Reviews of Matobo (From 10 Acclaimed Safari Experts)

Expert

Paul Murray –

UK

Visited: Multiple times

Paul is a travel writer, author of the Bradt guidebook to Zimbabwe and is closely involved in promoting tourism to Zimbabwe.

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Bald Heads & Black Eagles

Overall rating

3/5

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The plusses for this park are its magnificent, towering granite ‘whalebacks’ and precarious-looking rock stacks, its scenically positioned lakes and the fact that it has one of the most concentrated collections of prehistoric rock paintings in Africa. Cecil Rhodes’ grave is here in a spectacular setting and the whole park is a photographer’s paradise. The rocks are home to an astonishing variety of raptors, including the largest population of Verreaux’s eagle in the world. On the minus side, although it has the densest concentration of leopard in Africa, they are largely nocturnal and seldom seen; and the Whovi Wilderness Area, which is designated as the game-viewing area, is not very wild and not very large, though you stand a fair chance of seeing the resident rhino, both black and white. I really love this park, but more for the amazing scenery and atmosphere than the wildlife.

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Expert

Philip Briggs –

ZA

Visited: Dry season

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

Land of Giant Boulders

Overall rating

3/5

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Matobo National Park lies in the Matobo (or Matopos) Hills, a stunning landscape of gigantic granite domes and bizarre balancing rock formations situated around 30km south of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city. In addition to the magnificent boulderscapes, the park contains some superb prehistoric rock art sites. These include the monochrome animal outlines at White Rhino Shelter and some outstanding figures of running giraffes at Nswatugi Cave.

The most popular place to visit in Matobo National Park is the aptly named ‘View of the World’. Here, the grave of Cecil John Rhodes (the British imperialist who founded Rhodesia, as Zimbabwe was known prior to independence) stands atop a vast whaleback at the centre of a ring of giant boulders where you might see colourful agama lizards, twitchy-nosed elephant shrews, and the near-endemic boulder chat. Elsewhere, there are no restrictions on walking, and hikers often encounter klipspringer, rock hyrax, impala and the magnificent Verreaux’s eagle.

Matobo is not a conventional safari destination. On my most recent visit, I saw almost no large mammals, with one notable exception in the form of white rhino, which I tracked on foot with an armed ranger – the only national park in Zimbabwe where this unforgettable activity is currently offered. I also did a self-drive game drive in the fenced Whovi Game Area, which is home to the park’s only black rhino and giraffe, but I saw neither, and the poor condition of the roads made for a stressful outing.

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Expert

Mike Unwin –

UK

Visited: Multiple times

Mike is an award-winning wildlife writer, former editor of Travel Zambia magazine and author of the Bradt Guide to Southern African Wildlife.

Bald Is Beautiful

Overall rating

3/5

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On my most recent visit to Matobo, in April 2018, I found it little changed from my last visit nearly 25 years earlier. The park’s unique appeal appears unspoilt by the difficulties that have affected other conservation regions in Zimbabwe. The other-worldly landscape of balancing stones and granite whalebacks for which this park got its name (Matobo means ‘bald-headed’) continues to offer a fabulous natural playground that is easily explored by the independent traveller, whether on foot or by vehicle. And though just 420 sq km in area, the park stills feel much larger than it appears on the map, with its picturesque terrain stretching to the horizon in all directions. Where once the accommodation options were largely limited to the national park rest camp at Maleme Dam, a selection of private lodges located on the edge of the park now each offer their own take on the same arresting landscape, plus a selection of guided activities. It is not essential to stay over – the park is small enough for a day trip from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city – but it is certainly worth taking at least a couple of nights to appreciate Matobo’s unique appeal.

Game viewing is best in the 105-sq-km game park, a separate fenced zone (also known as the Whovi Wilderness Area) that has been boosted by restocking from Hwange. Here you can see both white and black rhino, as well as hippo, giraffe, zebra and a variety of antelope, including sable. However, game is widespread throughout the whole park. I joined an excellent guided walk in the main unfenced public area, where we not only had extremely close encounters with white rhinos, their cropped horns a sobering sign of the times, but also met zebra, wildebeest, warthog, kudu and impala. Matobo has no lions, elephants or buffalo, and the reputedly numerous leopards tend to stay hidden, but there are many unusual species adapted to the rocky terrain, from klipspringers and baboons to rock hyraxes and Africa’s highest concentration of Verreaux’s eagles. Other notable wildlife includes some interesting reptiles, from giant plated lizards and common flat lizards to rock pythons and – judging from both personal experience and the stories of others – an unusual abundance of black mambas.

It’s not all about wildlife. Follow any of the numerous marked trails and you’ll also find caves adorned with ancient rock art tucked away among the statuesque rock formations. The area’s rich history is nowhere better appreciated than from the grave site of colonial ruler Cecil John Rhodes at the aptly named World’s View. A controversial figure he may be, but the views are undeniably glorious – and you might just spy a tail-flicking boulder chat or one of the delightful rock elephant-shrews that dash between crevices in the sun-warmed granite.

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Expert

Ariadne van Zandbergen –

ZA

Visited: Multiple times

Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.

Matobo National Park: A Giant’s Playground

Overall rating

3/5

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The main attraction of Matobo National Park is its spectacular scenery. Huge granite boulders balance in elaborate formations creating a scene often referred to as a giant’s playground. I saw little wildlife here on my most recent visit. You could be lucky to see giraffes and there are several antelope species in the park as well. Most notable are the agile klipspringers that thrive in this environment. So are the rock hyrax, the favorite prey of black eagles that can often be seen soaring above the cliffs.

On a drive around the park, you might come across white rhino as well. However, it is worth booking a rhino-tracking trip to increase your chances of seeing these endangered heavyweights. Furthermore, the experience of seeing them on foot is a lot more exciting than from a car.

Other highlights include a visit to Rhodes’ Grave. A little site museum gives insight into the controversial life story of Cecil John Rhodes. Even if that doesn’t excite you, his burial site, named World’s View, is worth a visit for the glorious vista across the park alone.

Last but not least are the numerous ancient rock art paintings dotted around the park. You could spend a week here exploring all the different sites, but with limited time, a visit to the easily accessible Nswatugi Cave rock paintings is highly recommended.

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