfires, which stimulate new growth. This controlled burning then works to ensure that firebreaks are in place to minimise the spread of natural wildfires.

Matetsi is proud to boast a 100% Zimbabwean team, with 60% from the surrounding communities, and the other 40% from across Zimbabwe. With unemployment high in Zimbabwe, employing local people helps to ensure local families are also supported. Matetsi is partnered with Greenline Africa Trust due to their shared values and respect for ‘their long-term sustainable approach to community initiatives.’ Greenline Africa Trust works to help marginalised communities to develop, implementing sustainable projects which concentrate on local health, education, livelihoods, and biodiversity management. One of the projects currently ongoing is the ‘Gogo Project’ which offers support to the local grandmothers (Gogos) of the village who look after orphaned and vulnerable children.

Matetsi Victoria Falls are also partnered with Pack for a Purpose, which allows guests to help make a positive impact on the location they are travelling. Guests can save some space in their suitcase, find out through Pack for a Purpose what supplies the community need, and pack them to be given to the community when they arrive.

While out on game drives the safari guides are assisted by trackers – who are all junior guides. This means that while in the heart of the bush knowledge is shared and passed between the guide, tracker, and guests. While on game drives guests will learn about the importance of conservation in the area, as well as looking out for the amazing animals. Game drives are not only an immersive experience for guests, but the increased human presence also deters possible poachers.

To help reduce their carbon footprint and ensure Matetsi Victoria Falls is running as environmentally friendly as possible solar-power geysers are used to provide hot water, the team make sure energy is being used efficiently, and food is sourced either locally or from their very own vegetable garden, and the use of single-use plastic is minimised. As well as separating all waste in-house and recycling, Matetsi has installed a Natura water bottling plant, which can produce still and sparkling water which is put into recycled glass bottles. All bathroom amenities are also in glass bottles.