Of all the parks in Zimbabwe, Matobo National Park has to be one of the most scenic. This is a bold statement given the likes of Nyanga National Park in the Eastern Highlands and the shores of Lake Kariba and Matusadona.

But we'll stick by that statement on account of the endless stretch of granite outcrops, balancing rocks and aching serenity of the Matopos Hills after which the Matobo National Park got its name.

The park has a particularly high concentration of raptors and is famous for its black eagle population and its diverse habitats support an astonishing concentration of African birdlife.

Thanks to feint outlines of rhinos in the ancient rock paintings, the park was re-stocked with black and white rhino both species have since thrived in the area. A walking rhino-tracking safari has to be one of the greatest wildlife adventures of a lifetime up there with gorilla trekking and the great migration.

Matobo National Park also has one of the highest concentrations of leopard found anywhere in Africa. The rocky outcrops and dense undergrowth provide perfect cover for hunting and breeding. The park has a mixed vegetation ranging from open grassland, rocky woodland habitats providing for a great diversity of wildlife including black and white rhino, zebra, wildebeest (gnu), giraffe, kudu, eland, sable, klingspringer, leopard, hyena, cheetah, warthog, waterbuck, wild cat, duiker, rock hyrax, baboons and monkeys.