Matopos National Park

Established in 1953 and awarded Unesco World Heritage status in June 2003, Matopos National Park occupies a total area of 44,500 hectares. The Park includes an Intensive Protection Zone where a large population of Black and White Rhinoceros are successfully breeding and it offers a diverse range of visitors’ attractions and activities.

The park is situated in the magnificent Matobo Hills, a range of domes, spires and balancing rock formations that have been hewn out of the solid granite plateau through millions of years of erosion and weathering. The majestic and rugged terrain of the park is a hiker’s paradise and the diversity of the vegetation supports a wide range of wildlife.

The Park is home to a wide variety of animal species including black and white rhinoceros, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, kudus, elands, sables, klipspringers, leopards, hyenas, cheetahs, hippos, warthogs, rock dassies, waterbucks, wildcats, springhares, common duikers, crocodiles, baboons and monkeys. The richness of Matopos National Park can also be seen from the diverse bird life. The park is famous for its large concentration of black eagles as well as other bird species including fish eagles, martial eagles, francolins, secretary birds, weavers, pied crows, Egyptian geese, etc.