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Old Bulawayo (kwaBulawayo) is the site of King Lobengula’s first capital, about 22 km south of today’s Bulawayo, which he occupied from 1870 to 1881. National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) rebuilt part of the royal settlement in 1998, but a bush fire in 2010 destroyed most of it. Restoration has been under way since, and in June 2026 Bulawayo’s mayor said the site “is not in a good state”. Go for the history and the setting, not a finished open-air museum. Written by Bryan Fawcett.
Last reviewed: 25 October 2026 against National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) pages and its online ticket shop, the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, and CITE’s report of 1 June 2026. Full list under Sources.

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History

Lobengula became king of the amaNdebele after the death of his father, King Mzilikazi, in 1868. He made this site his capital in 1870. In 1881, after 11 years here, he moved his capital north to the site of the modern city of Bulawayo and ordered the old settlement to be burned. The Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe notes that the layout of the settlement reflects the complex heritage of the Ndebele people. NMMZ lists its main attractions as the Zulu-style architecture, the settlement layout, the Indaba tree, and the nearby Jesuit mission. For the wider history of the Ndebele state, see our Historic sites overview and the Bulawayo guide.

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The reconstruction

Check before you go. We could not confirm that the restoration is finished, or what is open on any given day. Ask NMMZ in Bulawayo (at the Natural History Museum) or a local guide before driving out.

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What you can see

  • Interpretive centre: the one building that survived the 2010 fire, with displays on the site and the Ndebele kingdom.
  • The royal settlement: whatever stage the rebuilt palace, beehive huts, palisade and cattle kraal have reached.
  • The Indaba tree and the site’s layout.
  • The landscape: the open bushveld setting is part of the appeal.

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Getting there

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Entry fee

NMMZ’s online ticket shop lists Old Bulawayo at US$0 for all visitors on 25 October 2026. That may change once restoration is complete, so carry some US dollars in case a fee is charged on site.

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Combine it with

Bulawayo

Zimbabwe's museums

Mission and pioneer sites

Zimbabwe history timeline

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Sources

Last modified on October 25, 2026