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This province is a
combination of highveld and lowveld, but most of it comprises savannah and
reaches high temperatures during the summer months, with high humidity and
electrical storms. The lush Letaba Valley, with its tropical fruit farms
and Cycad forests provides some unexpected contrast to the vast bushveld
plains. In the west is the fascinating Waterberg region; north of the
Soutpansberg you're well into tropical baobab-studded plains and to the east
is the mystical Venda area, with its rich culture. A large part of the
Kruger National Park also forms part of the Limpopo Province's territory.
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The Great North
Road:
The Northern Province is a land of forests, lakes,
waterfalls, a place of legends and myths, the land of Modjadji the
mysterious Rain Queen. Anyone travelling north from Pretoria along what has
been known to generations of explorers, hunters and missionaries as the
great North Road, will pass through attractive bushveld and savannah
country, before crossing mountain ranges and seeing the great Mopaneveld and
Baobab trees.
The first major town you'll see when leaving Pretoria,
will be the spa-town of Warmbaths. The waters of this spa are rich in
mineral concentrates, considered to be very good for rheumatic ailments.
Soon after that, one will pass through Nylstroom, which
is the centre of agriculture and tabacco growing in the area.. Nylstroom
derived its name from a river thought to be the source of the Nile River, in
the days of the Pioneers.
Continuing north on South Africa's major National Road,
you will arrive at the town of Naboomspruit. This town is also important
for its springs of mineral-rich waters, and has an interesting Bird
Sanctuary with many species of indigenous and exotic birds.
The town of Potgietersrus is rich in both tribal and
Voortrekker history. An infamous chief called Makapan and his followers
murdered the Potgieter family in 1854 at a drift called 'Moorddrif' (Murder
Drift). It is now a serene town, with one of the richest chrome deposits in
Africa found south of the town.
The last town before going east will be Pietersburg.
This tourist-friendly town is situated on the Tropic of Capricorn, and has
wide streets lined with Jacaranda and Coral trees. It also has an airport
with daily flights connecting it to Johannesburg.
From here, travelling along the R71 which connects
Pietersburg and Phalaborwa, will take you over one of Africa's great
passes. The scenic forested pass of Magoebaskloof winds down the
Drakensberg escarpment and takes you into the town of Tzaneen, with its vast
farmlands producing citrus and subtropical fruit, tea, nuts and timber. The
clients will have lunch here before driving on . . .
The final stop will be Phalaborwa, before entering the
Kruger National Park. Once the centre of intense volcanic activity,
Phalaborwa is one of the country's richest mining area's with a treasure
store of minerals and metals concentrated some 2000 million years ago.
Relics of primitive workings of copper and iron smelting ovens can be seen
at the Masorini Open Air Museum in the Kruger Park.
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Valley of the Olifants
The Valley of the
Olifants (meaning “elephant”) is one of the last unspoilt corners of Africa
– unhurried, contented and timeless. Here the scenic majesty of the northern
Drakensberg dominates the valleys of the Olifants River system. The history,
the culture and the heritage are here to be enjoyed in a natural environment
teeming with wildlife and birds.
At the head of the
valley lies the small village of Haenertsburg, with breathtaking views of
the Magoesbaskloof mountain pass, and the Ebenezer Dam along with many other
attractions. Further east, at Modjadji, east of Duiwelskloof, the
spectacular and rare cycad forest and the home of the Rain Queen. The
principal town of Tzaneen, situated at the foot of the escarpment is a
tropical fruit farming centre.
Welgevonden is
situated in South Africa’s Limpopo Province and is about a 2˝-hour drive
from Johannesburg. It is adjacent to the Marakele National Park with future
plans to drop fences between these properties in order to extend the access
to wildlife. Covering an area of 33,000 hectares, this reserve offers
habitats for a variety of flora and fauna including elephant, lion, leopard,
rhinoceros, giraffe and many antelope species as well as an abundance of
birds. Landscapes in this region are spectacular, due in large part to the
presence of the Waterberg Mountains. The accommodation facilities available
at Welgevonden have exclusive rights to traverse in this reserve.
The third of the
Lowveld's great private sanctuaries, Timbavati dates back to the mid-1950s,
when a landowner named Peter Mostert urged his neighbours to help create a
"private Kruger Park" for their mutual benefit. The various Timbavati farms,
encompassing a massive 65,000 hectares, are the properties of more than 30
separate landowners. They have banned professional trophy hunting on the
reserve and pooled resources to reintroduce species such as white rhino and
sable, helping the Timbavati to fall within the boundaries of the Greater
Kruger National Park. Game drives and game walks are operated by the private
lodges on trails located on the reserve. Elephants, lions, rhinoceros,
leopards, cheetahs, buffalos as well as antelopes and birds of all kinds
roam freely in this spectacular environment. The area is famous for its
white lions and dense population of giraffes. |
