Destinations / Limpopo >>

Since ZimBobwe collapsed in some sort of a slow-motion macabre black comedy, there are less reasons for travellers to pass through Limpopo, the major land route to this former tourist heaven. However, Limpopo has an amazing amount to offer in it's own right, especially for hikers, birders, those who have been on safari before wanting to try something new and the downright adventurous. The is 'off-the-beaten-track' par excellence.

The Waterberg is popular amongst ‘Gautengers’, being just a few hours drive north of Joburg, and offers some affordable safari and hunting options (largely in private game reserves) unusual for the hilly topography. We recommend going in winter because the summer rains make the bush blindingly thick.

As you travel north, the Highveld bush gives way to dry savannah sprinkled by Mopani trees the iconic Baobab tress – reminding you that the summers here can be painfully hot. The Soutpansberg Range breaks the monotony, offering some excellent hiking, adventure sports and mountain-biking in these verdant semi-tropical green hills. The indigenous forests around Magoebaskloof and Haenertsburg are a birders wet dream - twitchers flocking here to see many rare species.

Limpopo lies at the crossroads of Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe and throughout history the advanced tribal civilisations this area has played a powerful role within the region, leaving behind a rich heritage of culture and archaeological sites. Most famous is the Mapangubwe World Heritage Site where gold figurines dating back thousands of years have been discovered. Limpopo is one of the best places in South Africa to experience ‘authentic’ old-fashioned African rural living, crafts and hospitality – a stay in a Venda tribal village where very few tourists have been before is an experience of a lifetime.

The northern Kruger National Park is the other reason to head this way. Pafuri, Punda Maria and Phalabora Gates are all in the province and offer a quieter and better-value version of the park than is available further south. As you head north, Kruger's topography changes to rocky outcrops, hills and dramatic river-made valleys, making this a superb option for walking safaris. In a matter of minutes you can go from dry, dusty bush to verdant tropical floodplains complete with palm trees near the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers. This is a birder’s paradise – the sheer volume and variety of rare species makes up for the comparative lack of big mammals.

There’s an increasingly popular ‘short cut’ (on the map, if not in terms of time) through northern Kruger to the fantastic beaches around Bazaruto in Mozambique. But come prepared with a fully kitted out 4 X 4, a GPS, a spade and a six-pack of resilience - this is still very much the less-travelled route.

The main towns of Bela Bela, Thabazimbi, Polokwane, Makhado, Tzaneen and Musina are typical of rural South African towns – busy, energetic high streets where the major commercial activities appear to be micro-lending and funeral planning.