Wild Zambezi was delighted to talk to the owners of Rhino Safari Camp in the Matusadona National Park about their excitement at the recent reintroduction of black rhino into the Park and about the thinking behind their camp refurbishments. Here's what they had to say:-
Wild Zambezi (WZ): 2026 has been a landmark year for Rhino Safari Camp. First came the extensive refurbishment and upgrade of the camp, and then, in May, the long-awaited and successful reintroduction of black rhino to Matusadona after years of absence.
Let’s start with the black rhino. How does their return influence the safari experience at Rhino Safari Camp?
Rhino Safari Camp (RSC): Like everyone else, we had been waiting for this moment for years. We are particularly fortunate that Rhino Island lies within the Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone. Now, after so many years, we have started seeing black rhino again on the island, which is incredibly exciting, and also gives again a very tangible meaning to the name Rhino Safari Camp...
For us, this is much more than an exciting wildlife sighting. It is a tangible sign of the conservation work happening in Matusadona, and there is something rather special about knowing that our guests can once again encounter a species that once roamed these very same landscapes.
WZ: Rhino Safari Camp has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment and upgrade. What was the main objective behind the work?
RSC: There were several objectives. First and foremost, we wanted to improve the comfort and overall experience for our guests. We have a new boma and deck, more comfortable safari vehicles, and a completely redesigned kitchen, which has allowed us to further improve the quality of the food we serve.
We also wanted to give the camp a more distinctive and recognisable style, while at the same time responding to some of the Park’s requirements around environmental sustainability. So it was really about bringing the camp forward without losing what makes it Rhino.
WZ: How important was design and décor in that process?
RSC: Honestly? Not that much. Our guests travel from all over the world to experience something they simply cannot find at home: wilderness, wildlife, extraordinary landscapes, silence, and the sounds of nature exactly as they are meant to be heard.
Safari has never been about recreating the comforts or luxury we have at home. It is about experiencing something completely different.
That said, after a day in the bush, returning to a welcoming and comfortable place, noticing a thoughtful detail, or sitting down somewhere that simply feels right… well, that’s the cherry on the cake.
WZ: So, what was the thinking behind the new look?
RSC: The refurbishment was never about making Rhino Safari Camp more luxurious for the sake of it. Rhino is in a pretty extraordinary setting, surrounded by the waters of Lake Kariba and the wilderness of Matusadona National Park. There is really no need to try to improve on that.
WZ: With all the changes and upgrades, was there a danger of losing the original spirit of the camp?
RSC: That was probably one of our biggest considerations.
Rhino Camp has always had a very particular character. It is small, intimate, unfenced and completely immersed in the bush. We wanted to preserve that sense of being part of the wilderness, rather than simply staying in it. The idea was to give the camp a fresh new chapter, rather than reinvent it.
So yes, there is a new look, more comfort and a few thoughtful additions, but the wild soul remains very much the same. The elephants still wander through our boma, as they always have, and perhaps, before too long, the rhinos will start again coming a little closer too. We're excited about that!
