Khayelitshe House: Our full report

Nestled among the iconic balancing rocks and huge granite boulders of the Matobo Hills, Khayelitshe House ...

... is a fully autonomous family house, perfect for a family safari in Zimbabwe.

Originally designed as a weekend escape for professional guide and African Bush Camps owner Beks Ndlovu and his family, Khayelitshe House was converted into a guest house in 2017. The house derives its name from the Ndebele words 'Ekhaya' and 'Litshe', which mean 'home in the rocks', a highly appropriate name considering its location among the rugged, rocky terrain of the Matobo Hills.

From a distance Khayelitshe has the appearance of a classic African homestead, but a closer inspection revels a more unique, eclectic design taking inspiration from Beks travels throughout Africa. Overall the house has a stylish, luxurious look to it, with large windows presenting stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The atmosphere is incredibly laid back though, emphasised by a welcoming plaque on the front door that reads "if you aren't barefoot you are over dressed". The house is fully serviced, including a private chef, guide, and staff. With four en-suite bedrooms Khayelitshe caters very well to groups of friends or larger families.

The house sits in an area of private land covering 1,200 acres of wilderness adjacent to the Matobo National Park. Guests staying at the property can choose to relax by the pool at the end of a safari (Khayelitshe combines fantastically well with African Bush Camps family property in Hwange Naitonal Park Somalisa Acacia) or exploring the national park. Activities on offer here include tracking white and black rhino on foot, nature walks and hikes to explore one of the highest concentrations of ancient rock paintings in the world, or visiting the final resting place of Cecil Rhodes.

Our view

Khayelitshe House is s stunning property situated in a little visited but incredibly beautiful area of Zimbabwe. We're delighted to see new options opening up for visitors to the area, particularly an accommodation option that works so well for families and large groups.

Tom Morris

Country manager: Zimbabwe

Geographics

Location: Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe
Ideal length of stay: Three nights works well here, especially in combination with African Bush Camps family friendly properties in Hwange National Park (a href="/zimbabwe/hwange-national-park/somalisa-acacia"Somalisa Acacia) and the Kwando-Linyanti area in Botswana (a href="/botswana/kwando-linyanti-area/linyanti-ebony">Linyanti Ebony.
Directions: Fly or get a road transfer to Bulawayo from Johannesburg or other areas in Zimbabwe, before getting a road transfer to the lodge about 65km away.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board & Activities
Dining style: Group Meals
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Special interests

Private villas & houses: Although no one from Expert Africa has visited Khayelitshe House yet, we have a long relationship with property's owners and have no doubt this will make a superb and luxurious stop for groups or families that want to explore Matobo Hills.; See ideas for Private villas & houses in Zimbabwe