Khayelitshe House

Overview

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Type

Lodge

Standard

Very High

Rooms

WI-FI

Families

Yes

Malaria Free

Highlights

Exclusive-use, private home located in a spectacular setting.
Nearby Matobo National Park offers plenty of activities.
Ideal for extended family or group of friends.
Game drives, walking, rhino tracking, Bushman paintings, culture.

Location

Bordering Matobo NP
Bulawayo Region
Southwest Zimbabwe

Khayelitshe House is an exclusive-use, private home located in a dramatic setting in the Matobo Hills, with access to Matobo National Park and offering a variety of activities.

The house is situated in a dramatic, boulder-enclosed, natural amphitheater on 1 200 acres of private land, just outside the Matobo National Park boundary. The house can accommodate up to 10 guests, including children of all ages, and offers a very private experience for extended families or a group of friends traveling together.

Khayelitshe House in its dramatic, boulder-amphitheater setting.

The house includes four bedrooms, each with fully-plumbed, en-suite bathroom facilities, several indoor and outdoor lounge spaces, an interactive kitchen, a wine room, an outdoor swimming pool and deck, an indoor fireplace, and an outdoor campfire deck. The house is fully staffed with a dedicated host, chef, guide/driver and safari vehicle, and housekeeping.

Activities include safari drives into nearby Matobo National Park, nature drives and walking on the private estate, rhino tracking, birding, visits to prehistoric, San Bushman rock art sites, visits to World's View and the gravesite of Cecil John Rhodes, and heritage tours to various sites, including the Khami Ruins. All activities include the services of a private guide.

Indoor lounge at Khayelitshe House.

Khayelitshe House is an eco-friendly accommodation that operates primarily on solar energy, but a generator provides a backup power source and there is 24-hour electricity in the guest rooms and the main house area.

The property is owned and operated by African Bush Camps (ABC), a company founded by a professional African safari guide, who has a passion for protecting remote spaces and the wildlife that lives there.

African Bush Camps operates safari camps in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The ABC camps are fully sustainable, with minimal impact on the environment. The African Bush Camps Foundation runs local projects that empower the local communities wherever they operate safari camps. The company's aim is to conserve and preserve wildlife and natural areas in Southern Africa.

One of four guest bedrooms in Khayelitshe House.

About Matobo National Park

Matobo is Zimbabwe's oldest national park, established in 1926 as Rhodes Matopos National Park and located 20 miles (35 kms) south of Bulawayo. The original park was much larger than the current park, extending further to the south and east. The park was reduced in size in order to accommodate the resettlement of local people living in the core area.

The Greater Matopos (or Matobo Hills), which includes the surrounding communal areas, spans some 1 200 square miles (3 100 sq kms) and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. The national park protects the fully protected core area, which covers 164 square miles (425 sq kms).

The Matobo Hills are an UNESCO Heritage Site.

The park itself covers the core of a much larger area of geological significance called the Matobo Hills (or Matopos). The region is defined by dramatic granitic hills, which have been pushed up over time as molten rock by continuous pressure from below. The granite eventually pushes above the surface as dome-like hills, which over time are weathered by wind and rain. Fractures in the granite eventually cause boulders and the outer layers to peel off, exposing newer granite layers below.

Within the hills are hundreds of rocky caves, which were home to our early human ancestors going back at least 40 000 years. Numerous examples of ancient rock art have been discovered in these rock shelters.

The park is the country's second most popular in terms of tourist numbers (after Victoria Falls). Besides the spectacular natural beauty, interesting rock formations, and thousands of well-preserved examples of early rock art, the park is home to good numbers of leopards, klipspringers, and raptors.

Picturesque scenery in Matobo National Bank.

Bushman paintings in Zimbabwe's Matobo Hills.

There are numerous accommodations to choose from within and just outside the national park, ranging from upscale to vey basic. Tours of the caves and rock art sites are of course, a must do. Some of the recommended sites are Pomongwe Cave, Bambata Cave, White River Shelter, Silozwane Cave, Nanke Cave, Nswatugi Cave, and Gulubahwe Cave.

