Official Cultural Programme

Cultural Excursion

Matobo Hills National Park

A UNESCO World Heritage Site — ancient rock art, balancing granite kopjes, white rhinos, and the spirit of Zimbabwe's ancestors.

Saturday 3 July 2027 Coaches depart ZITF 10:00 · return 15:00 ~35 km from Bulawayo CBD Open to all registered participants
About Matobo Hills

Zimbabwe's Ancient Wonder

The Matobo Hills (also known as Matopos) is one of Zimbabwe's most extraordinary landscapes — a 3,100 km² expanse of granite kopjes, valleys, and caves that has been home to human settlement for over 13,000 years.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to one of the world's highest concentrations of San Bushmen rock art, as well as sites of great historical significance like World's View and the Ntabazinduna hill. The park is also renowned for its white and black rhino populations — one of the best places in Africa to see rhino on foot.

What to Expect

  • Guided rhino tracking on foot in a safe conservation setting
  • Ancient San Bushmen rock art tours with expert guides
  • Stunning views over the granite kopje landscape
  • Visit to World's View & Ntabazinduna hill
  • Wildlife game drives: leopard, zebra, giraffe & more
  • Cultural exchange with local Ndebele guides — lunch served on site

Excursion Details

DateSaturday 3 July 2027
TimesCoaches depart 10:00 · return 15:00
DurationDay trip from ZITF
Distance~35 km from Bulawayo CBD
TransportChartered coaches from ZITF
MealsLunch served at the excursion site
CostIncluded in participants' registration
Register Now

What to bring: Comfortable closed shoes, sunscreen, hat, camera, and water. Light layering recommended — July mornings can drop to 6–7°C (43–45°F) with daytime highs reaching 20–22°C (68–72°F).

The Landscape

See It to Believe It

A guide pointing out San rock art inside a Matobo cave
Guided Rock-Art Tour
A white rhino seen up close on a guided walking safari
Rhino on Foot
Visitors standing with armed rangers in the Matobo grassland
With Our Rangers
Two white rhinos grazing in the Matobo grassland
Grazing Rhino
Balancing granite boulders on a Matobo hill viewpoint
Balancing Kopjes
A granite monument on the Matobo hills at sunset
World's View
The carved granite Shangani Patrol memorial at World's View
Shangani Memorial
Ochre San rock art on a cave wall
Ancient Cave Art
Exploring the caves and boulders of Matobo
Into the Hills
Inside one of Matobo's painted caves
Painted Caves
More ancient rock paintings in the park
A Living Gallery
Granite domes of the Matobo landscape
Granite Domes