Africa Untamed
The lesser known and less travelled Limpopo is both a frontier province and a gateway to Africa. The Limpopo Province of South Africa portrays the quintessence of untamed Africa - ancient baobabs guarding vast expanses of mountains and bushveld. It also offers a mosaic of tourist attractions.
There are many archaeological sites where the mysteries of the past and ancient people are still haunting this harsh landscape.
The Limpopo region is named after the great river forming the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is situated below southern Zimbabwe and is dissected by the famous ‘Great North Road’. This road runs through the centre of the province stringing together a series of interesting towns. Start at Bela Bela, with its popular mineral spa, near the southern border of the province. Head north and follow Modimolle, with its table grape industry and Waterberg Mountain range.
Other towns on this route include Mokopane, Polokwane, Makhado, at the foot of the mighty Soutpansberg Mountain range, and Musina, with its thickset baobab trees. This is indeed a haven for tree huggers, birders and those that enjoy walking in the bush. Observe the ever changing scenery from the great savannah bushveld, with its prolific wildlife in the west, to the lush valleys of the Lowveld in the east.
A Wealth of Wildlife
Limpopo Province houses one of Southern Africa's great and ancient biospheres, the truly magnificent Waterberg massif. There are a few safari lodges dotted in the wilderness of the Waterberg, offering unique and rare opportunities to see and explore this little-known region.
The Waterberg has the advantage of being within a two to three hour drive of the Gauteng hub. The Limpopo Province offers a wealth of wildlife options, as approximately half the Kruger National Park falls within its borders, and the northern regions house what has become known as ‘The Ivory Route’.
The Ivory Route commemorates the great herds of elephant that once wandered between Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and the legendary game hunters who also once roamed here. These days South Africa is at the forefront of conservation efforts, with many remarkable scientific programmes that monitor and study endangered animals to prevent poaching and re-stocking areas with game.
Rich Culture and Tradition
Culturally, Limpopo has a great richness of African art and offers a number of highly distinctive opportunities to interact with African communities. The Venda people who originate from here possess one of the great community traditions of art; as a result, many fine artists have emerged from this region.
Another distinctive community is the Ndebele. They too have a highly distinctive art form, decorating their homes in exquisite geometric designs. The Ndebele women have remarkable regalia consisting of heavy and intricately beaded anklets and bracelets. African beadwork is of such importance in traditional cultures that it forms a specific discipline within the academic study of traditional African art and craft production.