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VISITS ARE STRICTLY BY BOOKING
Click on the subheadings below to jump to their contents:
- Introduction
- Booking, contact details & fees
- Travel/Motorist First Aid Kit for sale
- Directions, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use
- Arrival & experience with the staff members
- Accommodation & fees
- Meals & fees
- Activities
- Fly camp elephant experience
- Conclusion
Introduction
I have received a number of recommendations of places to visit but usually it is from people who have not yet visited the places and just want my review in order for them to decide whether they want to visit or not. This time around though, it was from people who strongly recommended this destination because they had been there and believed that I would love it there too which of course worried me.
It has been my observation over the years that the more popularity a place gains, the more people it forces its limited resources to take which results in overcrowding and heavy noise pollution.
I was therefore quite sceptical about visiting Nottingham Estate because of how popular it seemed to be in my DMs. The pictures I had seen of this estate though were really enticing, however, the main question was whether or not I would be able to get the peace and quiet that I’m always seeking when I’m on holiday.
Well, September 2024 was the time to find out. We had just bought a boat from South Africa to celebrate my husband’s and my 10th year anniversary so Nottingham Estate being so close to Beitbridge (the town where the official border post between Zimbabwe and South Africa is) we planned to spend a couple of nights at the estate to celebrate before collecting the boat and heading to Romelda Lakeside Retreat for three more nights.
Booking, contact details & fees
The contact number for Nottingham Estate is +263719797299 and it was quite easy to find as they have a great social media and internet presence.
I sent a WhatsApp message and got a timely response from Angela who was so helpful throughout the process, communicating efficiently and making sure that I had all the information I needed for a great stay.
We proceeded to make the payment for our accommodation and it was now just a matter of time before our travel dates came.
Contact us on +263784887595 for your Practical Travel/Motorist First Aid Kits for $35 each.
Directions, road conditions & best type of vehicle to use
Finally, the travel date came and boy was I excited. All the years of hearing about Nottingham Estate and now we were about to experience it. Such a great feeling.
From Harare we took a night break at Lion & Elephant Motel in Bubye so that we would be fresh for the last leg of our trip to Nottingham Estate (you can find details on the drive from Harare to Lion & Elephant Motel in Bubye here).
Nottingham Estate is located in Beitbridge district (just 53 km from Beitbridge’s CBD) in Matabeleland South Province of Zimbabwe (which is about 625 km from Harare). If starting the journey from Harare, you take A4/Simon Mazorodze road also known as Masvingo/Beitbridge road. This highway (from Harare to Masvingo) is now a good tar road and so during the planning we decided to cover 80% of the total distance on this road before taking a break at Bubye.
The next morning we did the last 122 km to Nottingham Estate. The road is still in the process of being fixed so there are many detours to take. Some parts of the road are yet to be graded so they consist of horrible potholes. Other parts are newly laid tar while others are dirt roads. The road from the highway turn off to Nottingham Estate is all dirt road which is in decent condition as far as being graded.
I would say a vehicle with high ground clearance is better for this trip just to be on the safe side than a small vehicle. We did pass several small cars though on the same road so it really depends on your relationship with your car and your way of driving I guess. I certainly would not recommend a small vehicle during the rainy season though.
Arrival & experience with the staff members
Our arrival was quite a memorable experience that left a well engraved memory in me.
We drove in and immediately noticed a team which was already waiting for us. We had passed through Kuduland so they must have been told that we were just some minutes away.
As we stepped out of the vehicle, we were handed the best and perfectly cool freshly squeezed orange juice ever, which was definitely needed after several hours of being on the road in the September heat.
We couldn’t help but express our excitement from the kind and thoughtful gesture they had shown us and while in that bubble I also felt a very warm and genuine welcome from all three of them. Emphasis being on genuine because usually the hospitality industry in general seems to push this robotic, heavily rehearsed & scripted type of welcome which I actually find to be off-putting. Anyway, their welcome and the whole ambience made me feel very much at home.
