Limpopo

The province shares borders with the neighbouring SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) countries of Botswana in the western side, Mozambique on the east and Zimbabwe in the north.

Its proximity to all these SADC countries makes Limpopo the perfect springboard for exploring the riches of this exciting part of the African continent.

They call it the Great North. On the surface, it is a broad, boundless area, a landscape tanning itself in the heat of the African sun. However, let this not deter you because a look beyond reveals a land of immense beauty that brings interest and entertainment in generous amounts.

These are ancient lands, attested by the recently encrypted Mapungubwe World heritage site in the Limpopo Valley and Makapans Caves near Mokopane (Potgietersrus).

Limpopo is a land of beautiful and contrasting landscape, which is typical of Africa hence it has become a favourite destination for leisure and adventure travellers worldwide. Come to a region of infinite scenic beauty with a great diversity of natural and manmade attractions, rich cultural heritage and an abundance of wildlife and nature-based tourism opportunities.

Our network of protected areas and nature reserves are amongst the best in the African continent. Through these nature reserves, we seek to preserve our natural heritage for future generations and for sharing with the international community.

The Big Five occur in many of the game and nature reserves in Limpopo.

Buffalo are the most abundant of the Big Five and occur in large herds that can number up to 600 animals. Deceptively docile, these animals are powerful and aggressive – particularly old bulls ejected from the herd who form small bachelor herds. When alarmed, a herd also tends to stampede. Buffalo are regularly preyed upon by lions.

Elephants live in tightly-knit family groups led by a matriarch. The bulls remain solitary or may band together to form bachelor herds. A fully-grown elephant weighs around 6 000 to 7 000 kilogram and is the largest terrestrial animal. When there are young in the herd, the adult female may become aggressive and it is advisable not to venture too close to the herd.

The leopard is a shy nocturnal animal that hunts mainly at night. This, and the fact that it prefers dense riverine areas and craggy hills, explains why it is often not easily spotted. The leopard hides its prey in trees from other predators and is often seen resting on a branch in a tree. It is the most wary and stealthy of the big cats, yet can be incredibly bold.

Lions are the largest of the African cats and live in prides of varying size controlled by one or more dominant males. An adult male weighs about 180 kilograms and a female, 135 kilograms. Lions live for up to 20 years. The lion’s roar, normally heard at dawn and dusk, can easily be heard within a radius of many kilometres.

The rhinoceros is classified as either white or black, although there is no real colour difference between the two species. White rhino are generally larger with a flattened or square mouth and feed on grass. Black rhino have a pointed mouth that they use to strip leaves and break twigs. Rhino weigh up to 1 500 kilogram. The rhino’s ‘horn’ is formed from matted hair and skin.

Places to Visit

Alldays is a small town that holds a distinct rural charm. Alldays and the villages of Vivo and Dendron serve an extensive area of private game and hunting farms. Prolific game – including the ‘Big Five’ – excellent accommodation and good hunting facilities attract many domestic and international trophy hunters.

Various interesting tours are available for the spouses and partners of hunters, including a visit to the archaeologically significant Mapungubwe Hill. Three taxidermists operate in the area. Citrus farming on the banks of the Limpopo River is also an important economic activity in the district.

The Blouberg (‘blue mountain’) range has a large surface of protected wall where climbers will find good solid rock. Most of the climbing spots are on private land but climbers can make arrangements through the Alldays Mountain Club.

Several giant trees that occur in and around Alldays are another noteworthy feature of the area: a baobab at Bakleikraal, 21 m in circumference; a wild fig in Alldays itself, larger than the famous Wonder Tree in Tshwane; and a nyala tree that covers a surface of 100 m²

Bushbuckrirdge

A trading store established here in 1884 developed into a town as a result of its position in a fertile tobacco, cotton and vegetable farming area. The town was named after the large herds of antelope (bushbuck) that grazed on the surrounding grassy ridges.

Today the area is densely populated, occupied mainly by the Shangaan and VaTsonga people. The ridge on which the town lies offers fine views over the Lowveld and Drakensberg escarpment. The popular Mapulaneng Hiking Trail near the town offers refreshing cascading waterfalls and beautiful scenery, with chalet accommodation being available to visitors.

One of the famous game reserves near Bushbuckridge is the 23,000-ha Manyeleti Game Reserve with its rich history.

