The return of black rhino to Matusadona National Park after more than 30 years marks a significant new chapter for conservation in Zimbabwe. From 1 September 2026, guests at Bumi Hills Safari Lodge can experience this conservation story through three new safari and conservation experiences.
A Historic Homecoming
There are few conservation stories as powerful as a species returning to a landscape it once called home.
Matusadona National Park and the wider Sebungwe landscape were once home to Zimbabwe’s largest contiguous population of black rhino. As organized poaching intensified in the late 1980s and early 1990s, ZimParks made the decision to relocate surviving animals to safer areas across the country. That decision helped preserve the bloodline.
Today, more than three decades later, their descendants have returned to Matusadona National Park from Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservancy, Matobo National Park, and another protected location. These are not simply animals introduced to a new environment. They are the same lineage, come home.
The rhino are being protected within a 175-square-kilometer Intensive Protection Zone, where they will be closely monitored using advanced conservation technology. The objective is not to create a new safari viewing opportunity, but to establish a secure and sustainable population that can once again become part of Matusadona National Park’s ecosystem.
Conservation in Action
The return of the black rhino has been made possible through long-term collaboration between ZimParks, African Parks, local communities, and international conservation partners.
Since African Parks entered a 20-year management partnership with ZimParks in 2019, investment in wildlife protection, habitat management, and community engagement has helped create the conditions required for the rhino to return.
The reintroduction is a reminder that meaningful conservation takes time. The animals returning today are connected to a decision made more than three decades ago to protect their ancestors. It is also an example of how conservation, communities, and responsible tourism can work together to protect important wildlife areas for the future.
Experience the Return of the Rhino from Bumi Hills Safari Lodge
Located above Lake Kariba, Bumi Hills Safari Lodge provides an ideal base from which to explore the region and learn more about its conservation story.
From 1 September 2026, guests can choose from three experiences within Matusadona National Park.
1. Game Drive in Matusadona National Park
Board the boat and cross the open water of Lake Kariba into Matusadona National Park. On the far shore, a Matusadona Conservation Trust safari vehicle is waiting to take you deeper into Big Five territory, with your African Bush Camps guide at the wheel. En route, pause for a scenic pitstop with a cooler box stocked with snacks and refreshments.
2. Guided Walking Safari
Board the boat and land wherever the walking is best that day. From there, an African Bush Camps professional guide leads you on foot through Matusadona National Park. Become eye-level with wildlife, reading fresh tracks, discovering the ancient fossils exposed in these hills, and learning which plants along the way have long been used for their medicinal properties. Walking safaris are closely regulated and depart in the morning only, for the best and safest conditions.
3. Matusadona Conservation Experience
For guests who want to go beyond the traditional safari, the Conservation Experience offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the work protecting Matusadona National Park.
- Priced at US$250 per person, the experience includes:
- Meeting the conservation team
- Visiting the Conservation Center
- Seeing drone monitoring in action
- Learning about the park’s wild dog program
- Understanding the work behind the black rhino reintroduction
- A welcome gift
Please note: this is a conservation experience, not a guaranteed rhino encounter. It offers guests the opportunity to understand what happens beyond the safari vehicle, and to meet some of the people working to protect Matusadona National Park’s wildlife.
Why the Return of the Rhino Matters
The return of black rhino is about more than one species.
It strengthens Matusadona’s role as an important protected area in Zimbabwe, contributes to the country’s wider rhino conservation strategy, and demonstrates what long-term investment in wildlife protection can achieve.
For visitors, it also adds another layer to the safari experience. Guests can now explore the landscape the rhino have returned to, learn about the conservation work protecting them, and understand why their presence matters.
Through the African Bush Camps Foundation, African Bush Camps remains committed to supporting conservation and community initiatives across Southern Africa.
Discover Bumi Hills and Matusadona National Park
Bumi Hills Safari Lodge combines a classic Zimbabwe safari with the unique landscapes of Lake Kariba. Guests can explore by vehicle, on foot, and on the water, with opportunities for game drives, walking safaris, boating, fishing, birdwatching, and sunset cruises.
A species once driven from these hills is home again. Now, guests at Bumi Hills Safari Lodge have the opportunity to be part of that story.
Book your stay at Bumi Hills Safari Lodge and experience Matusadona National Park at a significant moment in its conservation history.
Photo credits: Hillary O’Leary, Marcus Westberg, and Wiki West