Matobo National Park

Matobo National Park occupies a total area of 44,500 hectares and was awarded Unesco World Heritage Status in June 2003. The Park includes an Intensive Protection Zone where a large population of Black and White Rhino are successfully breeding.

The park is situated in the magnificent Matobo Hills, a range of domes, spires and balancing rock formations which have been hewn out of the solid granite plateau through millions of years of erosion and weathering. The rugged terrain of the park is a hiker's paradise and the diversity of vegetation supports a wide range of wildlife. Matobo is home to a wide variety of animal species including black and white rhino, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, eland, sable, klipspringer, leopard, hyena, cheetah, hippo, warthog, rock dassies, waterbuck, wildcat, springhare, common duiker, crocodiles, baboons and monkeys. 

The park is famous for its large concentration of black eagles, which can be seen on top of the rock formations or above the cliffs in search of prey. Bird species that can be found include, fish eagle, martial eagle, francolin, secretary bird, weavers, pied crow and Egyptian geese. Fish species readily found in this Park include bass, bottle fish, bream, catfish and robustus.