A spectacular national park known for its dramatic rock formations, rhino tracking opportunities, high concentration of leopards and collection of prehistoric rock art.
Just 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo, Matobo National Park forms the core of the Matobo Hills, an impressive range of domes, spires and balancing rock formations hewn from the granite plateau through millions of years of erosion and weathering. The hills also boast one of the highest concentrations of prehistoric rock art in southern Africa, with some cave paintings dating back at least 13,000 years. Other places of historical interest include the burial site of the Ndebele king, Mzilikazi, and the final resting place of the British imperialist, Cecil John Rhodes. The park is also home to a wide range of game, including Zimbabwe’s highest concentration of leopard, large populations of black and white rhino – which can be tracked on foot with an experienced guide – as well as kudu, eland, zebra, giraffe, hippo and sable antelope. Matobo is also an ornithologist’s paradise with over 400 recorded bird species, including the highest population of African fish eagles found anywhere in the world.