With the Limpopo River forming its northern border and also lending its name to the province, this in an area of ancient mystique, dramatic landscapes and unspoilt wilderness.  Here you can see ancient baobab trees, lush wooded mountain valleys, scorching bushveld and intriguing areas steeped in culture and heritage.

The natural attractions of Limpopo are definitely its strongest asset, and these range from the big game reserves, including the northern half of the Kruger National Park, to the gentle swells of the hoothills of the Drakensberg with its waterfall, wooded slopes, hot mineral springs and serene mountain scenery.

Day 1 - JOHANNESBURG TO MAGOEBASKLOOF

Head out of Johannesburg along what is locally known as The Great North Road to the treasure trove of Limpopo.  This region is bursting with breath-taking landscapes, fascinating cultural heritage, friendly people, prolific wild life and enigmatic myths and legends.

Your destination today is the northern most point of the great Drakensberg range in the region of Magoebaskloof, and you will travel via Polokwane, which means “The Place of Safety” and is the centre of the Capricorn Region.  You will stop along the way for lunch at your own expense.

You will also pass the Zion Christian Church of Africa at Moria, the biggest church group in Southern Africa, where well over 5 million members gather every year during the Easter weekend.

On your arrival in Magoebaskloof check into your overnight accommodation and relax and enjoy a sundowner whilst absorbing the magnificent views over the hills and valleys of the surrounding area.

Set in the dramatically beautiful Magoebaskloof area of Limpopo, the Magoebaskloof Hotel offers guests a chance to enjoy an idyllic and relaxing break in the country.  All rooms are spacious, have their own patios overlooking the valley views, en suite bathrooms (choice of showers or bath and showers), satellite TV and telephones.

Your accommodation tonight is at Magoebaskloof Hotel on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2 - MAGOEBASKLOOF

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before departing on a day of exploration into this fascinating and beautiful area.

The Valley of the Olifants is one of the last unspoilt corners of Africa – unhurried, contented and timeless.  Here the scenic majesty of the northern Drakensberg dominates the valley of the Olifants River system.  At the head of the valley lies the small village of Haenertsburg with breath-taking views of the Magoebaskloof mountain pass and the Ebenezer Dam.

Take a drive through the scenic Woodbush forests and visit the spectacular Debegeni Falls.

From here head out to Duiwelskloof for a visit to the domain of the legendary and mystified Rain Queen, Modjadji.   Modjadji Nature Reserve, which covers an area of 300 hectares, is nestled high in the Lobedu Mountains to the north east of Duiwelskloof.  The Modjadji Reserve is home to a wonderful array of cycad plants, some of the largest and oldest preserves of this type of flora in the world. Cycad plants are similar to palm trees. The Nature Reserve is located in a fitting location – right next to the home of the fabled rain queens of the Modjadji tribe. The plants once formed a staple diet of prehistoric reptiles that lived in this area. The cycad of the Modjadji tribe has formed a natural forest, which is now a protected nature reserve.

According to local legend, five hereditary Rain Queens controlled the lands of the Bolobedu and Modjadji over generations, and these surround the impressive cycad park. The legend is intensified that the Rain Queen has special powers imposed upon her and she can control cloud and rainfall levels. The Queen’s succession is passed down from daughter to eldest daughter. The tribe are without a Queen at present, as the former queen Makobo Modjadji VI died early in 2005 at age just 27, with no heir to the throne.  Local tradition is that the Queen corresponds with her subjects through male advisers and never marries, but is allowed to bear children. Before the reigning Queen dies,her eldest daughter is appointed as the Rain Queen.  Sadly, with the present mystery which surrounds the succession to the throne, tours to the Royal Kraal are no longer an option.

However the reserve, cycad nursery, picnic sites and day trails through the forest and information centre make this reserve a highlight on any tour of the Modjadji kingdom. On the walking trail you could come across dassies, monkeys, bushpigs, impala, nyala, bushbuck and other antelope.  Enjoy a packed lunch which you can order from your hotel (price not included) at one of the lovely picnic sites that you will pass along the way.

