Got up early, but by the time we had breakfast, checked out the car and stopped for groceries it was nearly noon by the time we were heading for the park. Once we got to Matopos National Park (only about a 40 minute drive) we drove around the park proper before heading to the game reserve.
The first stop in the park was White Rhino Sanctuary - much to our disappointment there weren't rhinos, rather it's a shallow cave with primitive paintings - the most prominent a white rhino. The preservation of the paintings wasn't that great, but the surrounding scenery was fantastic and it made a great excuse for a short hike.
Next stop was a rocky hill called Worlds View. With a name like that I was expecting to be a bit disappointed - Wrong! The view was fantastic! It did seem like you could see forever in every direction. The top of the hill is all rock, and nature has artistically arranged a dozen or so boulders in a circle at the top. Took lots of pictures...
Stopped to look at some more paintings at Nswatugi Cave - much more impressive! The paintings were a lot better preserved. Some of the paintings (especially one of a giraffe) were amazingly accurate - you could almost see it running.
Finally into the Whovi Wild Area - the game reserve section of Matopos. By the time we got there it nearly 4:30 and we had to be out by 6 - so we were a bit rushed. Only minutes into the reserve we spotted our first (and sadly only) White Rhino. We saw lots of warthogs and bush pigs.
We stopped at a picnic area at the dam and I was taking a picture of a giant warthog from the car. A guard comes up tot he car and says "You can get out, he's a friendly lad". So I get out and walk over and the beast charges me and scares the hell out of me. Then the guard says "That's close enough" - gee thanks...
