Location: Khami Ruins, Bulawayo

Image 1

Photo: Bart Wursten
The main Hill complex, recently restored

Image 2

Photo: Bart Wursten
Khami Ruins

Image 3

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mark, Petra and Cathy Sharpe at Khami

Image 4

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mark and Cathy Sharpe

Image 5

Photo: Bart Wursten
The picnic area at Khami under ancient Jacaranda trees

Image 6

Photo: Bart Wursten
View from the hill complex towards the Khami River

General Information

Quarter degree square: 2028A2

Country: Zimbabwe

Habitat: Mixed miombo-Acacia woodland and granite outcrops

Altitude range: c. 1280 - 1350 m

Annual rainfall:

Location (short):

Location (detailed):

Description

Khami Ruins is the second largest complex of stone walls in the country, after Great Zimbabwe. They were originally constructed between 1450 and 1650 as the capital of the Torwa Dynasty, who ruled their kingdom after the collapse of Great Zimbabwe. The style of dry stone walling is somewhat similar to that of Great Zimbabwe but without large free-standing walls and other constructions. The site is a National Monument and was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1986. In 2006 an International Youth Volunteer Camp help to restore some of the larger ruins.

Khami Ruins National Monument is situated c. 22 km West of Bulawayo on a complex of granite hills and outcrops overlooking the Khami River. The vegetation is dominated by mixed miombo and Acacia woodland, often similar to the well-known Matobo Hills, south of Bulawayo. It offers a wide variety of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, typical of this rocky terrain, such as Pavetta gardeniifolia, Turraea obtusifolia, T. floribunda, Commiphora marlothii, Pappea capensis, Gymnosporia matobensis and Aloe excelsa.

Useful links

View a list of records for Khami Ruins, Bulawayo

View a list of unique taxa (excluding cultivated plants) for Khami Ruins, Bulawayo

View a list of unique taxa (all taxa whether cultivated or not) for Khami Ruins, Bulawayo

View map showing records

View a list of recorders who have visited this location


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave 2007-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Mozambique: Location details: Khami Ruins, Bulawayo.
https://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/location-display.php?location_id=69, retrieved 19 March 2024

Site software last modified: 8 August 2021 7:17pm
Terms of use