Where Three Countries Meet
Arid savanna plains, punctuated by giant baobabs, breathtaking sunsets, the Big Five under endless blue skies searching for shade under mopani trees.
A swash of green where the Limpopo and Sashe rivers join, forming a magical point where three countries meet … this alluring, inspiring and overwhelming region hides an incredible World Heritage Site in South Africa called Mapungubwe National Park. It is rich in biodiversity, great scenic beauty and cultural importance.
By Jacques MaraisDriving Routes Inside Mapungubwe National Park
There are about 45 kms of roads in the park and they are all gravel or sand. Most of these roads are accessible for ordinary sedan cars, but...moreEarly Settlers in Mapungubwe
Although there wasn’t much going on in the Mapungubwe area during this period, several strange and little-known tribal cultures were devel...moreExcavations at K2 Mapungubwe
Excavations at K2 have brought up thousands of imported glass beads from Egypt and India. These valuable beads, found in a variety of colour...moreK2 People of Mapungubwe
All in all, the K2 culture was a more substantial affair than the humble Zhizo. At its peak, K2 was home to around 1500 people, and was prob...moreKingdom of Mapungubwe
A visit to Mapungubwe Hill, the place where archaeologists excavated the famous golden rhino, and the amazing interpretation centre near the...moreLimpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area
This would consist of the Mapungubwe National Park, the northern Tuli Game Reserve in Botswana and the Tuli Circle in Zimbabwe – a total a...moreMapungubwe Accommodation
The Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site in Limpopo is popular for its beautiful landscapes, an abundance of wildlife, rich cult...moreMapungubwe Basic Facts
Mapungubwe is located in the north western corner of South Africa, at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. It is on the border w...moreMapungubwe Birding
The potential for birding in Mapungubwe is endless. The park is located at an environmental cross-road and any number of bird species could ...moreMapungubwe Complex
By 1250 AD, Mapungubwe was at the peak of its power. About 5000 people lived around the hill, and this qualifies it as Southern Africa’s f...moreMapungubwe Confluence
A highlight of the park is the confluence of the Limpopo and the Shashe rivers, the place where three countries meet. To take in the awesome...moreMapungubwe Cultural Landscape
Although the artefacts of Mapungubwe, the golden rhino, sceptre and bowl, are on display at the University of Pretoria, you can still go on ...moreMapungubwe Ecology, Flora and Fauna
Mapungubwe is characterised by a combination of Mopane Bushveld and savannah vegetation. The numerous habitat types within the park have res...moreMapungubwe Geology
Geologically speaking, Mapungubwe lies in a basin between two granite cratons (a large section of stable crust). This depression is called t...moreMapungubwe Hill
For 100 years, the people living around Mapungubwe Hill flourished. Then, quite suddenly, the civilisation collapsed. It does not appear as ...moreMapungubwe Museum
Sian Tiley, the curator of the Mapungubwe Museum, is quick to point that the museum does more than just display objects in glass boxes. It h...moreMapungubwe National Park Accommodation
All the facilities at Mapungubwe are self-catering. And I do mean self-catering. Mapungubwe National Park does have a shop where you can buy...moreMapungubwe National Park Activities
Walk along the treetop walkway to a viewing platform offering spectacular views across the Limpopo River towards neighbouring Zimbabwe and B...moreMapungubwe on the Banks of the Limpopo River
This is a strip of road that runs flush along the banks of the Limpopo. It was once used to patrol the heavily defended border between South...moreMapungubwe Uncovered
The first modern awareness of Mapungubwe’s trade surfaced in the 1930s, when white people started exploring the hill for the first time. U...moreMapungubwe's Golden Rhino
Mapungubwe is an awesome place, with large flat-topped hills and baobab-studded valleys falling away to the Limpopo River - just the kind of...moreThe Collapse of Mapungubwe
For 75 years, the people of Mapungubwe lived life on a comparatively grand scale. They ruled over a state that covered 30 000 square kilomet...moreThe Mapungubwe Capital Growth
An appallingly long list of African dictators have since followed the Mapungubwe example and set themselves up in gilded isolation, far from...moreThe Mapungubwe Collection
The star attractions of the Mapungubwe Museum are the famous gold rhino, gold sceptre and gold bowl. This trinity is at the heart of what Si...moreThe Name Mapungubwe
Did you Know: Anthropologists are not 100% sure where the name Mapungubwe came from, but it’s origin is thought to be based on ‘the plac...moreUNESCO and the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape
Mapungubwe is the site of an ancient African civilisation that flourished on the banks of the Limpopo River from 900 AD to 1300 AD. It is th...moreVisiting Mapungubwe
The Mapungubwe National Park opened its gates to the public in 2004. It is a beautiful reserve; evocative, mysterious and full of surprises....moreVisitors to Mapungubwe National Park
The Mapungubwe National Park receives thousands of day visitors (including many school tour groups) and the numbers are rising all the time....moreZhizo People of Mapungubwe in Limpopo
The Zhizo culture was evidently quite sophisticated. They kept cattle and livestock, and harvested and stored grains. Archaeologists have al...more