Another interesting site in the Matopos is Cecil Rhodes' gravesite, located atop "World's View", which is open to the public and a very popular tourist draw. Rhodes visited the area when he was negotiating with the Matabele to end their uprising and declared it was here that he wanted to be buried. Rhodes died in Cape Town in 1902 and was immediately brought to the site for his burial. Threats to destroy the grave have been made by the government, but the site is a big revenue earner, so it is unlikely that this will occur.

ROOMS INCLUDES & EXCLUDES CHILDREN FACILITIES ACTIVITIES

Accommodation

An exclusive-use house comprising:

4 bedrooms and enough beds to accommodate up to 10 guests, including children of any age.

The house is fully-staffed with a host, dedicated safari guide, chef, and house keeping personnel. The house also includes a private game-drive vehicle for touring the grounds and visits to nearby sights.

Khayelitshe House is situated in a dramatic, boulder-enclosed, natural amphitheater on 1 200 acres of private land, just outside the Matobo National Park boundary.

One of four bedrooms in Khayelitshe House.

Khayelitshe is a private home that is offered on an exclusive-use basis and offers accommodation in four bedrooms, three of which have king-sized beds and a fourth which has three twin beds. An additional twin bed bed can be added to allow for up to 10 guests.

Each bedroom has its own fully-plumbed, en-suite facilities with shower, bathtub, wash-basin/vanity, and flush toilet.

Other items and features in the guest suites include:

Clothes storage / wardrobe.
Mosquito netting over the beds.
Fully-furnished bathrooms.
Writing desk and chair.
In-room electronics charging station.
Personal amenities, including laundry basket, robe and slippers, liquid soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, bath salts, insect repellent, insect spray, room spray, vanity kit with cotton-tip swabs and cotton wool pads, shower cap, and umbrella.

Khayelitshe House can accommodate a maximum of 10 guests in total: 2 guests in each of the 3 king bedrooms and a maximum of 4 guests in the children's bedroom (all twin beds).

Includes & Excludes

Includes:

The house is offered on an exclusive-use basis and the rate is based on a group size of 8 guests. Up to two additional guests can be accommodated (ask us for rate on the additional guests).
All meals and local beverages including wines, spirits and liqueurs, but excluding premium imported brands and Champagne.
Safari activities including nature drives on the property and in Matobo National Park in an open 4x4 vehicle, nature walks, visits to San Bushman rock art sites, rhino tracking, birding, visit to World's View, and (all accompanied by experienced guides).
Heritage Tours to various sites, including the Khami Ruins.
Laundry services are provided on a daily basis (weather permitting, items will be returned on the same day). Laundry is dried by the sun and on most days any laundry placed out in the morning will be returned by the evening.
Tourism Levy & VAT.

Excludes:

Premium imported beverages and Champagne.
Road transfers to/from Bulawayo's Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ), which takes about one hour each way.
Any applicable wildlife fee, park fee, reserve fee, concession fee, other land-use fee.

Children

Children of any age are accommodated at Khayelitshe House.

One of the house's 4 bedrooms has three twin beds. A fourth twin bed can be brought in. The twin beds can be moved to any of the other rooms.
The house is offered only as an exclusive-use booking.
The house offers plenty to do for kids, including a swimming pool, tv, and games. Activities like walking and nature education can also be arranged.
Ngwana Club is a family-friendly program that offers kids of all ages a variety of safari-related activities.
Young children must be supervised by their parents, as the house is not fenced and is located in an area with wild animals.

Facilities

Khayelitshe House is situated in a dramatic, boulder-enclosed, natural amphitheater on 1 200 acres of private land. The house is not far from Matobo National Park, which lies directly east of the house's private property.

The house offers a a combination of both indoor and outdoor spaces for guests to spread out, relax, enjoy dining experiences, and take in views of the dramatic setting.

There house is constructed out of natural, brushed cement, and ornately carved wood with hard-wood flooring. The spaces feature stylish, but comfortable furniture and African décor.

There is a spacious, interactive kitchen, games/TV room, wine room, and a comfortable lounge with plenty of seating and a fireplace. The outdoor spaces incorporates a campfire area, swimming pool, and a covered porch for dining and relaxing.

