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Large boulders on a rocky outcrop at Cecil Rhodes grave, Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe, with hills in the background.

Luxury Safaris to Matobo Hills National Park made for you

Experience the best of Zimbabwe with a private journey designed just for you

Striking rock formations, rhinos, cave paintings & Cecil Rhodes

As Zimbabwe‘s oldest national park, rich in human history, sensational landscapes of towering kopjes and granite boulders haphazardly arranged into strange shapes (2 billion years old), and even a special breeding ground put aside for its white and black rhino, Matobo Hills is a magical place and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Having long been the spiritual homeland of the Ndebele people and formerly known as Rhodes Matopos National Park, its territory (44,500 hectares) is strewn with Bushmen cave paintings, as well as the graves of Ndebele king Mzilikazi and the colonialist Cecil John Rhodes (responsible for the creation of the park back in 1926).

As far as wildlife goes, Matobo is known for its white and black rhino, black eagles and having the largest concentration of leopards in all of Africa. There are no lions or elephants, making it a safe place to hike and horse ride, and it has good populations of zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, sable, and eland.

  • A white rhino in Matobo Hills National Park, Zimbabwe
  • Ancient rock paintings of human and animal figures in a cave in the Matopos National Park, Zimbabwe.
  • Two young rhinos grazing in a safe distance from a big male. Matopos NP, Zimbabwe
  • Three antelope at sunset in Mana Pools national park, Zimbabwe
  • Lilac-breasted Roller – Coracias caudatus – colorful magenta, blue, green bird in Africa, widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, vagrant to the Arabian Peninsula, prefers open woodland and savanna. Keywords: africa;african;animal;avian;beak;beautiful;bird;birding;birds;blue;botswana;branch;breasted;caudatus;color;colorful;conservation;coracias;eastern;feathers;flying;forest;kenya;kruger;lilac;lilac-breasted;mana;mozambique;national;natural;nature;park;perched;pink;pools;portrait;purple;river;roller;safari;southern;tanzania;uganda;wild;wilderness;wildlife;zambezi;zambia;zimbabwe
  • Ancient rock painting of human figures and antelopes, giraffe in Zimbabwe
  • safari and wildlife trips - African leopard female pose in beautiful evening light. Amazing leopard in the nature habitat.

From our experts

Experiences picked by our Matobo Hills specialists

Seek out leopard, cheetah and rhino

The Park is home to a wide variety of animal species including: black and white rhinoceros, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, eland, sable, klipspringer, leopard, hyena, cheetah, hippo, warthog, rock dassies, waterbuck, wildcat, springhare, common duiker, crocodiles, baboons and monkeys

Watch eagles soar overhead

It has one of the highest concentrations of black eagle in the world. Bird species that can be found include, fish eagle, martial eagle, francolin, secretary bird, weavers, pied crow and Egyptian geese

Delve into local history

Visit the sacred, granite-walled grave of Ndebele King Mzilikazi who died in 1868

Track black and white rhino

The Park has one of the largest concentrations of black and white rhinoceros; and has a intensive protection zone put aside for them

See San rock paintings at Nswatugi and Inanke Caves

See the rock paintings of Nswatugi, Bambata, Inanke, and Silozwane Caves

Head on to explore Bulawayo

Matobo Hills is only 30 minutes south of Bulaweyo

Luxury accommodation in Zimbabwe

There are many incredible places to stay in Zimbabwe. Here are some of our favourites, handpicked by our travel designers:

Why book with Jacada?

  • Safari expertise

    Our experts bring decades of first-hand expertise. They’ve lived and travelled across Africa and are regularly on the ground reviewing the most exclusive camps and experiences. You’ll also have the support of a personal concierge, based in region.

  • Unforgettable guides

    We handpick the most knowledgeable guides, who bring each destination to life with care and passion. They’re chosen for their ability to provide unrivalled insight into the region’s wildlife and landscapes as well as a genuine, memorable experience.

  • Positive impact

    By travelling with us, you directly support a range of initiatives spanning wildlife conservation to community engagement. Our luxury trips are designed to prioritise experiences that are positive for you and the places you visit.

Trip inspiration

Get inspired with our Zimbabwe example trips and then get in touch to plan your own adventure

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Where else to go in Zimbabwe

Meet your Africa team

When to visit

The dry season in Zimbabwe’s national parks is from April to October and is prime game viewing time. The rains fall between December and March. Victoria Falls are spectacular all year round.

Victoria Falls

April - May

Safari

September - October

Dry Season

April - October

Wet Season

November - March

When Is the Best Time to Visit Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe Travel Guides

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Whatever you want from your adventure in Zimbabwe, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.

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We enjoyed our first trip with Jacada and it surely won't be our last! Every detail and moment of our trip was perfectly planned. We were met every step of the way with courteous and knowledgeable drivers and guides. We really appreciated the local guides and the commitment they had to make every day special. Thank you Jacada for the…

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We enjoy traveling and we have used Jacada Travel for some wonderful trips over several years. We have never been disappointed. In 2024 we took a Safari in Botswana Africa and walked with the gorillas in Rwanda planned by Jacada and the itinerary was amazing. In 2025 we had planned a trip to Antartica ( with another company ) but…

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Communication and organization were excellent. The Jacada team was helpful and genuinely interested in our experience. The guides were personable, knowledgeable, and clearly enjoy their work. Vehicles were spotless, timely, and coordinators managed our every need brilliantly. I will recommend Jacada to friends and family. The only way to travel!

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Your trip, your story

We craft trips deeply personal, delightfully surprising and entirely one of a kind. Every Jacada journey begins in conversation with a travel designer, a specialist in their destination of expertise. Behind each journey is a wealth of insight, gathered over years of on-the-ground exploration.

Once you’re booked, you’ll meet your concierge. Based in the region you’re visiting, they’ll take care of all the details so your mind is at rest. They make the trip truly special – and truly yours.

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