Text: Stuart Wainwright
Images © iStockphoto.com
Whenever I travel, I always take some time to head off the beaten track. Away from the city crowds, the museums and the galleries, I often find places of calm and tranquillity. And most often these places are filled with the wonders of nature, expanses of space or sweeping landscapes. Of all the trips I’ve taken so far, it is those times that I remember most fondly. Limpopo is all of this and more.
Limpopo is an entire province set off the beaten track. In a country that has roughly eight million tourists each year, the usual sightseeing destinations of our beautiful land are bound to be accompanied by the soundtrack of cameras clicking away for those treasured holiday snaps, bustling cafes, and kids' shrieks on the beaches. In Limpopo, this is simply not the case.
Maybe because Limpopo is at the northernmost point of South Africa, bordering Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and it just seems too far away, or maybe it is because it can be sweltering in summer. Yet few realise that the province is a mere 40 minute drive outside of Pretoria, and that in winter it is warm enough during the day for game drives and cool enough in the evenings for crackling fires under the stars.
Whatever the reason, it simply means that most of us are missing out, as much of the Limpopo province is practically an untouched wonderland of flora and fauna with only 5% of the country’s tourism numbers reaching its beauty. (It is probably for these very reasons that my then fiancé and I picked Limpopo for our own winter wedding amid the dry African bush and with the Waterberg Mountains as a majestic backdrop.)
But there are other reasons I love taking a weekend getaway to this side of the country. To the north, the Limpopo River forms the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe, and to the west lie the Drakensberg escarpment and the Kruger National Park. Following the original route of the Voortrekkers, the N1 acts as the main route into the rest of Africa. Follow it north from the provincial capital of Polokwane, over the Soutpansberg Mountains, and you head straight into the arid plains that are home to some of the best displays of baobab trees in the world.
No tree embodies the spirit of Africa more than the ancient baobab. Its lifespan is almost unrivalled in nature, with some baobabs in the province estimated to be over 3,000 years old, including one near Sagole in the northeast that has a 43 m wide base. On average, most of Limpopo’s baobabs are between 300 and 500 years old. The largest baobab tree in the world can be found in Modjadjiskloof in Limpopo. Known as the Sunland’s Baobab, it is around 6,000 years old and, as ancient baobabs naturally become hollow, it has wonderful caverns and caves where the Baobab Tree Bar now welcomes visitors to explore the tree from the inside. The tree is one of Limpopo's greatest attractions and is best viewed during the first bloom of spring.
Clearly size is something that distinguishes this magnificent province. Covering roughly a sixth of the land in Limpopo, the world famous Kruger National Park, which it shares with Mpumalanga, is of course the province’s main tourist attraction. All of the Big Five, along with hundreds of other species, both great and small, can be spotted in our most famed national park. And there is plenty of space to get away from the crowds in a reserve that is the size of Wales!
Outside of the 116-year-old Kruger lies the origin of the province’s name: The second largest river in the country, which the Sepedi aptly described as “diphororo tsa meetse”, meaning strong gushing waterfalls. From this, the name Limpopo was given to the river and later to the province under the new South Africa. Within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of the Waterberg mountain range, waterfalls gush and babble over the mountain cliffs that feed the massive Limpopo River as it flows towards the Indian Ocean.
Limpopo also boasts dozens of private game reserves that each have their own appeal, from five star luxury to rustic tree house accommodation. Cumulatively, these parks boast the highest number of rhino in the world, a statistic that is quickly becoming hugely significant as their endangered status grows. The Waterberg region has been dedicated to conservation and provides excellent opportunities to view the Big Five outside of a malaria risk area. Kapama Private Game Reserve and Royal Malewane also have their own airstrips, so any frustrations of road travel can be left behind.
For those who really do enjoy crowds and fun filled family adventure, the natural hot springs in Bela Bela are great for families. Kids can enjoy a variety of watersports, mini golf or horse rides, while mum can spend some time getting pampered in the spa, and dad has several 18-hole golf courses to choose from. Just about every warm weather outdoor activity imaginable is available in Limpopo, from hiking and abseiling to fishing and skiing. And at the end of the day, traditional South African cuisine will refuel you for the next bout of fun.
For a nature lover like myself, the best of Limpopo is its ancient wonders, Bushveld hikes, game viewing experiences, and lazy mornings spent overlooking the banks of the river.
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