Best hotels in Matobo

Surrounded by huge red granite domes and thick bush, Matobo Hills Lodge lies in a private reserve adjacent to Matobo Hills National Park. This 34-bed getaway overlooks the Maleme Valley, and it's well loved by Bulawayans as a convenient escape from buzzing city life – one that can be explored on foot, unaccompanied. You won't find lion or elephant here, but there are plenty of leopard and Verreaux's eagle. And, in a small, intensely protected area of the neighbouring park, white rhino can be tracked on foot with a guide.

Big Cave Camp sits right on the boundary of the Matobo National Park with mesmerizing views over the intriguing granite flecked landscape. This part of Zimbabwe doesn't always get the attention it deserves, with its rich social history, beautifully preserved San Bushman rock art, variety of wildlife and spectacular geography -- there's no wonder why it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And this upmarket lodge provides one of the most comfortable and intimate ways to make the most of it. The lodge takes full advantage of its setting and fits seamlessly into the granite rocks surrounding it.