Words by Marcia Mcleod

The final leg of my Victoria Falls trip; last but definitely not least! Feeling refreshed, revitalised, and ready to embark on the last leg of the trip Yvonne, my friend who had curated this trip for us from Dubai to Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park’s environs, coyly uttered: “I have strategically planned this trip, and have saved something extremely special till the end!”

In my humble opinion the trip had already surpassed any expectations I may have had, so I simply couldn’t fathom what anything more than what I had already experienced could be. But before I fully experienced what was in store at our last stop during our whirlwind, just over a week-long trip, we headed off to our pre-arranged guided tour of Victoria Falls, which we hadn’t done just yet, since arriving at this tourist city. To have seen it from an aerial perspective via helicopter a few days before was one thing, but to now see the sheer scale of the breath-taking beauty of the Falls from the various viewpoints, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world also named by the locals “Mosi-oa-tunya” for “the smoke that thunders” – was certainly special.

A 30-minute drive on Kazungula Road towards the Zimbabwe-Botswana border post, took us to Matetsi Victoria Falls, and yes – Yvonne was right! This stunning riverside, all-inclusive ultra-luxury lodge, prides itself on promoting conservation and community, whilst creating an incredible guest experience that perfectly balances your taste of safari, river views and excursions, superior dining, and all the trimmings that come with luxuriating on the shores of the majestic Zambezi River. 

Experiencing that Matetsi Magic 

My Matetsi experience was nothing short of magical, from the moment we disembarked the transfer shuttle, and our exceptional, personalised service began! I truly felt like royalty! From having our very own butler, to the attentive management and guide and tracker duo who were on hand to do their absolute best with ensuring we saw as much wildlife, enjoyed ice-cream stops in the bush ahead of venturing out onto the Zambezi on board a luxury cruise boat, there were so moments that accentuated our stay, making it as humanely magical as possible. I was truly blown away. 

After being served a delectable wholesome personalised lunch upon arrival, which might I add was specially curated for me and took all my dietary needs into consideration, I was then escorted along the short walk to my suite, where I had the pleasure of staying for two days! The door opened and left me awestruck, first by just how beautiful my view of the Zambezi River was, where I could see through the ceiling to floor glass doors that wrapped around most of the front of my stand alone river front suite. I felt like I had stepped into a high-quality magazine image, as everything was just perfection.  So cosy and luxurious my space was, coupled with my own private pool and patio, where I could watch small wildlife casually saunter across the grass that rose from the soil onto the river banks a few steps below. I couldn’t find a reason why I would consider actually leaving my space, but because we had some activities scheduled for our leisurely indulgence, I had to oblige.  Later running and soaking in that gorgeous, distinctively round, freestanding bath tub that night after our sunset cruise and dinner under the starry sky, was truly a fitting way to end my first day, and the one that followed.  

Knowing that we wanted our last day at Matetsi to truly be about capturing the magic of relaxation, we enjoyed a beautiful prosecco filled breakfast at the main lodge, before spending a few minutes with the chef and learning a little bit about Matetsi’s menu curation.

After taking a tour of the vast property, a few hours were carved out to enjoy some individual personal time, ahead of a photo-shoot, also arrange for us by the wonderful team. One thing Yvonne and I had talked about, was really capturing the magic of our surroundings on camera, and so knowing that this was in fact arranged by the team, complete with a delectable lunch spread on my patio, added to the a truly tailored experience. With bubbles in hand, it was off for some fun in front of the camera, first over lunch, then on to a game drive with a sunset pit stop for drinks and snacks later.  Did I mention too, that our afternoon was also made up of us tracking a sighting of two lionesses and their cubs! While we didn’t get to see them, we did still manage to see other wildlife, including impala and elephant, enjoying an exciting yet information and laughter packed excursion with our guide, tracker and photography duo who were along for the ride with us.

Refuelled and revitalised

As a coach that is passionate about the mental, physical, and emotional needs of myself and others, as well as creating or being in spaces that encourage the process of refuelling, Matetsi Victoria Falls is this super stunning property that uniquely awards you the opportunity captivate the entire spectrum of your senses. Fuelled and revitalised, and obviously quite sad to leave after three glorious days of being spoiled and pampered, it was time to head back to the concrete jungle that is Abu Dhabi.

The exquisite décor in my room, mixed in with the right amount of luxury, coupled with superior service at every beck and call had me appreciate just how much I had truly found home in the African bush – all 55,000 hectares of it! My time spent in Victoria Falls was truly one of embracing nature and relaxation, swaddled in affable Zimbabwean hospitality. To be able to experience Matetsi Magic from the beautiful sunrise safaris to sunset boat cruises, to the plethora of tailored activities available within Matetsi Private Game Reserve and lessons on the brand’s conservation efforts, this trip, and this stay in particular, is one memories were made that I will long remember.