Victoria Falls, ZimbabweMatetsi Private Game Reserve
Matetsi Victoria Falls
Riverside safari lodge
Matetsi Private Game Reserve Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Opened
2016
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe LocalOutside the door
Riverside safari lodge
Two small camps line the Zambezi River, pairing guided game drives with boat safaris along nine miles of private riverbank.
“Located 25 miles upstream from Victoria Falls, this earthy-chic lodge, set within the 123,500-acre Matetsi Private Game Reserve, is brimming with activity.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Elephant-grey plaster walls and hand-beaten Zimbabwean copper bars along the Zambezi riverbank.
Remarkable
Private riverbank plunge pools and dedicated guides across 136,000 acres of Zambezi wilderness.
Notable
Family-led wildlife conservation across private Zambezi savannah, guided entirely by local Zimbabwean trackers.
What they say
UK Readers' Choice Awards – Africa
Condé Nast Traveler
2025
Also in AFAR.
Because Matetsi was created to be the smartest camp on the river—elephant-grey plaster and sun-bleached wooden poles on the outside, shading polished floors, romantic netted bed and contemporary African furnishings inside—this is a place you can hang out all day.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Victoria Falls sits forty kilometres downstream, while the surrounding reserve spans 136,000 acres of unfenced wilderness along the river.
1 of 6
The rooms
Each suite faces the water, with a netted four-poster bed inside and a private plunge pool on the timber veranda.
The lap pool
Bring a swimsuit.
A 20-meter rim-flow lap pool sits on the riverfront deck, lit by hurricane lanterns above the Zambezi.
The spa and gym
Open-air salas host Africology massages right on the riverbank, and an air-conditioned fitness studio looks toward the bush.
At the table
Dinners are served around fire bowls in the open-air boma, and private wine tastings gather at a baobab root table.
How it began
The Zimbabwean Gardiner family acquired the poached concession in 2014, installing solar-powered water boreholes to revive the wildlife before opening.
Victoria Falls
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.