~ ABOUT LIMPOPO PROVINCE ~

Limpopo: South Africa's northern province Limpopo is the land of myths, legends, beautiful scenery and landscape, as well as majestic Baobab trees. Limpopo is the northern most province of our beautiful land of South Africa, a land of breathtaking and contrasting landscape. The prefered eco tourism destination in South Africa, these are ancient lands, attested by the recently encrypted Mapungubwe World heritage site in the Limpopo Valley and Makapans Caves near Mokopane (Potgietersrus). The province contains much of the Waterberg Biosphere, a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve, nearby are early evolutionary finds related to the origin of humans. The Wolkberg and Blouberg mountain ranges offer challenging hiking trials in a natural, unspoilt wilderness, as well as some excellent rock climbing opportunities. White water rafting is another high adrenaline option, with the Olifants and other rivers offering some spectacular rapids. However wild this province may seem it is not all about wilderness.

The esoteric, mystical element that lingers over this place is thanks to the protection of the rain queen , Modjaji. Visit her ancestral home, Modjaji's forest, and ancient stand of cycads, steeped in local legend. Heavily shrouded in mystery and legend, an area heavily endowed with ruins, relics, ancient forest and hot mineral springs that invite rejuvenation. Roughly half of the world famous Kruger National Park is situated in this province, along with a host of other nature reserves and game farms. Polokwane is the capital city of this mystic province, the name meaning “Place of Safety”. Polokwane is a major urban centre, the biggest and most important north of Gauteng. The Moletzie Bird Sanctuary protects rare birds like the Cape Vulture. The Modjadji Rainforest holds the largest concentration of indigenous cycads in the world, and Cheune Crocodile Farm provides a place to learn about the life of crocodiles.

Mapungubwe: The kingdom of Mapungubwe came from a Bantu cattle culture an extensive savannah landscape situated at the meeting place of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. Sandstone formations, mopane woodlands, brooding baobabs, ancient floodplains and unique riverine forests are what characterise this setting for the wealth of animal life. The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape - the virtually untouched remains of the palace sites, the settlement area dependent upon them, and two capital sites that remain - was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 and forms part of the Mapungubwe National Park. The capital of the kingdom was called Mapungubwe, which is where the kingdom gets its name. This archaeological site, Mapungubwe, means "place where jackals eat", derived from the Tsonga word "phungubye", for (black-backed) jackal. The hill was littered with human bones which attracted these scavengers. It is a sandstone hill, with vertical cliffs about 30 metres high and a plateaued top approximately 300 m in length. There was a natural amphitheatre at the bottom of Mapungubwe Hill where the royal court was likely held. However, the king actually lived inside a stone enclosure on a hill above the court. It was forgotten until, on New Year's Eve 1932, E. S. J. van Graan, a local farmer and prospector, and his son, a former student of the University of Pretoria, discovered the wealth of artefacts on top of the hill.

This discovery included three findings of significance: a beautiful golden rhinoceros made from gold foil nailed around a wooden interior, and a gold sceptre and bowl, all uncovered from the excavation of twenty three graves on the hilltop site and which are on display at the Mapungubwe Museum at the University of Pretoria. But the highlight of anyone’s visit to this incredible part of the world is the beauty of the area - huge boulders, rocky koppies, sheer cliff faces, wild fig trees that cling to rock faces and huge indigenous trees that stand tall amidst grassland, Mapungubwe is simply stunning.

Experience the untamed, natural beauty, diversity of fauna and flora... the untamed majesty of Africa.