With balancing boulders, standing stones, massive monoliths and precariously perched pebbles; the granite formations of Matobo (also known as Matopos) hills are among the world’s most spectacular geology.

Matobo’s boulder-strewn hills have a rugged and timeless beauty of their own and it’s easy to see why humans have habituated them for thousands of years. Across their amphitheatre much of Zimbabwe’s history has played out. Here one can marvel at ancient Khoi-San rock art and visit Malindidzimu ‘The Hill of spirits’ a sacred site to indigenous peoples and the grave of Cecil Rhodes; an important reminder of the country's colonial past.

As you walk across granite monoliths you can feel the history beneath your feet. Many describe the spires and rock formations as ‘cathedral like’ making it easy to understand why the area has great spiritual and cultural significance to local people. This is the perfect location to explore on foot or on horseback. Follow ancient trails to breath-taking views or hidden caves adorned with beautiful and unique paintings of animals dating back as far as 20 000 years.

Matobo National Park’s main attraction is its natural beauty and historical significance; however, wildlife can also be seen throughout the park. The park is said to have the highest density of leopards in the world given its size, and with leopards having a natural preference for rocky habitats this fact is unsurprising. Don’t expect to see a lot of Matobo’s leopards however, as their secretive nature makes them hard to spot. Within the park is an "Intensive Protection Zone" where the best game viewing can be found, including a sizeable population of the highly endangered black and white rhinoceros, which are successfully breeding. The park also hosts numerous small species and magnificent birding, from the many rock dassies (hyrax) and colourful agama lizards that scramble across the rock faces.

The park’s location means that it makes an excellent stopover for people travelling between Zimbabwe’s East and Victoria Falls or Hwange National Park and begins a mere 35 kilometres from Bulawayo. There are luxury accommodation options within and around the park, as well as the basic but reliable National Park chalets, however it is close enough to Bulawayo to be visited as a day trip as well.