Private4 days
Zimbabwe · UNESCO World Heritage Site
Matobo Hills
Ancient granite, remarkable rock art and guided rhino tracking in a UNESCO cultural landscape.
Ancient granite has weathered into balanced domes, whale-back ridges and shelters holding one of the highest concentrations of rock art in Southern Africa.
The national park sits within a UNESCO cultural landscape of granite landforms, rock paintings and long spiritual traditions. Guided rhino tracking may be available with park scouts; routes and access depend on current conditions. Malindidzimu also holds Cecil Rhodes’s grave and deserves careful historical context.
“I've spent thirty-five years in this country and Matobo still stops me. Granite older than most life, painted with a memory thirteen thousand years old.”
Best March to November 24 experiences UNESCO World Heritage Site
Recommended trips
Start with these.
Matobo rewards more nights than most people give it. These are the routes we keep coming back to: private, and adjustable before you commit.
Private5 days
Bulawayo, Khami Ruins & Matobo Hills
Khami heritage and private reserve, then two nights in the Matobo Hills
From $1,880 per person
View this trip
Private6 days
Stories in Stone
Ancient ruins, sacred hills and timeless cave paintings
From $2,600 per person
View this tripLooking for something different? View all 24 Matobo Hills trips →
Why ZimTravellers
One person plans your trip. He lives here.
ZimTravellers is not a call centre. Josh Elliott, fifth-generation Zimbabwean and owner of Matobo Hills Lodge, writes every itinerary himself, drives these roads, and answers every email within one working day. That changes what a trip here can be.
One local point of contact
You plan directly with Josh from first enquiry to the trip itself: one point of contact, whether the day is run by our own team or a hand-picked local operator.
Generations deep
Five generations in Zimbabwe means we know the guides, the border posts and the fuel stops first-hand.
Direct WhatsApp line
WhatsApp Josh before, during and after the trip. Office hours Mon to Fri 08:00 to 17:00 and Sat 09:00 to 13:00 CAT. Replies within one working day.
Stories, not schedules
Routes are built from scratch around what you want from the country.
Tell Josh what you’d want from a few days in Matobo Hills and he’ll write you a route. No template, no commission desk.
Make an enquirySignature experiences
What Matobo Hills does best.
Matobo Hills
Track White Rhino on foot
Guided tracking with park rangers offers a chance to encounter white rhino on foot. Distance, route and access depend on current conditions.
Matobo Hills
Three thousand painted shelters
UNESCO records one of the highest concentrations of rock art in Southern Africa, with paintings dating back at least 13,000 years.
Matobo Hills
World's View at sundown
Cecil Rhodes called this the View of the World. Granite as far as you can see, and a silence that feels geological.
Matobo Hills
Granite-dome geology
Ancient granite weathering created the domes, balancing formations and whale-back ridges that define the Matobo landscape.
Recommended accommodation
Where we stay in Matobo Hills.
A short planning list, not a price promise. We confirm the right property, room and current rate for your dates before you commit.
Matobo Hills Lodge
Matobo Hills stay · availability and current rate confirmed before your proposal.
View this stay →
Speak to Josh
Plan your Matobo Hills trip.
Tell me your dates, your party, and what you want from Matobo Hills. I’ll reply with a route and honest advice on what to skip.
Make an enquiry
WhatsApp Josh
+263 777 963 710 · Mon to Fri 08:00 to 17:00 · Sat 09:00 to 13:00 CAT · Closed Sundays & public holidays
“I answer every email here personally, within one working day.”
Ways to travel
How do you want to do this?
Tailor-made
You choose the dates, the pace and the rooms. Josh writes the route from scratch around what you want from the country, and most guests travel this way.
On the map
Thirty-five minutes south of Bulawayo.
Closest airport: Bulawayo, 35 minutes by road. Harare and Victoria Falls are both about five hours’ drive; we arrange transfers or charter flights either way.
- Combine with HwangeExplore trips →
- Combine with BulawayoExplore trips →
- Combine with Khami RuinsExplore trips →
Every marker is a link: tap a region to open its page. Hold Ctrl (⌘ on Mac) and scroll, or use the buttons, to zoom.
When to travel
Twelve months among the domes.
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● Peak◐ Shoulder○ Green season
May to October: peak. Cool mornings, dry days, no mosquitoes. Rhino tracking, walking and game drives all at their best.
November to April: green season. Birding peaks and the domes wear moss and lichen. Fewer travellers; the odd afternoon storm.
All trips
Every Matobo Hills experience.