Haernertsburg

Known as the capital of the ‘land of the silver mist’ after T.V. Bulpin’s famous book on the area, the picturesque village of Haenertsburg in the Magoebaskloof mountains is perched on the slopes of the Wolkberg and Drakensberg, offering tourists a wonderful selection of things to do and see.

It is conveniently situated on the R71 between Polokwane and Tzaneen, a mere three-and-a-half hours from Gauteng. The village is home to about 350 families and a further 2,500 people who live ‘on the mountain’, as the locals say.

Originally the heartland of Bjatladi, land of plenty, once occupied by San and Stone Age people, the town traces its present form to the discovery of gold here in 1886 by Carl Ferdinand Haenert and his brother. The area became known as the Woodbush Goldfields and the town continued to grow steadily even after the gold rush, because of the flourishing timber industry in the area.

Today economic activity in the region revolves mainly around forestry, with several large mills providing employment in their plantations and sawmills; orchards of avocado, macadamia, kiwi and other fruits; large nurseries and tourism. The town has succeeded in maintaining its rustic charm and is particularly pretty in spring when the cherry trees and azaleas are in full bloom.

Hoedspruit

Bordering on the Kruger National Park, Hoedspruit lies in the heart of the central Lowveld and is conveniently situated to explore the many game lodges, game reserves and other attractions in the vicinity.

Here towering cliffs meet endless expanses of bushveld, where vast plains of marula, acacia, combretum and mopane woodlands accommodate a wealth of wildlife and stretch as far as the eye can see. It is said that Hoedspruit (‘hat creek’) acquired its name when, after a long and tedious trek over the mountains and into the heat of the Lowveld, one of the pioneers removed his hat and threw it into the cool waters of the Sandspruit River, declaring his decision to settle there.

Visitors to the Hoedspruit area can choose to stay in exclusive private game reserves or in various other game lodges, chalets, holiday resorts, bed-and-breakfasts or secluded camping sites. Many of the reserves bordering on the Kruger National Park have had their fences removed and now form part of the Greater Kruger National Park, resulting in huge traversing areas of unspoilt wilderness.

The area offers outstanding wildlife experiences and excellent game-viewing in the tranquillity and natural beauty of the inimitable African bush. The town’s Eastgate Airport has been earmarked for upgrading to an international airport and will make this fascinating area even more accessible to domestic and international visitors.

Kruger National Park Biosphere reserve

On the 20th of September 2001 the Kruger to Canyons (K2C) Biosphere Reserve was registered in Paris by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). K2C is recognised under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme.

It became the 411th Biosphere Reserve site to be registered in 94 countries worldwide, acknowledging the global significance of Greater Kruger bioregion, the eastern savannahs and escarpment of South Africa.

Biosphere Reserves are designated regions throughout the world where internationally important ecosystems and protected areas lie adjacent to human settlements, and are established to promote solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity and its sustainable use.

The K2C Biosphere Programme is an extensive community-driven initiative situated in the east of the country.

Activities

Air Experience
Charter Flights, Hot-air Ballooning, Microlighting, Sky Diving

Culinary Experience
African, Coffee Shops, Family Restaurant, French, International, Italian, Pubs, Seafood, Take Away’s

Land Activities
4×4 Offroad, Trips & Trails, 4×4 Tour Operators, Abseiling, Bungee Jumping, Caving, Clay Pigeon Shooting, Golf Courses, Hiking, Horse Riding, Hunting, Kloofing (canyoning), Mountain Biking, Paintball, Quad Biking, Rock Climbing

Water Activities
Boating, Canoeing/kayaking, Fishing, White-water Rafting, White-water Tubing

Wildlife Experiences
Birding, Elephant Back Safaris , Game Drives, Game Walks, Horseback Safaris, River Safaris, Walking Safaris, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Parks And Farms, Wildlife Photography

Business, Venues and Wellness
Casinos, Conferencing, Health Spas, Hot Springs, Team Building, Tour Operators & Travel Agencies, Weddings

Education, Culture and Heritage
Agriculture, Architecture, Art Galleries, Arts And Crafts, Community Projects, Cultural Villages, Education Centre’s, Heritage Sites, Industry, Museums And Monuments, Rock Art Sites, Universities

Enjoy your journey to Limpopo and our beautiful country of South Africa.