To say that the Matetsi lodge and game reserve in Zimbabwe is a magical place, and to truly convey the beauty of the beasts I encountered during my stay, would take a much more skilled writer than me. Nevertheless, I shall try.

So let’s begin with the facts. The main lodge is situated on the banks on the Zambezi River on a game reserve roughly the size of Wales and it is a 60-minute drive from the world’s largest waterfall; Victoria Falls, which gives its name to the surrounding area and airport that we touched down in. I mention the airport because my adventure pretty much began there. Upon arrival, I was collected and taken directly to see the Falls: a 600-metre-high and 3km long chain of waterfalls first formed 10 million years ago that ejects over 3 million cubic metres of water every second. In other words, big and wet; so take a poncho as the spray from the falls in the high season is like standing in a monsoon. Even in the dry season when the river is at its lowest ebb and much of the rockface is exposed, it is still a must-see phenomenon that benefits from an active tourist scene where visitors can spend time ziplining, white water rafting and bungee jumping.

As a self-diagnosed adrenaline junkie, I felt the pull of these extreme sports and planned to return in the coming days, yet I would not return to Victoria Falls for one simple reason: all the adrenaline I could handle was in the game reserve that lay in wait, where all I had to do was quietly sit in an open-top jeep and watch the natural world go by. I was about to go on safari, Matetsi-style.

Upon arrival, the team was there to greet us and escort us to our room. We’ll get to the room and how amazing it was in just a second because, at this point, it is prudent to mention that whilst our escort was perfectly courteous and helpful, he wasn’t there primarily for our comfort, more for safety given the distinct absence of fences between the hotel’s main buildings and the animals in the reserve. To say we were taking a walk on the wild side is an understatement because this was as close as it gets to living in the wild. Staying bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and following the rules were vital. After all, life in the bush is binary; you are either alive or you are not.

By day, guests are advised to stick together as well as sticking to the paths and by night, guests are forbidden from traveling on foot without an escort since this is when the big predators are most active. Never was this more apparent than one evening when, during a private dining experience in our room, the staff encountered a leopard in the immediate vicinity, somewhere between clearing away dinner and serving dessert. Perhaps the inquisitive cat had caught a whiff of the exquisitely tasting and perfectly presented food on offer and was sniffing around for scraps like a tabby at tea. Either way, it was exhilarating to know that me, Dorothy and Toto were certainly not in Kansas anymore.

So back to the room… or lavish, luxury lodge to be more precise. The 18 spacious contemporary ‘rooms’, feel more like miniature lodges, created lovingly from a mix of earthy materials such as stone, wood, and bamboo. The interiors are full of luxurious handmade African furniture, four-poster beds (draped with obligatory anti-bug invader muslin) a bathroom that boasts a huge walk-in shower, standalone bath (big enough to host a mini-lodge party), large stone double-basins with natural soaps and moisturisers, and an exterior shower to feel even more at one with the nature that surrounds you. And speaking of nature, the rooms back on to sprawling views of the Zambezi River and you can sit and lap up the vista from the privacy of your infinity pool. One feature that I loved, is the ‘Butler Hatch’, this is where your morning coffee and pastries get left if you don’t feel like opening your front door in the morning, particularly useful if you have 5 am safari call.

On the subject of which, within minutes of getting settled in we were whisked away by a safari jeep. Typically, the vehicles seat a dozen guests, but we found ourselves mostly unaccompanied, making for an even more intimate experience. My excellent guide-team mainly consisted of a ranger at the wheel called Sangweni and an aptly named tracker called Decent who perched, eagle-eyed in a special chair situated over the jeep bonnet, although occasionally when the sound of nearby of lions could be heard bouncing across the plain, would hastily retreat to the security of the vehicle so as to avoid being on the taster menu.

What struck me about these guys was that despite the risks of their vocation, I could sense how much they reveled in sharing this magnificent place with visiting guests. More than once I was amazed at how genuinely happy they were to wake up at 4 am to accommodate my desire to seek out the lions before they scattered at dawn or search for the notoriously nocturnal leopards who also roam the park.

The busiest times in the bush are at dawn and dusk when the energy-sapping heat of the sun is at its least intrusive and animals are either heading into the office or home depending on whether they work the day or nightshift. My personal preference was to travel into the bush about 30 minutes before sunrise. Those who have travelled to central Africa before can attest to what a vibrant place it is and not just the people and the natural world, but also the literal vibrancy of the light. Once the sun first breaks over the horizon, everything begins to hum and glow as though the scene is being manipulated by a retoucher using Photoshop to boost the colours to an almost unrealistic level.