20 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Three-Nation Grand Safari
Cape, Kalahari, Okavango, Falls, and the hills to finish
From $37,350 ppView trip →
14 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Epic Zimbabwe
Two weeks, every landscape that matters
From $12,150 ppView trip →
14 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Singita Pamushana, Matobo, Sabi Sands & Cape Town
Singita, Matobo and the Cape: Africa at its most polished
From $25,500 ppView trip →
12 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Family Zimbabwe Safari: Victoria Falls, Hwange, Matobo & Kariba
A family safari with history between the game drives
From $9,900 ppView trip →
12 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Luxury Zimbabwe Safari: Matetsi, Kariba, Matobo & Singita Pamushana
Matetsi to Singita: Zimbabwe without compromise
From $24,050 ppView trip →
12 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Zimbabwe Grand Safari: Matobo, Hwange, Victoria Falls & Mana Pools
Zimbabwe's greatest hits, at the top end
From $12,850 ppView trip →
12 Days
Zimbabwe Walking Safari: Matobo, Hwange, Mana Pools & Kariba
Matobo, Hwange, Mana and Kariba, built around walking
Price on requestView trip →
10 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Zimbabwe at Its Best
Khami, Matobo, Hwange and the Falls, in ten days
From $5,200 ppView trip →
10 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Zimbabwe Overland: Eastern Highlands, Great Zimbabwe, Matobo & Hwange
Rhinos, mountains, stone cities and elephants, overland
From $6,800 ppView trip →
9 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Elephants and the Victoria Falls
Elephant country, the Falls and the hills
From $6,700 ppView trip →
9 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Luxury Waterfalls & Walking Safaris
Waterfalls, walking safaris and granite dawns
From $8,200 ppView trip →
8 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Classic Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls, Hwange & Matobo
The Falls, the elephants and the granite, in eight days
From $5,950 ppView trip →
7 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Big Five Explorer: A Raw Zimbabwean Safari
Track rhinos, scout leopards, and camp among elephants on this wild, budget-friendly camping safari through Zimbabwe’s hidden corners.
Price on requestView trip →
7 Days · Private (2 to 8 guests)
Three World Heritage Sites, One Journey
Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One unmissable journey.
From $3,200 ppView trip →
7 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Zimbabwe Photography Safari: Hwange & Victoria Falls
Seven days designed around golden hour
From $3,900 ppView trip →
6 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Stories in Stone
Ancient ruins, sacred hills and timeless cave paintings
From $2,600 ppView trip →
5 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Bulawayo, Khami Ruins & Matobo Hills
Khami heritage and private reserve, then two nights in the Matobo Hills
From $1,880 ppView trip →
5 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Zimbabwe Conservation & Community Safari
See the impact, meet the people
From $2,600 ppView trip →
4 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Best of Matobo Hills
Three nights, two caves, rhino on foot
From $1,200 ppView trip →
2 Days · Private (max 8 guests)
Matobo Hills Overnight Safari
A night at our lodge in the hills
From $650 ppView trip →
Full-Day Tours · Private (max 8 guests)
Caves & Culture: A Day in Matobo
Sacred caves and living Ndebele tradition
From $200 ppView trip →
Full-Day Tours · Private (max 8 guests)
Matobo Hills Full-Day Safari from Bulawayo
Rock art, rhino and the view that stopped Rhodes
From $155 ppView trip →
Full-Day Tours · Private (max 8 guests)
Matobo Through the Lens
Golden hour, balancing rocks and rhino
From $145 ppView trip →
Half-Day Tours · Private (max 8 guests)
Ancient Rock Art of the Matobo Hills
Walk among Matobo's ancient rock art
From $75 ppView trip →
No trips match those filters here, so tell Josh what you’re after and he’ll build it.
Frequently asked
Matobo Hills, answered.
It is a guided wildlife activity, not a risk-free walk. Park rangers set the route and distance for the conditions; follow every instruction and disclose mobility or medical concerns before booking.
Two nights minimum, three nights ideal. One day for rhino + game; one for rock art + Cecil's View; one for hiking and slow time.
Yes. The lodge has family chalets; older kids enjoy rhino tracking and the rock art is age-appropriate. Matobo is malaria-low.
Absolutely. The classic 7-night Zimbabwe circuit is Matobo + Hwange. We arrange the road or charter flight transfer.
Yes. The painted shelters are unsigned; a knowledgeable guide finds the panels and translates the symbolism.
Plan your trip
Granite, rhino, and thirteen thousand years of memory.
Tell Josh your dates and your party. You’ll get a route, straight answers, and a reply within one working day.