Matopos National Park

Matopos National Park

Matobo National Park is located in the center of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, known for its granite kopjes and verdant valleys, roughly 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Bulawayo in southern Zimbabwe. These hills were formed over 2 billion years ago when granite was pushed upward, leading to erosion that shaped smooth “whaleback dwalas” and scattered kopjes, interspersed with boulders and patches of greenery. The name Matopo/Matob comes from the Lozwi community. In another version of the story, when local inhabitants called the notable granite formations madombo, the first King, Mzilikazi Khumalo, reportedly replied, perhaps jokingly, with “We will call them matobo,” translating to ‘Bald heads’ in Isindebele.

The park spans approximately 3,100 km² (1,200 sq mi), with 424 km² (164 sq mi) designated as National Park; the remainder is primarily communal land with a small fraction of commercial farmland. It extends along the Thuli, Mtshelele, Maleme, and Mpopoma river valleys. A portion of the national park is designated as a 100 km² (39 sq mi) game park, which hosts various wildlife, including the white rhinoceros. The highest point in the hills is the promontory known as Gulati, which rises to 1,549 m (5,082 ft) just beyond the northeastern edge of the park.

Matobo National Park also includes the Lake Matopos Recreational Park, covering the areas around Hazelside, Sandy Spruit, and Lake Matopos. The national park is situated within the southern Africa bushveld ecoregion.