Matobo National Park Im Herzen Des Matobo Nationalparks Liegt Das Grab Des Britischen Eroberers Cecil Rhodes in Exponierter Lage Auf Dem Aussichtspunkt World's View

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Matobo National Park Im Herzen Des Matobo Nationalparks Liegt Das Grab Des Britischen Eroberers Cecil Rhodes in Exponierter Lage Auf Dem Aussichtspunkt World's View BulawayoMatobo National Park Im Herzen des Matobo Nationalparks liegt das Grab des britischen Eroberers Cecil Rhodes in exponierter Lage auf dem Aussichtspunkt World's View. Oben zeigt sich ein grandioser 360°-Rundblick auf das weite Labyrinth aus Felsen und Steinen. Auf dem nackten Felsrücken liegen wie achtlos verstreut riesige, nahezu runde Granitblöcke. Besonders schön werden die Felsen von der Abendsonne bestrahlt, sie leuchten dann in rötlichen und goldenen Farbtönen. In der Mitte der Felskugeln ruht unter einer schlichten Bronzeplatte Cecil Rhodes. Auch nüchterne Gemüter vermögen hier oben nachzuvollziehen, warum die Ndebele diesen Platz "Malindidzimu" (Sitz der Ahnen) nannten und Cecil Rhodes ihn als "View of the World" bezeichnete. White Rhino Shelter Klippen-Elefantenspitzmaus Glattkopf-Grabskorpion 244 244Ein Ort der Schönheit und starker Magie. Zwischen den Felsbrocken Seit 2003 zählt Matobo mit der größten Felsbild-Galerie der Welt 245 245 liegen das Grab von Cecil Rhodes und das Shangani River Memorial. zu den Welterbestätten der UNESCO. Bulawayo MATOBO NP MATOBO NP Anreise Rund 36 km südlich von Bulawayo entlang der Matopos Road befindet sich Nswatugi Cave beim Sandy Spruit Dam der Haupteingang des Parks (die Teerstraße endet Die Zeichnungen der Nswatugi Cave zählen mit ihren wunderschönen, Felsbilder von nach 19 km am Maleme Rest Camp). Ein zweiter geteerter Zugang befindet lebensechten Darstellungen von galoppierenden Giraffen und Zebras, von herausragender sich südöstlich vom Rhodes Rail Terminus und trifft nahe dem Arboretum acht scheinbar schlafenden Menschen und von Kudubullen und Jägern zu Schönheit Campsite auf den Circular Drive. Entlang der Kezi Road gelangt man 52 km den besten und ansprechendsten Afrikas. Am deutlichsten sticht das Fries von Bulawayo zum Eingang des Whovi Game Park. Auf der gegenüberlie- mit den drei hervorragend gezeichneten gescheckten Giraffen und dem genden Seite ist ein (derzeit verlassenes) Gate, durch welches man auf ei- Zebra hervor, darunter befinden sich viele verschiedene Tierdarstellungen. In der Höhle ner Schotterstraße zur Central Wilderness Area und zum Maleme Rest Camp Die meisten Zeichnungen wurden auf 10 000 bis 6000 Jahre in die späte wurden noch gelangt. Neben diesen Hauptzugängen existiert eine Vielzahl kleinerer Wege Steinzeit zurückdatiert. Besonders beeindruckt, mit welcher Perfektion die vor wenigen und Pisten zwischen dem Park, dem umliegenden Kommunalgebiet und Maler die Bewegungen der Tiere eingefangen haben. Bei Ausgrabungen Jahrzehnten den Farmen. Die Teerstraßen sind in gutem Zustand, und auch die meisten wurde hier auch ein 14 000 Jahre altes Skelett freigelegt. Regen- der Schotterstraßen, z. B. vom Whovi Game Park nach Maleme, die Scenic Zufahrt: Etwa auf halbem Wege zwischen Maleme und dem Gate an der Kezi Road zeremonien Route und die Straße zur Silozwane Cave, sind gut befahrbar. Allerdings gelegen, erreicht man die Höhle über eine Piste, die wegen ihrer steilen Abschnitte