TOP ATTRACTIONS OF LIMPOPO

BAOBABS

The giant Baobab tree grows mainly in the hot, semi-arid areas of the Soutpansberg Mountain. Legend has it that in a playful mood, the gods planted Baobabs upside down with their roots exposed to the sky.  The Baobab tree is one of the trees in Africa with the longest lifespan. The average age of the Baobabs found in the northern parts of Limpopo are between 300 and 500 years old. Near Sagole, a rural village in the north east of the province, a Baobab specimen can be visited that is 3000 years old and measure 43 metres in circumference at the base.

Baobabs are among the most useful plants to both animals and humans. With its own distinct ecosystem, Baobabs swarm with life as it provides shelter and sustenance for various creatures. Elephants browse the leaves and strip the bark for food and moisture. Baboons gorge on the fruits of the tree while birds and bees nest in the holes in the trunk, as most of the old trees are hollow inside. Fruit bats and bush babies pollinate the flowers that only last for 24 hours before falling to the ground to become food for various antelope species.

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

Lying in the heart of the Lowveld is a wildlife sanctuary like no other. The largest game reserve in South Africa, the Kruger National Park, is larger than Israel. Nearly 2 million hectares of land that stretches for 352 kilometres (20 000 square kilometres) from north to south along the Mozambique border, is given over to an almost indescribable wildlife experience. Certainly it ranks with the best in Africa and is the flagship of the country’s national parks, and rates as the ultimate safari experience.

The Kruger National Park lies over the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo in the north of South Africa. It now forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. This park links the Kruger National park with game parks in Zimbabwe and Mozambique and fences are already coming down to allow game to roam freely in much the same way they did before the intervention of man. When complete the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park will extend across 35 000 square meters, 58% of it in South Africa, 24% Mozambican and 18% Zimbabwean territory.

This is the land of baobabs, fever trees, knob thorns, marula and mopane trees underneath which lurk the Big 5, the little 5 (buffalo weaver, elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, ant lion, and rhino beetle), the birding Big 6 (ground hornbill, kori bustard, lappet-faced vulture, martial eagle, pel’s fishing owl and saddle-bill stork) and more species of mammals than any other African game reserve.

LIMPOPO 4X4 TRAILS

The outstanding untouched and abundant wildlife of the Limpopo Province offers endless, exciting adventures for 4x4 enthusiasts. 4x4 trails are offered throughout the province but especially in the Waterberg region of the busheld.

The Mabte Rive Camp near Makopane offers an adrenaline pumping 4x4 trails in four parts that wind through the beautiful rocky sandstone formations in the Waterberg. Here is where the fish eagles and black eagles nest. There are escapes routes over some of the challenging sections, making this a versatile option for all skill levels. Cool down after the drive in the rock pools at the shimmering waterfalls or enjoy game drives on a nearby farm.

At Grootwater in Lephalale, you will drive on rocky roads, up steep hills and enjoy wide magnificent vistas over the Waterberg. Enjoy camping or sleeping in self-catering chalets and chat about your days 4x4 adventures with friends and family around the camp fire.

MAKAPANSGAT VALLEY

A basin rich in magnificence and biodiversity, the Makapansgat Valley displays some of the most astounding beauty in Limpopo. Numerous caves in the Makapansgat valley hold fossils that date back 3.3 million years, linking directly to the history of the Cradle of Humankind. This series of caves together form a national monument and intentions are that it should soon become a World Heritage Site.

The hills surrounding the Makapansgat valley are dotten with caves. Many of these are silting up or filled up long ago and are re-opened by local quarries in search of limestone. During one such search during mining operations in the 1920s, a large number of fossil bones were blown out of a particularly large cave in the area. It was not fully investigated until 1947 when it was confirmed that there were remains of early man.

MAPUNGUBWE NATIONAL PARK

Set right up against the northern boarder of South Africa, uniting Botswana and Zimbabwe lies Mapungubwe National Park. This is the land of sandstone formations, Mopane woodlands, ancient Baobabs and unique forests that form a dramatic backdrop for the wealth of animal life- elephant, giraffe, white rhino, gemsbok and other antelope, extensive bird life, and the more exclusive mammal like hyena, leopard and lion.

Mapungubwe is South Africa’s first kingdom, a highly complex society of a pre-Shona kingdom between 1050 AD and 1270 AD, only to be abandoned in the 14th century. The virtually untouched remains of palace sites, the settlement area and 2 capital sites that remain were declared a UNESCO world Heritage Site in 2003 and forms part of the Mapungubwe National Park.

The Cultural Landscape provides visitors with a unique portrait of the social and political structures of a society that traded with China and India, which was regarded as the most complex society in Southern Africa and was the first society since the Bushmen to settle in South Africa. The kingdom was regarded as the forerunner of the Zimbabwe civilisation and at its height, Mapungubwe, which mean place of the stone of wisdom was the largest kingdom in the African sub-continent. Some 5000 people appeared to live around Mapungubwe Hill where their sacred leader lived in seclusion from his people. After the collapse of Mapungubwe’s society, it was forgotten until the wealth of artefacts on top of Mapungubwe Hill was discovered. This discovery included 3 findings of significance: a beautiful golden rhinoceros made from golf foil nailed around a wooden interior, and a gold sceptre and bowl, all uncovered from the excavation of 23 graves on the hilltop site, all are displayed at the Mapungubwe Museum at the University of Pretoria.

POLOKWANE GAME RESERVE

One of the biggest municipal-owned game reserves in South Africa, the Polokwane Game Reserve’s main attraction must be the amount of ground one can cover on foot - there are a number of walks, including a one-day 20 kilometre hiking trail with overnight accommodation. Even more exciting are the frequent sightings of white rhino and other game - 21 species in all.

One of the most important aspects of the Polokwane Game Reserve is that it conserves the Pietersburg Plateau false grassland, one of the only remaining examples of an extremely localised vegetation type that is home to important indigenous birds like the short-clawed lark, the ashy tit and the Kalahari scrub-robin.

This habitat is characterised by open savannah and almost entirely dominated by themeda grass with the odd smattering of acacia trees. Because most of the Pietersburg Plateau false grassland has been transformed by agriculture, the only enduring examples are found in and around the Polokwane Nature Reserve.