Information
Matobo holds a magic like none other. Its environment, ambience and lasting impact is unique to its location, found nowhere else in Africa. It’s quiet wilderness, steeped in history and embedded in culture, finds a way to settle onto one’s skin and steals a special part of one’s heart.
Built atop a granite kopjie (hill), Shashani Matobo Hills has the honour of gazing out over this remarkable Zimbabwean landscape. Each room offers its own private view, a personal sliver of paradise gifted to you from your chalet.
Explore the more gentle and cultural side of Africa, set amongst giant granite domes, the earth decorated with the footsteps of rhino; a place where the veil between heaven and earth is thin.
Shashani Lodge is situated on a private game reserve only a short drive away from Plumtree and approximately an hour’s drive from Bulawayo on the border of Matobo National Park. Ancient rock paintings and a historical grain-bin site are a morning’s stroll away. You can watch many species of plains game from the lodge.
Rooms
Shashani Matobo Hills Lodge – 10 Rooms
Built on the edge of a giant rock dome, Shashani Matobo Hills encourages one to observe the landscape in all its splendour, from private patio to the horizon and beyond. Simple and spacious double door rooms each open out onto a verandah with a panoramic view of the Shashani Valley. Each of the 10 en-suite rooms gaze upon the Shashani Valley, interlaced with characteristic granite rock formations and golden grass, viewed from one’s verandah.
En-suite bathrooms, mosquito nets, fans and a tea station complete the comfort of Shashani Matobo Hills Lodge. Each room reflects the essence of Matobo, built atop a large granite copy, blending into their surroundings.
Child Policy:
- Children of all ages are welcome.
- Children aged 0 – 17 years (Maximum 1 children) stay free of charge when sharing with 2 adults.
- Children occupying their own room: – children aged 0 – 12 years pay 50% of the adult rate; 13 to 17 pay 75% of the adult rate; 18 years pay full adult rate.
Facilities
The main building is open-planned and spacious, with a lounge, bar, outdoor dining and fireplace for chilly winter nights. A swimming pool allows for relaxation with either a book or cocktail in hand, succumbing to your surroundings. A rolling lawn in front of the lodge is an invitation to take in the scenery, seated above the valley and beside a giant granite kopje (hill) known for rain making ceremonies of ancient Zimbabwean culture. The lodge, the view and the history of the surroundings emanate peace, a quiet beauty settled in solid rock and distant horizon.
Food: We utilize the surrounding areas to supply fresh produce to the lodge where possible. This will facilitate empowering the local farmers and support the villages in a continuous and sustainable way.
Activities
Game Drives:
A game drive through the concession which borders the National Park. The drive will gift plains game, viewed through golden savannah grass. The drive also allows for guests to take in the fascinating granite kopje formations which are so characteristic of Matobo – filled with ancient rock paintings and cultural meaning. Driving through the National Park, guests may come across the elusive Rhino – a bucket list sighting for any safari aficionado.
Game & Rock Painting Walks:
Walking through the Matobo Park is an invitation to fulfill cultural and historical curiosity. With rock painting and ancient grain bins accessible by foot from the lodge, one may take an educational journey into the past of Zimbabwe. Immersed in nature, beneath breathtaking rock formations with a chance to see plains game following in the footsteps of old is a spiritual and fascinating experience.
Rhino Tracking:
A day into the Matobo Hills National Park is an experience unlike any other in the safari realm. The diversity of the day satiates a variety of interests – from tracking one of the big five on foot through the bush, to climbing granite hills of historical significance which hold Cecil John Rhodes’s grave, and finally witnessing some of the oldest cave paintings in the world. Led by a private guide, this full day tour will leave you fascinated, educated and in awe of the beauty and diversity of Zimbabwe.
Bulawayo City Tour:
Bulawayo is a city of historical and cultural significance in Zimbabwe. Its wide streets and old colonial buildings hold many stories of the past – shared with you by raconteur and historian Rob Burret. A half day tour will reveal tales of old which now sit beneath a bustling city – as well as show the resilience and character of the local people through exploring backstreets and hidden markets. A train museum holds the visions and hopes of Cecil John Rhodes, another contains the natural history of the country – respectively proud in their contents, ready to share the past.