abgehalten muss man nach heftigen Regenfällen mit Einschränkungen rechnen, außer- und schmalen Kurven nicht für Fahrzeuge mit Anhänger geeignet ist und nach Re- dem gilt es, zuweilen kurze Steilpassagen zu bewältigen. genfällen mitunter Allrad erfordert. Beim Parkplatz informieren Lehrtafeln und ein Anreise mit Vom Renkini Bus Terminus startet der Bus nach Kezi, den man an einer kleines Site Museum über die Fundstücke und Malereien der Höhle. Der kurze Fuß- öffentlichen der drei Abzweigungen in den Nationalpark verlassen muss. Ab hier gibt weg vom Parkplatz zur Höhle ist recht steil. Eintritt: 10 US$ Kombi-Ticket, siehe S. 243. Verkehrsmitteln es keine öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel mehr. Wer auf eine Mitfahrgelegen- Pomongwe Cave heit spekuliert, hat an der Strecke via Sandy Spruit die besten Chancen. Bei dieser reichlich bebilderten, etwa 10 m hohen Höhle muss es sich ein- Ein Kunst- mal um eine meisterhafte Galerie gehandelt haben, weshalb in den 1920er freund Die Felszeichnungen von Matobo Jahren ein übereifriger Kunstfreund die Malereien mittels einer Mischung zerstörte die aus Glyzerin und Öl konservieren wollte – ein Bärendienst, denn die scharfe Malereien Die größte Die über 3000 bekannten Fundstellen in den Matobobergen gelten als welt- Substanz zerstörte die Kunstwerke vollständig, wo immer sie aufgetragen unabsichtlich Felsbild- weit größte Felskunst-Galerie. Bitte berühren Sie die Felsmalereien nicht und worden war. Nur wenige Motive sind der Vernichtung entgangen. Man er- Galerie verzichten Sie auf das Fotografieren mit Blitzlicht, denn die Zeichnungen kennt z. B. auf der linken Seite die schwachen Umrisse zweier Elefanten der Welt sind extrem empfindlich. Alle Bilder, die der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich sind, und darunter einzelne Giraffen. So enttäuschend die Bilder heute sind, umso Info: Nähere leiden unter deutlichem Zerfall. Die Felsmalereien stehen unter staatlichem wertvoller sind die Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen, die hier vor allem 1960/ Auskünfte Schutz, und die Behörden behalten sich das Recht vor, Felsmalereien ggf. 61 stattfanden. Eine unglaubliche Ausbeute mit 17 756 Knochensplittern, über die abzusperren. Auch das Aufwirbeln von Bodenstaub in den Höhlen sollten 1357 Schildkrötenpanzerstücken, 336 Straußeneiersplittern, 136 Muschel- Felsmalereien Sie dringend vermeiden. Was das Fotografieren angeht, erreicht man die stücken und 39 000 Steinartefakten wurde zusammengetragen. Im Site der Region besten Resultate im natürlichen Mittagslicht (möglichst mit Stativ). Museum sind verschiedene dieser Relikte ausgestellt. erteilt auch Bambata Cave Zufahrt: 2,5 km vor dem Maleme Rest Camp neben der Teerstraße gelegen. Sehr die "Matobo Conservation Manche Die meisten Felsmalereien der Bambatahöhle sind zwischen 9000 und 2000 kurzer Fußweg. Eintritt: 10 US$ (Kinder die Hälfte); Kombi-Ticket, siehe S. 243. Society" unter Zeichnungen Jahre alt. Hier wurden immer wieder Jagdszenen dargestellt, viele Menschen Silozwane Cave www.matobo.org in der und sehr unterschiedliche Tierarten. In der Bildmitte kann man riesige blasse Die Silozwane Cave beherbergt außergewöhnlich vielfältige Bilder. So fin- Bambata Cave Elefanten, umringt von Löwen, Nashörnern, Wildschweinen, Elenantilopen, det man hier bis zu 1,5 m hohe Menschen- und Giraffendarstellungen