Accommodation & fees
Nottingham Estate has two different sites where one can choose to be accommodated, namely Kuduland Lodge and Nottingham Fishing Retreat. Kuduland lodge has chalets priced at $70 per person (sharing) per night for dinner, bed & breakfast and $80 for an individual travelling solo. The self catering option is $40 per person (sharing) per night and $50 for a solo traveller. The rates include WiFi, ice for drinks and laundry services on request. Children under the age of twelve pay half the price and those under three are not charged.
Nottingham Fishing Retreat has chalets which are $90 per person (sharing) per night for dinner, bed & breakfast and $100 for a solo traveller. Full board (dinner, bed, breakfast & lunch) is $100 per person (sharing) per night and $110 for a solo traveller. Children under the age of twelve pay half the price and those under three are not charged. Self catering chalets are $155 per night per chalet. Each chalet sleeps four people and a maximum of five people. The rates for all the accommodation options at Nottingham Fishing Retreat include WiFi, ice for drinks and laundry services on request.
PS: Please kindly note that sometimes rates in the tourism industry fluctuate seasonally so only use the above figures as guidelines and always contact Nottingham Estate directly for up to date fees when planning to visit.
We had chosen the Nottingham Fishing Retreat (dinner, bed & breakfast) option and after filling in some forms we were escorted to our chalet. As we got down the few steps leading to chalet number seven, I was totally blown away by the view that laid in front of me. The realisation that this is what I would wake up to every single morning for the next two mornings felt so surreal.
The months of saving up & planning for this exact experience were staring directly in my face. I could feel my body just completely relaxing from the sounds of birds, hippos play-fighting in the dam and the feel of the beautiful cosy breeze wafting towards me off the lake.
I snapped out of this gaze when I heard a gentle voice saying “this is your chalet” as he opened the white lace curtain partially covering the entry point.
“Wow!” is all my brain managed to formulate in that moment. I was in awe at how sleek and gorgeous the bedroom looked. The bed was made in such an artful way. There were whites, reds and greys on the bed which made an absolutely stunning combination. The bed was also just as comfortable and cosy to sleep on as it was aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Before I could even turn around to tour this chalet in a systematic manner, I felt the temperature cooling down to a more comfortable level and I turned immediately to see what the cause of that was and spotted an air conditioner. I haven’t seen many safari destinations that provide an aircon in the chalets regardless of how much you pay. At best, you get a fan so this was really brilliant and thoughtful of Nottingham Estate. Mind you, the chalets at Kuduland which are priced cheaper also have aircons.
I smiled from this sight, felt really proud of my choice and continued looking around this beautiful chalet. To my left while standing by the main entry were two single beds also neatly made and to my right side a huge mirror mounted on the wall and a dressing/work table.
Next to the single beds was a fridge and next to the fridge a tea station. Everything in this chalet was well thought out hey. There was a big built-in wardrobe tucked out of the way in the wall right at the end of that wing. The wing led into the bathroom.
The bathroom was another “wow” moment for me. Such a huge spacious bathroom it was, with a separate bathtub and walled shower cubicle. The showers and baths I took were consistently hot and comfy as they use gas for heating the water (a much more reliable source than solar).
I walked around the chalet again and it was indeed a beautiful, all-encompassing cosy home away from home.
Meals & fees
I sometimes dread half or full board packages as I have found that some places unfortunately do not put any thought to the menu. I was quite chuffed to see that this was not at all the case at Nottingham Estate. All the meals we had were well thought out, appetising and really scrumptious.
Starting with lunch (as we arrived around 1pm) we opted for sandwiches to keep it light. They made us the yummiest tomato & cheese sandwiches ever plus cucumbers. Our second lunch the next day was sandwiches too just as we ordered and it was again obvious that they had taken their precious time to make them.
You can now imagine if they went that hard on basic sandwiches, how hard were they going to go on dinner. You wouldn’t be wrong to think that they went really hard because they did.
