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Balancing rocks in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe

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Matobo National Park

Matobo is the park of granite hills south of Bulawayo, with San rock paintings and a walk that can include black rhino.

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Balancing rocks in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe

Matobo National Park Safaris

One of Zimbabwe's smaller and less well-known reserves, Matobo National Park is set just outside the town of Bulawayo and is home to several surprises.

Matobo means ‘bald heads' in the local Ndebele language and it's easy to see why: the park's signature feature is its collection of granite outcrops, weathered into stacks of bare, balancing boulders. It is among these boulders that the grave of English colonialist Cecil Rhodes is found as well as 3 000 examples of Khoi rock art and even earlier Stone Age settlements.

  • What to expect on a Matobo Safari

    It is also a destination for wildlife. Home to perhaps the greatest density of Verreaux's (Black) Eagles in the world, Matobo is a destination made famous for its rhino population. Exciting rhino-tracking adventures can be enjoyed in the park's more protected section, and since Matobo lacks lions and elephants, its main body is also a destination for easy walking safaris and horse trails. Game drives reveal a wide range of antelope and birds, and there are plenty of warthogs and monkeys to keep the park's leopard population busy.

  • When to visit

    The best time to visit Matobo National Park is during Zimbabwe's long dry winter from May to October. Animals are easier to see in the thinned-out vegetation and concentrate at permanent water sources as the park dries up. The period from May to August enjoys mild sunny days and cool nights; September and October can be very hot and dry while the summer rainy season from November to April is a time of periodic heavy rain and increased numbers of mosquitoes.

  • Including Matobo as a part of your Zimbabwe Safari Trip

    Balancing rocks in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe

    Perfect as part of a more extensive Zimbabwe itinerary, a Matobo safari adds diversity and beauty to the mix. Combine it with Zimbabwe’s best safari destinations such as Victoria Falls, Mana Pools and Hwange National Park. Browse through to our Zimbabwe holiday tours & safaris for a full range of tours and safaris throughout the country, or simply chat to one of our Africa Safari Experts for help: they know the right combinations for Zimbabwe and will create a fully tailored tour with the best accommodation and smooth-running logistics.

  • What travellers most enjoyed about Matobo National Park

    • Cultural interactions

    • Scenery

    • Walking safaris

    • Wildlife and safari

Where to go

When to go

  • Balancing rocks in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe

    When to go

    The dry months, May to October, are the easier walking. The hills make their own weather.

Travel advice

  • Balancing rocks in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe

    Before you travel

    The area is a malaria question for a clinic. The rhino walk is a real walk. Say if that is not what you want.

Popular tours and safaris in Matobo National Park

Priced itineraries that pass through this place. Nights can still change when the quote is drawn up. Nothing is paid until you accept it.

Browse all tours
  • From KSh523,904 pps

    Train Journey to Vic Falls
    Day1 BoardRovos54 days

    Highlights

    Morning and afternoon game drives.

    Destinations visited

    Botswana | South Africa | Zimbabwe

  • From KSh523,904 pps

    Train Journey to Vic Falls
    Day1 BoardRovos54 days

    Highlights

    Morning and afternoon game drives on each full day on safari. Park and permit fees for the places on this route.

    Destinations visited

    Botswana | South Africa | Zimbabwe

  • From KSh1,125,713 to KSh1,824,252 pps

    Mana Pools & Lake Kariba
    Nyamatusi Camp wildlife7 days

    Highlights

    Time on foot with a guide. Time on the water by boat or canoe.

    Destinations visited

    Lake Kariba | Mana Pools | Zimbabwe

  • Ask for the rate

    Linyanti & Hwange Safari
    Linyanti bush camp river7 days

    Highlights

    A helicopter flight can be arranged. The quote confirms the fare. Time on the water by boat or canoe.

    Destinations visited

    Botswana | Hwange National Park | Linyanti | Zimbabwe

  • From KSh1,070,401 to KSh1,405,388 pps

    Livingstone, Hwange & Mana Pools
    Toka Leya bedroom interior7 days

    Highlights

    Morning and afternoon game drives on each full day on safari. Park and permit fees for the places on this route.

    Destinations visited

    Hwange National Park | Mana Pools | Victoria Falls | Zambia | Zimbabwe

  • From KSh1,036,123 to KSh1,176,350 pps

    Family Kruger & Victoria Falls
    The Victoria Falls Hotel 1 17 days

    Highlights

    Morning and afternoon game drives on each full day on safari. Park and permit fees for the places on this route.

    Destinations visited

    Kruger National Park | South Africa | Zimbabwe

  • From KSh1,136,100 to KSh1,817,760 pps

    Romantic Vic Falls, Chobe & Delta Safari
    Victoria Falls Hotel exterior7 days

    Highlights

    Morning and afternoon game drives on each full day on safari. Park and permit fees for the places on this route.

    Destinations visited

    Botswana | Chobe National Park | Chobe River | Okavango Delta | Victoria Falls | Zimbabwe

  • From KSh3,419,986 to KSh3,852,353 pps

    Cape Town to Tanzania by Rail & Zanzibar
    Day1 capetown8 days

    Highlights

    Time in a wine valley.

    Destinations visited

    Cape Town | Dar es Salaam | Madikwe | South Africa | Tanzania | Victoria Falls | Zambia | Zimbabwe

Accommodation

Matobo National Park stays

1 stay. The rate is per person sharing.

  • From KSh882,263 pps

    Amalinda Lodge

    The rock pool at Amalinda Lodge in the Matobo HillsMatobo National Park, Zimbabwe

    Activities travellers enjoyed

    Game drives | Guided walking safaris | Night drives | Cultural visits | Rhino tracking | Bird watching

Costs

Matobo is a specialist stay, kinder than a peak Hwange camp and not a substitute for it.

International flights, visas, and tips sit outside the sample price. Nothing is paid until you accept the quote.