Matetsi Victoria Falls is the realisation of the Gardiner family's vision to showcase everything exceptional about their home country, Zimbabwe. Situated on a private game reserve of 136,000 acres with nine miles of exclusive Zambezi river frontage, it occupies what may be the finest position of any safari lodge in southern Africa — with the continent's greatest waterfall just 45 minutes away.
The lodge's interiors are highly acclaimed for their distinctly African contemporary design: polished earth finishes, lustrous hand-beaten local copper detailing, and seamless flows between interior and exterior living spaces. Every work of art is by a Zimbabwean artist. Every detail reflects the philosophy of 'Life on the River' conceived by the family's Zimbabwean architectural designer. The result is a property that feels simultaneously of the land and above it.
Matetsi was named No.1 Resort in Africa for both 2024 and 2025. It operates on a fully all-inclusive model — every safari drive, boat cruise, Victoria Falls excursion, and meal is included. The dedicated team of guides and trackers, the private Zambezi sunrises, the lion kills found at dawn, and the bush breakfasts by the river are what guests remember longest.
Matetsi's River Lodge Suites are 110-square-metre sanctuaries with Zambezi-facing decks, private plunge pools, large round bathtubs overlooking the river through sliding doors, and canopied king beds. The interiors celebrate Zimbabwean design: polished earth finishes, hand-beaten copper, and artworks commissioned from local artists.
The River House is Matetsi's crown jewel — an exclusive-use four-bedroom private villa with its own private chef, butler, and safari vehicle. It represents the ultimate expression of riverside luxury for families or groups of friends seeking total privacy within the reserve.
Matetsi's gastronomy is a showcase of Zimbabwean culinary talent under the direction of Executive Chef Mxolisi. Dining unfolds across a variety of settings: on your private suite terrace, in the bush with fires lit and the African sky overhead, at a long table on the riverbank at golden hour, or deep in the reserve for a dawn breakfast as the animals come to drink.
Every meal is all-inclusive. The wine list celebrates southern Africa's finest producers. Private bush dinners, Zambezi sundowner cruises, and breakfasts in clearings where elephants graze within a hundred metres are the defining memories of a Matetsi stay.
4 nights all-inclusive · Big Five safari · Victoria Falls · Zambezi sunsets · bush breakfasts · helicopter option · dedicated guide & tracker throughout
All safaris, meals, drinks, and excursions are included. Add-ons: Flight of the Angels helicopter from USD 180pp · Livingstone Island Devil's Pool (seasonal) · White-water rafting on the Zambezi
Matetsi Victoria Falls holds a combination of natural assets that no other property in Africa can match: 136,000 acres of private wilderness with nine miles of Zambezi river frontage, a fully all-inclusive model, Big Five safaris, and Victoria Falls just 45 minutes away. Named No.1 Resort in Africa for two consecutive years, it represents the pinnacle of Zimbabwean safari hospitality — built from the ground up by the Gardiner family to celebrate everything exceptional about their home country.
Matetsi Victoria Falls is Zimbabwe's No.1 Resort (2024 & 2025), set on 136,000 acres of private wilderness with nine miles of exclusive Zambezi river frontage and Victoria Falls 45 minutes away.
This fully all-inclusive package includes Big Five game drives, a Victoria Falls guided excursion, Zambezi sunset cruise, walking safari, bush breakfast, and the optional Flight of the Angels helicopter.
All components are fully flexible — this is a curated starting point, refined with your Richseen specialist prior to confirmation.