Staying with the photography theme, Matetsi really is a photographer’s paradise. Everywhere I looked there was something worth snapping and I kept having to remind myself that life through a viewfinder is not nearly as satisfying and that most of the time it’s much more special to put the camera down and just enjoy these special moments with both eyes open. And boy did I have some special moments… Whether it was watching lion cubs at play, bathing elephants, a village of baboons or the numerous giraffes, zebra, buffalos and much, much more.

A safari anywhere in Africa is bound to be memorable, and yet it is again worth mentioning that the team at Matetsi goes out of their way to offer the most authentic experience possible without guests being placed in harm’s way. For example, on request, the team can arrange kayaking safaris on the Zambezi River and even walking safaris to explore the bush on foot for the truly adventurous/insane (delete accordingly). The walking tour, in particular, was especially memorable and after a thorough briefing, we set off into the undergrowth in search of adventure. Within minutes we spotted a gentle tornado of vultures circling in the blue sky on the thermal uplift high above the canopy. The sight of these winged scavengers was followed by a gust of foul-smelling air that was an unmistakable sign that something upwind had come to the end of its days. Cautiously we approached and as the smell reached an almost unbearable level, we were saddened to find a full-sized elephant carcass in a clearing ahead. Thankfully, its tusks were still intact, meaning it had most likely succumbed to the elements rather than being the victim of poachers. Even though this was not a pretty sight, it was fascinating to see an entire ecosystem spring up around the fallen giant. Vultures, hyenas, jackals and more were all in the immediate vicinity ready to make the most of the unexpected meal and despite the somber scene, it was hard not to delight in how much beauty there is in the cycle of life; just Mother Nature doing her thing. As we looked on, our guide turned to me and flashed a smile, “Nothing is wasted here” he said, “Africa consumes everything.”  Above all, I was again struck with how real, raw, unplanned and unique this experience was. You could head out into the bush a thousand times and a thousand times it would be different.

It became so addictive that I found myself increasingly eager to get up each morning and head out in the safari jeep to see what surprises lay ahead. Most mornings, as the dawn chorus was ending, we found ourselves stopping the jeep and jumping out into the wilderness for breakfast part I; which consisted of coffee served “ranger style” (with added alcohol if desired), a light selection of pastries, an alfresco bathroom break amongst the termite mounds and the most amazing views this side of a David Attenborough documentary. By the time the day was in full flow at 08.30 am it was time to head back to the hotel for breakfast part II: a gorgeous Mediterranean breakfast exquisitely prepared and enjoyed on the riverbank just metres away from the sunbathing crocodiles at the water’s edge. Simply thrilling.

Without a doubt, there is something utterly exhilarating about seeing all of these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. It honestly defies description but the closest thing I can compare it to being on the red carpet at the Oscars: sure you’ve seen them on TV a million times but nothing can quite prepare you for the giddy excitement you feel when seeing so many of them up close with your very eyes. Joking aside, being so close to these wild animals is profound, and even more so when you take into account how drastic our impact has been on this breathtakingly spectacular environment in recent years. There were moments on my journey where I felt appalled to be part of humanity. Climate change has led to consecutive record-breaking dry seasons that are altering the balance of life here forever and meanwhile poaching is, unfortunately, a daily threat to the wildlife. Despite a shoot to kill policy for poachers and heavy prison sentences imposed by the Zimbabwean government, the rewards for ivory still outweigh the risks. The embarrassment did not end there because before I arrived at Matetsi Game Reserve, I spent some time travelling around Zimbabwe where I saw plastic remains in some elephant dung as well as plastic bottles floating past the hippos as they lazed in the Zambezi River. On each occasion, I was saddened to see how much of a toll our lust for cost-effective convenience has taken.

Although these moments of sobering reality on my trip we rare, it made me appreciate even more the dedication of the people at Matetsi Game Reserve who make it their ambition in life to protect these animals, preserve their natural habitat and educate visitors about the importance of conservation and environmentally friendly economics that benefit all. Matetsi, it’s wonderful staff and its wild inhabitants are very special indeed. So much so that when I daydream, I think of the land so inescapably additive and dream to return someday soon.

For more info click here