Safari to Mapungubwe

a precursor of the gold mines of Great Zimbabwe

Mapungubwe is located in the Limpopo area of South Africa.

Situated on the southern bank of the Limpopo River, Mapungubwe is one of the country’s most recently annexed reserves and is also one of its least visited.

It’s a very beautiful area of hidden valleys and rocky hills, with magnificent views north over the sand river to the wild landscapes of Botswana and Zimbabwe beyond.

The reserve is centred on an impressive iron age site known as The Hill of the Jackals, thought to be a precursor of the pivotal civilization at Great Zimbabwe. The park authority offers daily archaeological tours of the site.
There’s also a modest amount of wildlife in the reserve, although you should not expect to see elephants or larger predators.

The ultimate ambition is to turn this area into a tri-nation park, something which we wholeheartedly support. The more people who visit, the more likely this dream will become a reality, although the removal of local citrus farms is likely to be a substantial obstacle to this re-wildification.

We love to put together long self-drive trips which combine Kruger with the Tuli Block area of Botswana. In order to access the border at Pont Drift pontoon across the river, it’s necessary to pass right by Mapungubwe, so stopping in here is very easy.

can feature in long self-drive trips through Kruger