A visit to Gonarezhou immerses you in a dedicated community of conservationists, committed to authentic southern African safari experiences. Travel with us to this remote Zimbabwean location and connect with Africa like never before.
First Impressions
At a glance Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge is like many other fully-inclusive luxury southern African safari offerings. The elegant lodges blend seamlessly into the bush, crafted lovingly from sustainable local materials. A pool glistens invitingly, while spacious riverside decks attract hours of relaxation sheltered by the surrounding bush and embraced by the panoramic views. Sculpted gardens beg exploration and an elegant dining room and lounge promise indulgent evenings.
The Chilo Difference
After a few hours you will notice the difference, ingrained deeply in every activity you are privileged to enjoy. You will experience true commitment – to providing the finest hospitality and creating the best memories, but most of all to Africa and all her creatures.
Chilo Lodge, home of the community CAMPFIRE initiative, strives to involve local villagers in every aspect of its operations; to educate and employ them, to preserve what is rightly theirs, and to introduce you to their world.
Untouched and untamed
Clive Stockil, founder of Chilo Lodge, and his talented head guide, John, will lead you on great adventures into the Land of the Elephant, one of Africa’s last untouched wildernesses. Soon to become bound to the Trans frontier National Park, which straddles South African, Mozambiquean and Zimbabwean borders, Gonarezhou remains relatively undiscovered – for now.
Unused to tourists, the wildlife remains naturally elusive here and you will learn to trust the instincts of your guides and hone your own senses in order to discover their natural habitat. Elephant lumber along well-worn paths among the red sandstone and baobabs, while antelope pause momentarily to regard you with a liquid eye before vanishing into the scrub.
Explore more
You will be invited to travel among this bounty, on foot or by vehicle, as you visit immaculate waterfalls and mid-stream beaches. Sit awhile and pay tribute to the smiling folk of Mahenye Village who make it all possible. Hear the stories of their struggles and triumphs as they strive to preserve their natural heritage in close co-operation with Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge.
Exquisite evenings
A night in the rustic tented camp offers hours of contemplation under a million stars, with only the whispers of the wilderness and the low murmur of campfire chats to keep you company. Hear how Clive Stockil took to the wilderness on foot to find this perfect place and how he campaigned, working with the community, to restore harmony in their environment.
Heed the call of the wild, contact us to experience the southern African safari of a lifetime at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge.