Main guest area facilities include:

Private, 4-bedroom house with enough beds to sleep up to 10 guests.
Full staff including a host, driver/guide, chef, and housekeeping.
Indoor and outdoor lounge spaces.
Interactive kitchen.
Swimming pool.
Campfire area.
Game room with satellite TV.
The house is powered by solar panels, but has a generator as a backup.

Activities

Activities included in the rate (all are guided):

Nature drives on the property.
Game drives in Matobo National Park in an open 4x4 vehicle.
Nature walks on the property.
Visits to prehistoric, San Bushman rock art sites.
Rhino tracking in Matobo National Park.
Visit to World's View and the gravesite of Cecil John Rhodes.
Heritage Tours to various sites, including the Khami Ruins.
Birding.

Example of a typical day:

Early morning wake-up call. Morning wake-up and activity times vary according to the seasons, activities on offer, and wildlife sightings.
Light breakfast before departing on the morning activity.
Return to the house for a meal and rest period.
Meet for afternoon tea and snacks (savory and sweet choices) before departing on the activity.
Return to the house - freshen up or meet for drinks, followed by dinner.
Enjoy a nightcap or discussion around the fire before retiring.

Great Good Fair Poor

When to Visit

The Matobo Hills region experiences rainy summers and dry winters like most of Southern Africa and as is usually the case, the dry season coincides with the best wildlife viewing. People do not typically visit this region for its wildlife viewing, so this area can be considered more of am all-season destination, but rain is still a consideration.

The best time to visit the Matobos is from late-May to late-October or early November.

Khayelitshe House is open year-round.

Winter / Dry Season

The dry season occurs from May to October and during this time, the Matobo region typically receives little to no rain.

May is the start of the dry season, but the grass is still lush and the bush verdant after the rainy season, so this is a lovely time to visit Hwange. The days are typically clear and daytime temps average 76-82°F (24-28°C), while overnight temps fall to 43-48°F (6-9°C).

June and July are the coldest months of the year and rainfall is extremely unlikely. Most vegetation changes from green to brown and by the end of July, the landscape is quite dry and dusty. The days are clear and sunny, with pleasant temps that average 75-78°F (24-26°C), but the nights are quite chilly, averaging 41-45°F (5-7°C).

During August and September, the landscape is very dry and temperatures are starting to warm, with days averaging 82-90°F (28-32°C) and nights dropping to 50-57°F (10-14°C). In terms of tourist numbers, these months are the busiest.

October is the warmest month of the year and there can also be the occasional rain shower during the latter part of the month. The days can be quite hot, with temps reaching 90-98°F (32-37°C) and overnight temps only falling to 62-67°F (17-19°C).

Summer / Rainy Season

The green season in the Matobos begins after the first substantial rains, which typically arrive sometime in November. The rains increase in frequency and volume as the days pass. The rainiest months are December thru February, with afternoon showers falling on most days.

The early part of the rainy season in November can be especially beautiful, with the landscape transforming from dry and dusty brown to fresh and green seemingly overnight after the first rains. New life erupts in the form of flowers, grasses, and baby animals, especially the impalas, which time their birthing season to coincide with nutritious new vegetation for the lactating mothers.

Migratory birds are also arriving to breed, adding to park's already abundant bird life. Rain showers occur every other day on average, usually in the afternoons. Temperatures are warm, but moderated somewhat by the rains, with days averaging 88-92°F (31-33°C) and overnight temps of 62-66°F (17-19°C).

December thru February are the wettest months of the year. Rain falls almost every day, but it is usually not an all-day event. Temperatures are warm, but the showers keep the feel quite pleasant, with days averaging 82-88°F (28-31°C) and overnights still warm at 64-67°F (18-19°C). The rains can mean muddy driving conditions on the park's non-paved roads.

March sees a decrease in rainfall, but the vegetation remains thick after months of good rains. Temps are still warm, with days averaging 86-89°F (30-32°C) and overnights falling to 58-62°F (14-16°C).

April is the transition month to the beginning of the dry season, with only sporadic showers that typically drop off almost entirely by the end of the month. The weather is lovely, with temps falling somewhat to 82-86°F (28-30°C) during the day and 55-58°F (13-14°C) overnight.