direkt sind mehr als Impalas und Kudus erkennen. Eine Zeichnung stellt ein merkwürdiges neben winzigen, detaillierten Zeichnungen. Immer wieder wurden Szenen 9000 Jahre alt Wesen – halb Gepard und halb Zebra – dar. Zu den ältesten Zeichnungen des Alltags festgehalten, auch Landschaften und Tiere bis hin zu Insekten- zählt die eines Riesenpferdes, das in dieser Region nachweislich schon vor motiven, die bei Felszeichnungen sonst selten sind. Man kann sich kaum 9000 Jahren ausgestorben war. sattsehen an dieser Vielfalt. Da gibt es Schlangen mit Tierköpfen und sogar 1918 begann in dieser Höhle die erste wissenschaftliche Steinzeitforschung eine winzige Termite im Flug, die vielleicht eine Regenzeremonie andeutet. im südlichen Afrika. Dabei legte man zunächst Relikte der späten Steinzeit Sicher ist, dass in der Silozwane Cave während der letzten Jahrhunderte re- aus der sog. Wilton-Kultur frei. Später entdeckte man Keramikstücke in gelmäßig solche Regenzeremonien durchgeführt wurden. eigenwilliger Form aus der frühen Steinzeit, der man daraufhin den Namen Zufahrt: Die Höhle liegt südlich des Nationalparks im Kommunalgebiet. Die Bambata Industry zuwies. Weitere Forschungstätigkeiten drangen anschließend Schotterstraße zweigt 4 km vor Maleme von der Teerstraße ab. Nach 7 km an der sogar bis in Schichten aus der noch älteren Charama Industry vor. Gabelung rechts 4 km weiter fahren, dann erneut rechts zur 1 km entfernten Höhle Zufahrt: 50 km von Bulawayo an der Straße nach Kezi zweigt die 3 km lange Piste am Ende des Weges. Der etwa 900 m lange Aufstieg zur Höhle wird am Ende recht zum Parkplatz ab. Von dort sind noch knapp 2 km Fußweg über die Granitfelsen zu steil, bietet aber im Ausgleich eine grandiose Aussicht über die weite Landschaft. bewältigen; man wird für die Anstrengung mit einer traumhaften Aussicht belohnt. Da diese Höhle außerhalb des Parks liegt, wird sie relativ wenig besucht, obwohl Eintritt: 10 US$ Kombi-Ticket mit World's View, Nswatugi und Pomongwe Caves. sie sicher unter die Beeindruckendsten zu zählen ist. 246 247 Bulawayo Cyrene Bulawayo Bulawayo Mission Matobo Felszeichnungen Dam B Bambatu N Nswatugi FIGTREE Malonga S P Pomongwe W White Rhino M Mjelele R S Silozwane P Sandy Spruit I Arboretum Rowallan Park Nanke M Sehenswertes M N G Grab Cecil Rhodes‘ Matobo Ingwe und Shangani Memorial Lodge M ircular M.O.T.H Shrine Whovi C L Maleme rive D Toghwana Laing's Graveyard R Railway Terminus Matobo Circular C Cultural Village Ausblick beim World's View W Hills < P Amalinda Lodge Polizei Northern S Lodges G Rhodes‘ Summer House The Farm- Wilderness Bambatu house Big Cave Area Wilderness B Lodge Area Thowe S Camping L Mutsheleli Madingizulu ce n N.P.Lodge/Chalets i c R o Picnic u t N e Toghwana Lushongwe Nyati Loop Maleme Aussichtsplattform Platform Mezilume I Nkonkoni Loop M P Teerstraße Zhamando ziki Loo Platform Central Hauptpiste p Office Wilderness 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 km Mpopoma C Area Chitamba Maleme Whovi Impala Loop Game Park Togwe Wilderness Area Felsformation im Whovi Game Park W Mtsheleli Mpofu Loop hovi Maleme Wilderness Area S Maleme Rest Camp Szenerie beim Maleme Dam Nswatugi Cave Felsen- Schildechsen 248 249 248 Warzenschweine im Maleme Rest Camp 249 Bulawayo MATOBO NP MATOBO NP Nanke Cave (auch Inange Cave) Unterkünfte
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