Matobo National Park
Matobo National Park
The Matobo National Park is one of Zimbabwe's lesser-known gems, with some of the world's most spectacular granite terrain. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a breathtaking and surreal landscape of balancing rocks known as kopjes - massive boulders perched precariously on top of one another. It's easy to see why Matobo is called Zimbabwe's spiritual heartland when you see it.
The Matobo National Park is the heart of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, a region of granite kopjes and forested valleys in southern Zimbabwe that begins 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Bulawayo. Granite was driven to the surface about 2 billion years ago, resulting in smooth "whaleback dwalas" and fractured kopjes, littered with boulders and mixed with thickets of flora.
The Matobo Hills span around 3100 square kilometers, with 424 square kilometers of National Park and the rest being community property and a minor amount of commercial farming. The park stretches along the valleys of the Thuli, Mtshelele, Maleme, and Mpopoma rivers. A 100 square kilometers game park has been established within the national park, and it is home to a variety of animals, including the white rhinoceros. Gulati is the highest peak in the highlands, located just beyond the park's north-eastern boundary.
Matobo national park in Zimbabwe is divided into a leisure park and game park. These include Lake Matopos Recreational Park and Matobo national park. World's View -a beautiful overlook and Cecil Rhodes' burial place, and old San rock art caves are part of the recreational area. Although the wildlife park does not have the most abundant animals in Zimbabwe due to poaching, it is still one of the finest sites to observe both black and white rhinos; although the black rhinos are difficult to spot.
Brief History of Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe.
The park was created in 1926 as Rhodes Matopos National Park, a legacy from Cecil Rhodes, and is Zimbabwe's oldest. The original park boundaries stretched far to the south and east of where the current park now stands. The Khumalo and Matobo Communal Lands were created as a result of a compromise between colonial officials and local people to re-designate these regions for habitation. The park's size was later expanded when the World's View and Hazelside farms to the north were purchased.
The present name Matobo is based on the area's proper vernacular pronunciation. In 2003, the Matobo Hills were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A profusion of unique rock formations rise above the granite shield that covers much of Zimbabwe.
Matobo National park zimbabwe
Flora and Fauna
Flora The Matobo Hills have a great botanic variety, with over 200 tree species identified in the national park, including the mountain acacia, wild pear, and paper bark acacia, among others. There are also a lot of aloes, wild plants, and over a hundred different grass types. A large number of uncommon indigenous plant species have been identified. Wildlife. The biodiversity of Matobo National Park is diverse, including 175 bird, 88 mammal, 39 snake, and 16 fish species. White rhinos, sable antelopes, impala, and leopards are among the game. Due to the quantity of hyrax, which makes up half of their food, the park has the world's densest population of the latter. White and black rhinos have been reintroduced to the game park in the west, with the former coming from KwaZulu-Natal in the 1960s and the latter from the Zambezi Valley in the 1990s. The two species, as well as hyenas, hippopotami, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and ostriches, have been classified as Intensive Protection Zones. Matobo National Park is home to the world's greatest number of black eagles and nesting pairs. Kopje, mother and child, at Matobo National Area's game park. Since 1950, Maleme Dam has housed a limnological research centre that has studied species such as the yellow-fish, Barbus mattozi.
Matobo hills
The Matobo Batholith, which includes the Matobo Hills, is made completely of granite. The granite weathers into amazing forms, such as the Mother and Child Kopje balancing rocks. Narrow valleys occur between the Granite Mountains. Due to drainage from the Whaleback Mountains, they are frequently marshy lowlands known as dambos or vleis. The Maleme, Mpopoma, and Mtsheleli rivers all originate in these valleys, while the Thuli River's source is close east of the park. .
wildlife Viewing
White rhino, sable antelope, and impala are among the animals that may be observed throughout the park. The finest sight, however, is found in the 105-square-kilometer Game Park, which is to the west of the national park. Animals were translocated from the Hwange National Park's boundary regions to create the game park, also known as Whovi or Hove Wild Area. White and black rhinos have been reintroduced. Sable antelope, giraffe, zebra, impala, wildebeest, and ostrich are among the other species to be observed. Visitors may be lucky enough to see leopard on rare occasions in the late afternoon or early evening, with many evenings being disrupted by the screams of baboons as a result of leopard assaults. Two game viewing hides are available.
Hiking safaris
Hiking Safaris. Matobo offers a lot of hiking routes due to its landscape, temperature, and safe atmosphere. Lakeside stroll, Maleme Dam, and Fish Eagle Lodge are some of the shorter treks and walks. Other hiking safaris include; • Maleme Camp to Pomongwe Cave rock paintings Mount Pomongwe, near Maleme Camp • Climbing Mount Shumbashawa, in Gordon Park, is a longer walk. • Climbing Mount Nyahwe. • Hike to Inanke Cave and rock art from Toghwana Dam. Maleme Rest Camp also organizes hiking safaris for its guests who are also accompanied by an armed game scout.
horse back riding
Matobo national park organizes supervised horse trails. There are two routes: one departing from Maleme Camp and visiting scenic spots in the Maleme valley and environs, and the other departing from Maleme Camp and visiting scenic locations in the Maleme valley and environs. From the White-water Office, go to the game park to see the animals.
Fishing and Boating
The park's numerous dams provide excellent fishing opportunities, particularly for Tilapia and bass. From the Maleme Dam research station, bass were stocked into seven of the park's dams. A fishing license is included in the park entrance price. Boating On the larger dams, such as Maleme, Mtshelele, Toghwana, and Lake Matopos, boating is available. Privately owned boats are allowed, but only with the agreement of park officials. .
