Best hotels in Zimbabwe

Just thirty minutes upstream from the iconic Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side of the Zambezi, Matetsi River Lodge sits on a quiet stretch of river within an enormous private game reserve. It's an extraordinary setting for this newly refurbished lodge, which serves up tranquility and adventure in equal doses. From your riverfront cottage, enjoy watching the birdlife flittering around the water below, or head into the reserve for an excellent selection of game. And then of course, there's the star of the show, Victoria Falls, a sight that David Livingstone once said was, "a scene so lovely it must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight." Sounds good to us!

Bayete Guest House is located just three kilometers from the heart of the historic town of Victoria Falls and the best vantage point from which to view the mighty Falls itself (locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya - "the smoke that thunders"). More than a mile wide, straddling the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, the falls boasts several impressive statistics, though one needn't quantify its supreme beauty or the experience of watching the Zambezi River dive into the First Gorge. This relatively small, well-managed family-run guest house offers convenience and guidance to help travellers make the most of an area that can often feel overwhelming for its dizzying range of options. It's good to note that a visit here is best between May and October when the water flow isn't so heavy as to shroud the falls.

Ivory Lodge lies about 4km from Hwange's main gate in the Sikumi Forest Reserve, with easy access from the Vic Falls/Bulawayo road. It's a small lodge that keeps things intimate with good service standards and comfortable accommodation. It has its own large waterhole that attracts elephants in great numbers during the dry season, and though there is decent game viewing in the forest reserve, the lodge focuses most of its activities in Hwange National Park, where you can see all manner of wildlife including several predatory species and a myriad of antelope and birds.

Situated on the outskirts of Zimbabwe's largest game reserve (Hwange National Park), Khulu Bush Camp is an exclusive safari camp that forms part of the prestigious Amalinda Collection. Its built alongside an ancient river bed and overlooks an active watering hole, where herds of buffalo and elephant frequently gather. Hwange National Park is known for its high concentration of wildlife, which makes the game drives and bush walks offered by Khulu, particularly special. Post-dinner evening entertainment usually comes in the form of large herds of elephant and buffalo dazzling guests around the watering hole.

Embodying the very core of conservation, Nantwich Camp is a lovingly restored historic lodge in the north of Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park. This is the sweet spot, where mindful conservation and good accommodation meet location (just 1.5 hours by road from Vic Falls) and plenty of wildlife. (This region is known for its big cats, painted dogs and 350-strong elephant herds.) The camp sits on a bluff overlooking a permanent dam, populated by crocodile and hippo, with one of the best views in the park. The intimate setting and excellent guiding make this little-known spot a real treat.