Matobo Hills

The Matobo Hills are a distinctive granite landscape of rounded kopjes and balancing rocks in southwestern Zimbabwe, known for dense concentrations of prehistoric rock paintings and significant cultural associations. The area contains both cultural sites and protected wildlife habitats.

Visitors go to see extensive San rock art panels in sheltered overhangs, panoramic viewpoints such as Malindidzimu (World’s View), and wildlife in Matobo National Park, including populations of rhino. The landscape features dramatic granite tors and wooded valleys that concentrate archaeological and natural values.

The hills have been used and revered by human communities for thousands of years and later became part of formal conservation and national park systems. The area combines cultural heritage protections with wildlife management and tourism infrastructure.

Matobo lies near the city of Bulawayo in southwestern Zimbabwe and is accessible by road from the city.

• Granite kopjes and rock art: The hills are a granite landscape of balancing rocks, kopjes and ridges with extensive prehistoric rock art panels made by San hunter-gatherer communities.
• Rhodes' grave: Malindidzimu (World's View) is a well-known viewpoint and contains the grave of colonial figure Cecil Rhodes.

What to See #

• World's View (Malindidzimu): A panoramic granite ridge known as Malindidzimu or World's View that offers wide vistas and is the burial place of Cecil Rhodes.
• Rock art sites: Multiple rock-shelters and cave sites preserving San (Bushman) rock paintings that date to prehistoric periods.
• National park reserves: Protected areas within Matobo National Park that contain populations of black and white rhino and other savannah wildlife.