Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge

We had the most amazing time! We both have dietary needs, gluten free, vegan and vegetarian which usually causes problems, the chefs here took it in their stride, producing no end of interesting and extremely tasty food!|We also went on many game drives with Thomas, these were thoroughly enjoyable as we got to see so many birds, animals and other wildlife, we gave him endless questions which he carefully explained, identifying everything we saw explaining the history, tailoring the activities to suit our needs.|The complex itself is positioned high on the cliffs above the Save river, it is possible to sit having your food, look down and see the animals and birds below drinking and grazing, you never knew what to expect, from crocodiles, buffalo, elephants, warthogs hippos and many more.|The lodges are equally well positioned to see nature happening in front of you, they are very comfortable and well appointed.|We can say that without exception every staff member no matter their position was friendly, helpful and welcoming.|I would highly recommend a visit!

Pros|The Chilo gorge safari lodge is very beautiful! Communication with Loreen was great, she provided clear driving directions for us. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed to the lodge by Loreen and the rest of the team. In addition, the team was very helpful to us when we had car issues. ||The waiters were amazing, and the food was good. The Safari tour driver was very knowledgeable about the animals, birds and trees. We loved our safari tour of the Gonarezhou National park!|||Cons|The lodges do not have air conditioners but there are big fans which are helpful when there is electricity. However, electricity was not available during the day from 9am to 12 noon, 2pm to 5pm and 11pm to 5am. While we were visiting the temperatures were really high (37 degrees Celsius) and being in the rooms without AC/ fans was excruciating. It was so bad that we had to take multiple showers during the day (4 times) and night (2 times) to cool ourselves. I was hoping that the Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge was going to be the highlight of our Zimbabwe trip but it was a disappointment. ||The hotel should be transparent with customers about electricity shut down before customers arrive so that they can make plans ahead of time. If we had known about the electricity shut down, we would have bought hand-held battery powered fans.

Everything was perfect, from the welcome team to the rooms with idyllic views, dining above the river. A scenic wild national park you will visit with a very knowledgeable team from the lodge.|Everyone at the lodge was enthused bending backwards to make your stay memorable.|A little paradise.

Chilo River Lodge was ana amazing and relaxing place.The staff waa amazing amlnd friendly.we had a late check in but upon arrival they were very warm&welcoming.The manager&front desk personnel and guides were amazing.Compliments to the chef,lunch&dinners were fantastic.Breakfast menu needs a little variation and choice.The view and animal sightings gave the Gonarezhou experience.Rooms had sunrise&sunset view options.Elephants can easily be sighted during all timea of the day.Highly recommend visiting the Lodge for a refreshing excursion

This lodge is built in the traditional safari style, with thatched roof and fabulous stone work everywhere. The rooms are large and well-appointed, with great views of the river. The staff is very welcoming and friendly. Great food, great service. The best thing about this destination, however, is the quality of the guiding. Our guide Thomas has an encyclopedic knowledge and deep love of his country and its wildlife. We also did the fly camp experience and loved it too. We drove out to the Chilojo Cliffs, truly a wonder of the world! Then camped on the banks of the Runde River for two nights. The lodge had the campground completely set up with a kitchen and tents for us, with views of the cliffs. This was a wonderful experience and highly recommended.

Our stay at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge was as close to perfect as you can get on a safari holiday. Chilo is a marvel of Gonarezhou National Park, an unparalleled gift for anyone who loves nature and animals. A high-end safari, intertwined and connected to the local Mahenye community and intricately embedded in the local culture. ||The day trip to the Chilojo Cliffs with the inimitable mukoma Thomas Mutombeni, was the pinnacle of our holiday. His encyclopedic knowledge brought Gonarezhou's secrets to light, unraveling the mysteries of the local flora and fauna. He brought us as close to nature as one could ever get. Thomas's engaging, funny, and informative storytelling skills greatly enriched our trip, notably his profound understanding of Zimbabwe's natural world.||The amazing staff, Loreen, Forget, Felix and the whole team, ably led by Dave, gave us an experience of home away from home in this untouched wilderness. It was so good, we couldn't help but stay an extra night!!! ||Highly recommended.

Nicely located with beautiful views of the Save River. Accommodation comfortable and spacious with balcony to enjoy surrounding ambience. Staff were professional, friendly, accommodating of our requests, and alert to any preferences or dislikes without prompting or reminding. Very professional and friendly, courteous. Meals substantial and lot of thought given to varying the menu daily, always well presented. Facilities well maintained and any problems quickly rectified. Game drives were interesting and led by experienced guides, and informative. certainly a place to be recommended without being over the top expensive and unnecessarily luxurious but offering everything one would expect from a luxury safari.

The Lodge is an African gem in service of a great cause.||Chilo Gorge Lodge is perched high on a hillside above the Save River, just below the gorge proper. The views upstream and down are sweeping and magnificent. They come with daily parades of elephant, buffalo and antelope making crossings. The river is the (unfenced) border with Gonarezhou, Zimbabwe's second largest and definitely most remote and unspoiled national park. The hills reverberate at night - sometimes during the day - with the roars, grunts, howls and cries of lions, leopards, hyena, hippo and fish eagles. We had great sightings of a pair of elusive Pels Fishing Owls and out-of-season Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters.||The Lodge facilities, rooms, food and service are all superb, and the whole Lodge concept contributes towards community conservation. For those 4x4 travellers camping in the park but wanting a luxury break, Chilo offers self-catering units as well. Drive in or fly in courtesy of the adjacent air strip (ex-Harare).||We were guided by the hugely knowledgeable Thomas Mutombeni, who also led us on walking trails in the park itself while we were based in Zimparks' well-equipped and beautifully positioned Mahove trails camp.||What to say about Chilo and Gonarezhou? If you want African vistas and a wildlife experience unsullied by crowds, this is a top destination. We visited at peak holiday time (July) and yet saw perhaps a dozen other vehicles during the entire week we were there, traversing far and wide in an ecozone laced with riverine forests and Baobab-rich hills and savannahs.||When we arrived at the lookout point at the apex of the stunning Chilojo Cliffs, a sedimentary formation laid down over the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods more than a 100 million years ago, we had the place to ourselves. When we enjoyed a lunch at the prime picnic spot below the Cliffs, again we had the run of the place - except for a pair of bull elephant.||This be ancient Africa. See it and add to its viability.