Bulawayo

City of Kings

Tourist Attractions

The Bulawayo area has been populated since prehistoric times. The San (Bushman) people painted their delicate pictures in the caves of the Matobo Hills, the Rozvi kings built a stone city at Khami and the Ndebele nation gave the city its name. With the arrival of the European pioneers, a western-style city began to take shape. The town was incorporated in 1894, with streets and suburbs planned and laid out by the first town council.

Bulawayo and its surroundings have much to offer the tourist, with both historical and natural attractions. Tours of the city could include a visit to:

The Railway Museum
A collection of historical steam locomotives, rolling stock and station buildings, with a variety of exhibits dating from the earliest days of railway history.

The Museum of Natural History
Featuring magnificent displays of African birds, mammals, insects, human history, minerals and more, including the second largest mounted elephant in the world, the Natural History Museum is a fascinating archive of the diversity of Zimbabwe's natural wealth.

Jairos Jiri Craft Shop
Founded by Jairos Jiri to provide a source of income for other disabled groups, the shop offers a wonderful variety of traditional arts and crafts.

Buhlaluse
Two co-operatives producing traditional and modern beadwork articles and jewellery based o traditional Ndebele patterns.

Art Gallery
A branch of the National Gallery in Bulawayo, the beautifully-restored Douslin House, a colonial building houses a collection of traditional and modern art, including sculpture. On-site workshops offer handmade batiks, and there is a shop which sells artwork, curios, sculptures and genuine tribal artifacts.

Centenary and Central Parks
Built and laid out for the 1953 Central Africa Centenary Exhibition, sixty years after the founding of modern Bulawayo, the parks feature many palm-lined walks and colourful flower displays, a classic fountain and expanses of shady lawns. There is also an aviary, putting course and a miniature railway which runs at weekends.

Outside the City

Day-trips are available to nearby tourist attractions, including:

The Matobo Hills National Park
A Unesco World Heritage Site. An area of spectacular natural beauty, featuring huge weathered granite rock formations. It is the spiritual home of the ancient Mwari cult, and holds a long and magical history. The Park contains a separate, intensive-conservation Game Reserve protecting a number of White Rhinoceros among other species. The Matobo Hills are home to the largest concentration of birds of prey in Africa. Overnight or longer visits can be booked with any of the several beautiful safari lodges around the Park.

Khame Ruins
A Unesco World Heritage Site . The ruins consist of extensive terraces and passages supported by massive, decorative dry stone walling. Stone construction is estimated to have begun at Khame 500 years ago, when the city became the seat of the Rozvi rulers. A small museum displays relics and artifacts found at the site, some over 10 000 years old.

Tshabalala Sanctuary
Just 10km from the city, the sanctuary is perfect for visitors who only have a few hours for game-viewing. It contains no dangerous predators, but herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Kudu, Impala, Wildebeeste and Tsessebe (Hartebeeste) and other smaller species. There is a small dam attracting wild waterfowl, and walking and cycling is permitted. Horseback trails can be arranged with advance booking.

Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage
Chipangali is a home for orphaned, sick or abandoned wild animals, and has through its specialised experience developed into a wildlife breeding and research centre. Animal enclosures are set among landscaped gardens, there is a large walk-in aviary and a tea-room for visitors. A visit to Chipangali rewards visitors with close-up views of an extremely wide variety of animals and birds.

Mguza Nature Reserve
\this 650-hectare park is a magnet for ornithologists and birding enthusiasts. Hundreds of different species have been recorded in a single day. The park also contains several wildlife species, and there are picnic spots, picturesque walks and drives.

Bulawayo is a hub for the tourist industry in Zimbabwe, and any kind of safari can be booked with local travel agents. Just a few hours away up the north road lies the world-famous Hwange National Park and the Victoria Falls.