Our first dinner was some delectable mouth watering pork chops, rice and veggies. The chef did not disappoint in turning this seemingly simple meal into a finger-licking, rich-flavoured meal. Dessert was I believe chocolate brownie drenched in custard with a slice of orange and its zest. Just delicious!
The next dinner was served under the stars, with elephants, eland, kudu, warthogs and many other animal species in the vicinity… Wild Right?! It was definitely an experience to remember, (I will share more about that below when I talk about our experience at the Fly Camp where the famous Nottingham citrus fruit feeding elephants activity is held).
The two breakfasts we had were nothing short of awesome. The first one was continental comprising grapefruit and yoghurt, tea/coffee, cereal and flapjacks. The next one was full English comprising eggs, tomato, bacon, sausage, toast and rooibos tea.
All meals are served with freshly squeezed orange juice which tastes super delicious.
Activities
Nottingham Estate offers quite a number of intriguing activities which include:
- Elephant experience at the fly camp (offered only from May to September) – $10 per person
- Boat cruise – $20 per person
- Bush drive – $20 per person
- Boat hire for fishing – $30 half day/ $60 full day.
- Swimming – free
After experiencing a bit of burn out running Empowered Travel ZW (my product & service based company which offers a) Travel First Aid Training plus Travel/Motorist First Aid Kits & other First Aid Kits, b) Vehicle Maintenance Training plus tools like auto air compressors, electric jack, impact wrench, tow straps, among others and c) Self Defence Training to travellers/road users so that you are well equipped should anything go wrong during your trips), I really just wanted as much time I could get as possible to sit, relax while doing absolutely nothing. I therefore opted to just sit by the water, swim and go to the fly camp for the elephant experience.
Swimming
Soon after settling in and having lunch on the day of our arrival, I went straight to the swimming pool. One benefit of travelling off season is that you get to enjoy shared facilities such as swimming pools all to yourself. You’re so few (if not the only ones) at these destinations such that the experience is just wholesome.
Both Kuduland Lodge and Nottingham Fishing Retreat (NFR) have swimming pools. The one at NFR is right by the dining area. I love how one of the pillars supporting the roof of the dining room is right in the pool. It adds character to it. Being an introvert however, I would definitely not be comfortable swimming while people are dining or chilling around that area. Most pools at resorts and hotels are located around that same area though, but that’s why off season travel is the best for me (among other reasons) because you would be so few that you can get a lot of alone time at these facilities.
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Fly camp elephant experience
The elephant experience is one of the activities that makes Nottingham Estate a popular destination among nature lovers. It was an awe-inspiring experience, seeing and learning about how all this came about and essentially it was as a way to live harmoniously with wildlife.
Nottingham Estate’s primary business is citrus fruit farming. That area being dry sometimes and surrounded by wildlife, it didn’t take long before all the animals were interested in the yummy fruits they were growing. So instead of resorting to mass killing of these animals like most do (which never ends well for either party might I add), they decided to share the rejects and pulp with the animals by offloading them at the place now known endearingly as Fly Camp.
While there are other animals that will still try to get to their plantations, most have figured out that from May to September when the fruits are in season and are being harvested, their share can be found in this Fly Camp gorge every single day. As a result, many animal species including elephants can now be viewed by all of us as they feed.
What more set up would one need for some intimacy with nature?
I certainly was not going to miss out on this opportunity. So on our second day at the estate, we met Ossie (the camp and lodge manager and guide). He was such a pleasure to have as a host and he was also the one who drove us to the fly camp. I don’t know how he does it but somehow he manages to take care of everyone’s needs even when it’s a whole group of different people at the same time. He also went above and beyond for us during the drive and the entirety of the experience.
He is knowledgeable about not only the projects that they are running at the estate but also the general Beitbridge area so he managed to satisfy our curiosity with his ability to answer all of our questions. He even made sure that we saw a hyena on our way back and if you have ever been or when you visit you will understand why this is such a big deal.
So the drive to the fly camp was an experience on its own. We came across many animal species including impalas, giraffes, elands, zebras, among others. There were also several bird species like large Korhans which could be observed in pairs.
