Amalinda Lodge

Have you ever wanted to stay somewhere in the middle of nowhere, where it feels like you are in another land but still feels so connected to the earth? Love luxury with a unique twist of nature? Then Amalinda Lodge is where you need to stay.

Amalinda Lodge is located in the Matopos Hills area in Zimbabwe! It is a stunning area filled with rocks and boulders which means the views are stunning! The area is rich in history and fantastic wildlife.

The Rooms

For this part, I can’t just write about ‘my’ room. Each room is unique so the style of your room is a complete surprise when you arrive. The layout is different, the bathrooms are different and the views are from different locations. Each room has its own special quirks and I loved exploring each and everyone of them!

The rooms are inspired by the rocks around it and this is where the rooms get their uniqueness. Some of the rooms have outside showers and baths, loos with a view, and one even has an ancient rock painting!! Imagine sleeping in a room with that much history!!?!

The main area

The main area of the lodge is just fantastic! It is built into the rocks and the views over the rocky landscape are to die for. There are so many cool nooks and crannies to discover when walking around so it is always best to keep an eye out.

The main lodge has a beautiful dining area with an impressive view and a bar at the top of some stone steps. Above the dining room, you will find a cosy but spacious fire pit where you can spent time before or after dinner with your favourite drink. I have spent many wonderful evenings around this fire, all cosy and wrapped up, listening to the crackling sounds. There is no better sound than the crackling of the fire, letting you know that you are in Africa and the knowledge that you are heading out on an adventure in the morning.

The walkways to each room stem off from the main area and they all lead to different directions.

Amazingly, there is only one spot for wifi and this is down in reception. This enables you to still be connected to the outside world but still with the ability to distance yourself from it everywhere else. So you know you can truly connect to the wild in the main area, rooms, and pool.

Talking of the pool….you haven’t seen a pool until you have seen Amalindas pool. This is just something else. The stunning infinity pool is large and overlooks the rest of the reserve, giving you lots of opportunities to spot wildlife as you relax and swim. To top it off…there is even a pool bar!!

The sound of baboons and zebras fills the air, making this area magical. If you are lucky, you may even be able to spot their zonky!!

Wildlife and Activities

Amalinda is based on its own reserve which is next to the Matopos Hills National Park, which means that there is so much wildlife around the lodge to see and experience. Your guide will be with you for your entire stay, personalising it to suit your interests. This is such a great benefit as it allows them to get to know you, which means that you can maximise your time at the lodge.

One of the most unique activities in this area is rhino tracking. This is such a special experience and one that really brings you back to the reality and severity of these wonderful creatures’ situations. Your guide will get in contact with the rhino rangers to see when and where the rhinos were last spotted. After picking up your ranger and searching for the rhinos in your vehicle, they will give you a brief before heading out on foot. There is something so humbling about this experience as you slowly and quietly approach these giants. Standing just meters away from these white rhinos as they go about their business and listening to their sounds has got to be one of the most special experiences I have ever had…and to make it even more special, I have been able to do this twice, once in 2018 and again in 2019!

The rangers stay with and track the rhinos 24/7 to make sure that they are safe and are not in any danger. They dedicate their lives to protect the rhinos and are truly exceptional human beings. To thank them for their time and service, a tip is very much appreciated once they have returned you safely back to your vehicle.

As well as rhinos, there are plenty of other animals in the area! There are hippos, giraffe, antelope, zebra, and even leopards! You will head out on safari in the Matopos National Park and here you will experience the stunning scenery and incredible animals. It is not a highly populated park for animals but it is a great place to start or end your trip and take it at a nice slow pace to ensure that you can take it all in. The entrance to the gate is around a 30 minute drive from the lodge making it nice and easy to enter. The great benefit of this park is that there aren’t too many lodges in the area, meaning that there will not be too many other people there.

Sunset is one of my favourite times of day when I am in Africa. It means parking up somewhere beautiful, your favourite drink (Amarula obviously), soaking in the scenery, and listening to the sounds of the bush. This area is no exception to any of these things!

There is an incredible look out point where I’ve been a couple of times and even the second time was just as breathtaking as the first. it takes around 15 minutes to reach the top and you spend your sundowner resting on the edge of a rock, overlooking the park. You can see for miles and miles into the distance and if you look carefully you can even spot rhinos grazing in the distance.

The park is also the final resting place of Cecil John Rhodes. If you are interested in history then I am sure you will have heard of him and the influence he had over Southern Africa. His grave is in one of the most incredible spots and overlooks most of the reserve. This is a popular place to walk to for sundowners and we were extremely lucky to have it all to ourselves. It is definitely a must when you visit the park.

If you know me, you know I LOVE reptiles so when I had the opportunity to meet, feed, and hang out with the scaly friends below who live in the rocks and feed them biscuits! It made my night! :)

The area is also full of incredible ancient rock paintings and whilst staying at Amalinda I was lucky enough to go and see some of them and learn about the history and lives of the Bushmen who lived there and the stories on the walls. Our guide spent time explaining the stories behind the paintings and I felt like I had stepped back in time. It was incredible to imagine that many years ago, the cave was bustling and home to a tribe of bushmen.

The staff

The guides and staff at Amalinda are fantastic and you can tell that they truly love their jobs and are so passionate about what they do. The guides are so invested in their work and are committed to make sure that you have the best possible stay with them. The rest of the staff at the lodge are so welcoming and friendly and are always happy to help with a smile on their face. The food was always so delicious and the chefs catered to all the requested dietary requirements. Amalinda is owned by the most wonderful family who I have been lucky enough to meet and spend time with, and when you are guests at the lodge you feel as though you are part of it.

how to get there

It is very easy to get to Amalinda and the Matopos area in general. If you starting your trip at Amalinda, you can fly into Bulawayo airport which is very well connected with Johannesburg. The lodge is then just a 45 minute drive from the airport. You can either drive there yourself or the lodge can pick you up in their luxury transport ‘Driving You Wild’.

If your stay at Amalinda is in the middle of your stay or at the end, then you can also drive from Victoria Falls/Hwange National Park. It will take you around three hours to drive to/from Hwange so this is a great option.

My thoughts

I absolutely love Amalinda, as I am sure you can tell. I think the lodge is just so unique and really allows you to disconnect from the world and step back into nature. The rooms are wonderful and the pool is to die for! The staff are some of the nicest people I have ever met and the guides are so passionate about what they do. I would recommend this lodge to EVERYONE! It is a must on a trip to Zimbabwe, either at the start or end of any trip.