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National Park Matopos Recreation Park (Matobo National Park)

ID: w200829 View large map

Located in Zimbabwe :: Matabeleland  :: Bulawayo
Category: Protected Areas :: National Park

Booking

Matobo National Park is a gem. It is renowned for the Matobo Hills with its massive boulders and balancing rocks, located close to Bulawayo. The area is rich in history and culture. Numerous caves with Bushmen paintings give clues to the early human inhabitants of the area. At Pomongwe Cave thousands of Stone and Iron Age artefacts are on display. Some of them date back as far as 14 000 BC.

Matobo is the oldest protected area in Zimbabwe, declared in 1926. It is a small park, only 440 square km, and was declared a World Heritage Site in 2003 because of its cultural significance and diverse environment. Matobo means ‘bald heads’, an epithet said to have been conferred by Mzilikazi, founder of Zimbabwe’s Ndebele nation. Interestingly both him and Cecil John Rhodes chose to be buried in the Matobo Hills.

There are various wildlife like Antelopes, giraffe and Zebra, Kudu, Wildebeest, Eland, hyena, Cheetah, Warthog, Duiker, Baboon, Crocodiles, Cheetah black and white rhinoceros that can be found in the park with a large number of black eagles.

Accommodation is also available in chalets, campsites and lodges. There are a few campsites in Matobo NP but the site at Maleme Dam may be the only one with operational ablution facilities.

Contact
Address :  46km or 47min S of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Contact :  Zimparks- Matobo Regional Office
Contact 2 :  Mrs Florance Tafeni
Tel :  +263(0)292 636 46
Tel2 :  +263(0)292 740 00
Cell :  +263(0)77 491 3109
Email :  Click Here
Host Website :  Click Here

Rates and Payment
Fee/s :  Conservation Fees: USD4 (locals); USD12 (SADC visitors); USD15 (Internationals). (Updated Sept-2022)

Destination Information
Police Hospital Tourist Information Office Basic Food Supplies Lodging Camping Mechanical Repair Towing Service
Tourist Information Telephone :  +263(0)77 491 3109
Towing Service Telephone :  +263(0)78 057 9261 / +263(0)71 808 4297 / +263(0)73 652 3424 (DRIVE Zimbabwe Roadside Assistance)

Activities
Game Viewing Game Drives Hiking Trails Guided Walks Horse Trails Fishing Swimming Boat Trips Bird Watching
Night Drives
Game to View :  Antelopes. Giraffes and Zebra . Kudu. Wildebeest. Eland. Hyena. Cheetah. Warthog. Cheetah black and White rhinoceros
More Activities :  Rock paintings.
Notes on Activities :  (Some activities may be offered nearby).

Travelling Information
Closest Town :  Bulawayo

Self Drive Access :  Yes
Vehicle Type :  Unknown
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External Links Related to Matopos Recreation Park (Matobo National Park)
Matobo Conservation Society
Matobo Self Drive
 
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