When we arrived at the fly camp, I was a bit caught off guard with the views of the gorges. I hadn’t realised how phenomenal they actually are in person. Now add the golden African sunset in the mix. It was super magical. I was in awe the entire time. I didn’t even know where to look surrounded by that much beauty.
After briefly losing my mind at the sight of the landscape, I walked towards the edge where everyone else was already standing and what a beautiful sight awaited me. Some elephants were already there enjoying some leftover oranges from the previous day.
The tractors and trailers with the oranges for the day came and the elephants knew exactly what was going on. They visibly could not wait to get their giant trunks in there to get the best of the lot and enjoy. Even in that anticipatory state though, they were extremely well behaved and it was impressive to watch these giants not flex their muscles. Only one big baboon jumped in the trailer where the oranges were but all the other animals remained patient for the oranges to be offloaded.
When all was in order, the gentlemen who came with the tractors offloaded the oranges and let me just say that their courage is to steal. Elephants are huge animals but in person (especially that close) there is no word that can describe just how enormous they truly are. It can be quite nerve wracking being that close to them and all they want is the one thing you can’t give them just yet.
Hundreds and hundreds, the oranges rolled out of the trailer as the gentlemen drove the tractors around in circles. Behind them we could see warthogs, baboons and elephants getting all hyped up digging right in for the best orange they could latch onto. The baboons seemed to be carrying as much as they could, going back up the cliffs with them (presumably to stock up) and coming back down for more. Warthogs seemed to just eat what they could and so did the elephants.
The thrill I was feeling experiencing all this for the first time was out of this world. Eventually I calmed down a little though and settled when Ossie came to tell us about the snacks on the table that they had prepared for us. The snacks looked quite appetising and I enjoyed every bite as I got lost in the magical moments that only Africa can offer.
Unfortunately, time goes by so fast when you’re having one of your best wild experiences ever. So before I knew it, the sun had completely gone down. More animals had come which included elands, kudus and more female elephants with their adorable calves. It was also dinner time.
Dining under the stars
One thing I observed about Nottingham Estate is that if they decide to offer an experience they do not take shortcuts. They will go all out with it and that’s exactly what they did here. Instead of rushing people back to the lodges to have dinner there and possibly cut back on the time to watch the animals, they made it possible for dinner to be served right at the fly camp.
The dining area was set so beautifully and we had a chef who made the food right there. Just as per their standard, the dinner was expertly made. It was some delicious goat stew, rice and sadza. There were veggies too and I suspect there may have been a couple of other things that I didn’t add to my plate. Dessert was a dainty granadilla fruit with coconut. I absolutely loved my meal.
After dinner we went back to view the animals again that were still feasting under the floodlights and some minutes later we were all ready to call it a night so we headed to the truck.
When we got to the truck, we saw blankets on our seats. Such a thoughtful gesture to leave these freshly washed blankets for us. It’s really all these seemingly “small” things that the Nottingham Estate team does that really make the experiences they offer memorable and I love it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Nottingham Estate is definitely worth all the hype they get if they don’t actually deserve more. They are one place I can say with absolute conviction that they are 100% perfect as a destination. You know I can be quite critical sometimes as I know that you use my reviews to make your own travel decisions so I tend to nitpick a lot. With Nottingham Estate, I tried but I could not find anything that could even be remotely mentioned as something that needs improvement. All the staff members were amazing. The meals were well thought out and expertly prepared. The activities I engaged in were top notch and the accommodation was everything one needs and more. To top this off, their fees (compared to what others charge in the industry) are more than fair.
It would actually be my wish for all destinations to visit Nottingham Estate and just get inspiration on especially the way they pay attention to every tiny detail.
I hope you visit soon. I know you will enjoy your stay there. When you do please share your thoughts with me here or on Linkedin, Facebook or Instagram. Remember to always have a little intimacy in your life & as always I’m talking about Intimacy With Nature.
Team Nottingham Estate, you’re absolutely killing. Keep it up!
