Khayelitshe House
Highlights
- Rhino tracking on foot with a private guide
- Visits to ancient San rock art sites
- The iconic Matobo balancing rocks
- A private, exclusive-use house for your group alone
- Game drives and guided walks
- Easy access into Matobo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Khayelitshe is perfect for families
Information
- Lodge type: Exclusive-Use House / Villa
- Location: Matobo Hills, bordering Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe
- Lodge size: 4 suites
- Recommended stay: 2–3 nights
- Malaria risk: Low — the Matobo Hills are a low-risk malaria area
- Getting there: About 1 hour by road from Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, Bulawayo
Khayelitshe In The Matobo Hills, A Exclusive-Use House Surrounded By Huge Granite Boulders And Balancing Rocks
Khayelitshe House is a private, exclusive-use safari villa just outside the Matobo National Park boundary in Zimbabwe's Matobo Hills, about an hour's drive from Bulawayo. The three-storey house is run by African Bush Camps and has four suites, so one family or group of friends has the entire place, the staff and the guide to themselves. Khayelitshe House is solar-powered and completely off-grid, wedged between colossal granite boulders and balancing rocks that glow copper at sunset.
The Matobo Hills were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 for their granite landscape and one of the richest concentrations of San rock art in southern Africa. Khayelitshe House puts you on the doorstep of it all: rhino on foot, cave paintings, birdlife around the kopjes, and some of the finest landscape photography in Zimbabwe. For a private base, Khayelitshe is one of the very best lodges in the Matobo National Park area.
Rooms and Suites
Khayelitshe House has four large double suites, each with sweeping views across the granite hills from every window. The en-suite bathrooms come with his-and-hers basins, a separate toilet, a rain shower and a freestanding bath positioned for the view. The décor is warm, handsome and beautifully finished, with a relaxed family-home feel rather than a hotel one.
Cuisine and Wine
Khayelitshe House has its own private chef, who plans each day's menu around your group, and most dietary requirements are catered for. Three meals a day are included, along with tea, coffee, soft drinks, local beers and wines, and the house has a wine cellar. Premium imported spirits and champagne are charged separately.
Facilities
Khayelitshe House spreads over three levels and gives your group a full private home for the length of the stay. Facilities include:
- A swimming pool set among the boulders
- A bar and lounge area
- Indoor and outdoor fireplaces for cool Matobo evenings
- A games room and an outdoor play area for children
- A TV room with satellite TV
- Solar power, with charging points for phones and cameras
- Laundry, included in the rate
Activities
Khayelitshe House guests have a private guide for their entire stay, and activities run at your group's own pace. The highlights are:
- Rhino tracking on foot: Matobo National Park is one of Zimbabwe's best places to see rhino, tracked on foot with expert guides and trackers.
- Game drives: drives through Matobo National Park for rhino, sable, klipspringer and exceptional raptors, including one of Africa's densest populations of black eagles.
- San rock art walks: guided walks to painted caves and shelters holding thousands of years of San history.
- World's View: the granite summit of Malindidzimu, burial site of Cecil John Rhodes, with 360-degree views over the hills.
- Sundowners: drinks on the granite domes as the light goes.
Child Friendly
Khayelitshe House welcomes children of all ages and was designed with families in mind. The whole family sleeps under one roof, with a games room and an outdoor play area. The private guide and chef fit activities and meal times around the children, so no one is tied to a lodge timetable.
Khayelitshe House FAQs
Where is Khayelitshe House?
Khayelitshe House is an exclusive-use safari villa in the Matobo Hills of south-western Zimbabwe, just outside the boundary of Matobo National Park. The Matobo Hills are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for granite balancing rocks, rhino and San rock art. Khayelitshe House is about an hour's drive from Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second city.
Is Khayelitshe House good for families with children?
Khayelitshe House welcomes children of all ages and was built with families in mind. The villa has four suites under one roof, a games room, an outdoor play area and a swimming pool. As the house is exclusive-use, a private chef and guide plan meals and activities around the family's pace, making Khayelitshe House one of Zimbabwe's best family safari options.
What activities are offered at Khayelitshe House?
Khayelitshe House guests have a private guide for their whole stay. Activities in Matobo National Park include rhino tracking on foot, game drives, guided walks to ancient San rock art sites, and a visit to World's View, the hilltop grave of Cecil John Rhodes. Sundowners on the granite domes are a favourite way to end the day at Khayelitshe House.
Is there malaria at Khayelitshe House in the Matobo Hills?
Khayelitshe House is in the Matobo Hills, a low-risk malaria area of Zimbabwe. Most of the Matobo Hills sit above 1,200 metres, and nearby Bulawayo is rated negligible risk. Low risk is not zero risk, so guests visiting Khayelitshe House should consult a travel clinic about prophylaxis, particularly for travel in the November to June rainy months.
How many nights should I stay at Khayelitshe House?
Khayelitshe House works best for two to three nights. Two nights allows rhino tracking and a rock art walk in Matobo National Park. Three nights adds World's View, a full game drive and time to enjoy the pool and the house itself. Khayelitshe House combines naturally with Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls on a wider Zimbabwe safari.
What is included in a stay at Khayelitshe House?
A stay at Khayelitshe House includes exclusive use of the four-suite villa, all meals prepared by a private chef, tea, coffee, soft drinks, local beers and wines, laundry, and all listed activities with a private guide. Flights, transfers, premium imported spirits and champagne, visa fees, travel insurance and staff gratuities are not included at Khayelitshe House.
In Conclusion
Khayelitshe House is an exclusive-use, four-suite villa bordering Matobo National Park, about an hour's drive from Bulawayo. It combines a private chef, a private guide, a pool and a family-friendly layout with some of Zimbabwe's finest rhino tracking and San rock art. Two to three nights is ideal, whether as a standalone stay or as part of a wider Zimbabwe safari with Hwange and Victoria Falls. For families and small groups of friends travelling together, Khayelitshe House is a standout choice.
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Khayelitshe House Rates
Per Lodge per night sharing (pl)
Sleeps 8 guests
Rates are in US Dollar
*Rates may vary according to season
- Accommodation
- All meals
- Tea, coffee, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages
- Laundry
- All listed activities
- All flights
- All transfers
- Premium imported spirits and champagne
- Visa Fees
- Travel Insurance
- Items of a personal nature
- Staff Gratuities
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