Matobo Hills National Park is in southwest Zimbabwe and home to some of the most spectacular granite scenery in the world, the Matobo Hills National Park is definately a must visit destination when in Zimbabwe . In the local Ndebele language, Matobo means ‘bald heads‘ – a reference to the granite domes in the area which create the scenic beauty that has become the epitome of this area. These rocks exist as giant boulders, with smaller versions balancing atop the other, creating formations similar to art. A Unesco World Heritage Site Matobo Hills National Park is a stunning and otherworldly landscape of balancing rocks known as kopjes – giant boulders unfeasibly teetering on top of one another. When you see it, it’s easy to understand why Matobo is considered the spiritual home of Zimbabwe.
The Matobo Hills National Park is separated into two sections – the recreational park and the game park. The recreational area includes World’s View (a scenic viewpoint and burial site of Cecil Rhodes) and ancient San rock art caves. The wildlife park may not have the most prolific animals in Zimbabwe – it’s been hard hit by poaching – but it remains one of the best places to see both black and white rhinos (although the black rhinos are difficult to spot).
The walls of Nswatugi Cave feature Stone Age rock art. The park has significant populations of black eagles and both black and white rhinos. The grave of Cecil Rhodes, founder of former British colony Rhodesia, is carved into the summit of Malindidzimu.
Occupying a total area of 44 500 hectares. The park was awarded World Heritage status in June 2003. Matobo Hills is also an Intensive Protection Zone for endangered black and white rhinoceros. The park offers a diverse range of tourist attractions and activities apart from the its unique balancing rock features with the popular “mother and child” balancing rocks.