This historic Zimbabwean city has colonial-era buildings, the Natural History Museum, and traditional markets. Home to the Ndebele culture and Queens Park's gardens.
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, welcomes visitors with its wide streets lined with purple jacaranda trees. You'll find the Natural History Museum displaying Africa's largest collection of stuffed mammals, walk through the Railway Museum to see Cecil Rhodes' private carriage, and explore the National Art Gallery's contemporary Zimbabwean works. Beyond the city limits, granite domes rise at Matobo National Park, and ancient stone walls tell stories at the Khami ruins.
Getting Around Bulawayo
Light blue taxis run throughout the city, charging about $1 per kilometer. The minibus network connects different parts of the city, with rides costing 5 South African Rand. You can easily walk through the central business district thanks to its grid layout and wide sidewalks.
Museums Worth Visiting
At the Natural History Museum, you'll see Southern Africa's largest collection of indigenous mammals and the world's second-largest mounted elephant. Step into Zimbabwe's rail history at the Railway Museum, where vintage locomotives stand alongside Cecil Rhodes' personal railway carriage from 1897. The National Art Gallery occupies the 19th-century Douslin House, where you can watch artists at work in their studios and view rotating exhibitions of contemporary Zimbabwean art.
Parks and Green Spaces
Centenary Park and Central Park create a 45-hectare green space in the city center, with Zimbabwe's largest ornamental fountain from 1968, botanical gardens, and an aviary. At Hillside Dams Conservancy, you can walk the trails around several water bodies. In September and October, purple-blue jacaranda flowers create natural canopies along the main streets.
Craft Markets and Shopping
Find locally made sculptures, pottery, and beadwork at the Mzilikazi Arts and Crafts Centre. The Jairos Jiri Craftshop sells baskets and crafts made by disabled artisans. For modern retail, head to the Bulawayo Centre with its shops and cinema.
Day Trips from Bulawayo
Drive 32 kilometers south to Matobo National Park to see dramatic granite formations and prehistoric rock art. The park is home to white and black rhinos, giraffes, and leopards. Visit the Khami Ruins, 22 kilometers west, to explore a 15th-century city that came after Great Zimbabwe. At Tshabalala Wildlife Sanctuary, 8 kilometers from the city, you can view antelopes, giraffes, and zebras on foot or horseback.
Historical Background
The name Bulawayo means "place of slaughter," referring to tribal conflicts during the Ndebele nation's formation. The city grew into Zimbabwe's industrial center and main railway hub, with rail connections to South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia.
