Matobo National Park

About

Matobo National Park is located in the southwest of Zimbabwe and spans approximately 424 square kilometers. Renowned for its dramatic Matobo Hills, the park features an extraordinary landscape of balancing granite rock formations sculpted by centuries of erosion. It stretches across the Thuli, Mtshelele, Maleme, and Mpopoma river valleys, and is designated as one of three Intensive Protection Zones for rhino conservation within Zimbabwe’s Parks Estate.

The park supports rich biodiversity, with over 200 tree species, including mountain acacia, wild pear, and paperbark acacia, as well as a wide variety of aloes, wild herbs, and more than 100 grass species.

Matobo is home to an array of wildlife, including both black and white rhinoceroses, sable antelopes, and impalas. It also hosts the densest population of leopards in the world, primarily due to the high numbers of hyrax, which form about 50% of their diet. Other species found in the park include hyenas, hippopotami, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and ostriches. Notably, Matobo also holds the highest global concentration of black eagles, with numerous breeding pairs recorded.

This unique combination of geological wonders and thriving ecosystems makes Matobo National Park a remarkable destination for nature and wildlife enthusiasts.

Accessibility

To reach Matobo National Park from Bulawayo, start by taking Robert Mugabe Way through the city, which becomes Matopos Road as you head south. Continue along this route for approximately 30 kilometers until you reach the park boundary. The two-lane tarred road then narrows into a single-lane tarred road leading to Maleme Dam and Rest Camp. Within the park, most of the roads are gravelled and accessible to standard vehicles, though some remote areas require a high-clearance 4WD vehicle for safe access.