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The Matobo National Park forms the core of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, an area of granite kopjes and wooded valleys commencing some 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo.
The Hills were formed over 2,000 million years ago with molten rock erupting across the landscape — this has eroded to produce smooth ‘whaleback dwalas’ and broken kopjes, strewn with boulders and interspersed with thickets of vegetation.
The Hills cover an area of about 3,100 sq km, of which 424 sq km is national park, the remainder being largely communal land and a small proportion of commercial farmland. Part of the national park is set aside as a 100 sq km game park, which has been stocked with game including black and white rhinoceros.
The area exhibits a profusion of distinctive rock landforms rising above the granite shield that covers much of Zimbabwe. The large boulders provide abundant natural shelters and have been associated with human occupation from the early Stone Age right through to early historical times, and intermittently since. They also feature an outstanding collection of rock paintings.
The Matobo Hills continue to provide a strong focus for the local community, which still uses shrines and sacred places closely linked to traditional, social and economic activities.
The Matobo balancing rocks are the burial place of Cecil John Rhodes. Commanding a vista clear to the horizon, the name ‘World's View’, could not be more appropriate for this enchanting piece of Zimbabwe.
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Start planning your tailor-made trip to Matobo National Park by contacting one of our Zimbabwe specialists
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Places near Matobo National Park
- Bulawayo 23 miles away
- Hwange National Park 142 miles away
- Great Zimbabwe 157 miles away
- Gonarezhou National Park 228 miles away
- Lake Kariba 244 miles away
- Harare 246 miles away
- Matusadona National Park 247 miles away
- Victoria Falls 249 miles away
- The Zambezi Riverfront 270 miles away
Accommodation choices for Matobo National Park
We've selected a range of accommodation options for when you visit Matobo National Park. Our choices usually come recommended for their character, facilities and service or location. Our specialists always aim to suggest properties that match your preferences.
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Big Cave Camp
Matobo National Park -
Amalinda Lodge
Matobo National Park