Perched on the side of a granite koppie, award-winning Camp Amalinda incorporates the characteristic stone of the landscape into every facet of its design. From this rocky eyrie, you feel as if you are living within a sumptuously decorated cave that boasts stunning views of the Matobo Hills, a sacred space to the Ndebele, and a World Heritage Site.

Set within a private reserve alongside the Matobo National Park, you can enjoy walking through this magnificent terrain that abounds with the world’s highest concentrations of leopard and black eagle, with another highlight being a visit to the ancient rock art galleries created by San Bushmen. There are about 2,000 incredible rock paintings that show their links with the spirit world and nature. You also have the opportunity to relive the area’s immense history with a unique historical tour: walk in the footsteps of Cecil John Rhodes, Lobengula, and Mzilikazi as you take in the fascinating anecdotes and tales of battles and bravery that your guide regales you with as you wander through this breath-taking scenery. After an active day of game viewing and sightseeing, Camp Amalinda’s warmth, hospitality, and exceptional cuisine will welcome you back.

Perfect for honeymooners or safari-goers seeking a destination with a difference, luxurious Camp Amalinda offers an intriguing range of activities that will couple well with a safari incorporating the Big 5 areas of Hwange or Mana Pools National Parks.

Highlights

• Discovering San Bushmen rock art
• Seeking out leopards & black eagles
• Safari walks through a massive granite boulder
• Cultural & historical tours – visit Cecil John Rhodes’s grave
• Cycle through the beautiful local rural villages
• Spa salon, sauna & ‘rock’ swimming pool
• Wine cellar & hilltop honeymoon suites with outdoor tubs
• Visit the Great Zimbabwean Ruins on longer stays

Activities

• GAME DRIVES
• HIKING
• HISTORICAL TOURS

World’s View was a highlight with the most amazing sunset. The Camp Amalinda guide was excellent and made the history of Cecil John Rhodes come alive.

Rooms

Standard Room

Each cottage at Camp Amalinda is individually decorated and designed to incorporate the surrounding rock. The bedrooms have large windows to take in the views, while polished screed floors run throughout, dotted with colorful rugs to give a softer touch. The substantial beds are elegantly draped in mosquito netting, and in winter they are warmed by electric blankets. The en suite bathrooms contain flush toilets and open-plan showers carved into the rock face, and the washbasins are shaped into the surrounding granite.

Historical photos on the walls set the mood, with leather and teak furniture adding to the quirky atmosphere. A seating area with a coffee table and a separate writing table with a lamp provide the ideal place to relax and update your journal. The private balcony is perfect for taking in the glorious views of the surrounding landscape.

There are three family rooms with two double beds in each, three double rooms with queen-sized beds, and a single room that has two twin beds.

Camp Amalinda offers three romantically secluded hilltop suites with queen-sized beds and free-standing outdoor bathtubs.

Facilities

The central building at Camp Amalinda is linked to the cottages via pathways that meander through the boulders, and wild fig and paper-bark thorn acacia trees that cling to the hillside. The cavernous lounge is decorated with teak furniture and comfortable and colorful sofas. The small but amply stocked library has a fascinating selection of reference books and novels, and the impressive bar area is set into the rock face beneath what looks like a very precariously positioned boulder!

The dining room is adjacent, where most meals are enjoyed, while in the wine cellar, you can select a vintage and then retreat to an elevated and secluded seating area which provides a quiet spot to enjoy a glass or two. Outside is a fireplace and courtyard, with cushions spread along a circular stone bench – a perfect spot for sundowners and star gazing. The enormous free-form pool looks as though it has been formed over millennia from a depression within the granite, and scattered deck chairs make this a fantastic place to relax in the afternoons.

Dining

Camp Amalinda offers a fresh and innovative dining experience, where all dishes are made with loving care and features the freshest ingredients possible. You will be spoiled for choice from the hearty breakfast buffet with a ‘full English’ to sumptuous 3-course dinners served either in the convivial surrounds of the dining room or in romantic seclusion beneath the stars.