After an exhilarating day of mystery and magnificent scenery, return to your hotel to relax and enjoy dinner (included).

Your accommodation tonight is at Magoebaskloof Hotel on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.

Day 3 - MAGOEBASKLOOF TO PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, LIMPOPO

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, before checking out and heading back into the lowveld via Tzaneen to check into a private game reserves in the Limpopo region for your first encounter with South Africa’s astonishing wildlife.

Check into your lodge to enjoy lunch and then have some time to settle into your chalet.

consists of four exclusive camps situated on the banks of the Makhutswi River; each camp offering a uniquely designed swimming pool, open air boma and an enclosed dining and lounge area. Each camp has six luxury suites with en-suite bathroom, outdoor shower, fireplace and a raised private timber viewing deck (sala) set amongst the Jackalberry trees. Rooms are individually decorated in African design styles with sculptured metalwork lamp shades, taps and ceramic basins. Mosquito nets surround the kings-size beds by night.  The lodge is child friendly.

Dining at Makalali is a culinary adventure, combining regional African cuisine with the multitude of cooking styles left behind by centuries of exploration on this great continent.

Makalali is nestled on 26 000 hectares of conservancy and prevails as one of the finest private game lodges in the world.   Located close to the mighty Drakensberg range west of the Kruger National Park, Makalali, which means place of rest, was an old cattle farm when bought in the early nineties. Restocking and regeneration of the veldt were top priorities, but so was creating a lodge with a difference.  The innovative design was conceived by Sylvio Rech who envisaged a lodge built under the giant trees that guard the river.

Your evening game drive will depart from the lodge between 15h30 and 16h30 (depending on the season).  An experienced tracker accompanies each game vehicle to enhance the guest experience and interaction with the game.  You will stop off at a viewpoint along the way to enjoy sundowners as you watch the African sunset, before continuing in search of the nocturnal animals.

Return to your lodge for dinner, probably around a blazing fire in the boma, before heading to bed for a good night’s rest.

Accommodation at Makalali Private Game Lodge is on a fully inclusive basis, including accommodation, all meals and 2 game activities per day, but excluding drinks.  Conservation levy for your stay is included in the tour price.

Day 4 - PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, LIMPOPO

An early wakeup call will start your day of adventure and anticipation.  Enjoy some tea or coffee, with rusks or muffins, before heading out on your open game vehicle into the bushveld in search of the elusive game species that you did not get chance to spot last evening.  Coffee and rusks will be provided at a suitable stop off point whilst you are out on your game drive.

Some 5.5 million hectares of Limpopo’s 12 million hectares have either been declared a national park, a nature reserve (both provincial and private) or are registered as game farms. The area under game management has been increasing by more than 100 000 ha per year (and up to 300 000 ha per year) over the last two decades.

The Limpopo Province is the proud possessor of South Africa’s two largest trees, both of which are baobabs estimated to be well over 2,000 years old.   The majestic baobab tree is revered in African culture for many reasons.  In ancient times, kings, elders and leaders from the Limpopo region would meet under giant baobabs to discuss matters of great importance.  Not only did these trees provide shelter, but the tribal leaders also believed that the spirit of the baobab would always help them make wise decisions.  Keep your eyes open for one of these strange trees which appear to have been planted upside down into the ground, with their roots reaching to the skies!

Limpopo is renowned for its hot yet pleasant summers and dry winters.  Its weather is characterised by almost year-round sunshine.  It can get very hot in summer (October – March), with temperatures rising to 27° and sometimes even touch the mid 30s Celsius.

Return to your lodge for breakfast some leisure time before lunch.  You also have the opportunity of embarking on a bush walk with your knowledge tracker / guide, who will impart his depth of knowledge on the “lesser” but equally important creatures that inhabit the bushveld.

After tea you will once again head out on an evening game drive, stopping along the way for sundowners where you can absorb the ambiance of the bush, before continuing your drive in search of the secretive nocturnal animals.

Return to the lodge for dinner.

Accommodation at Makalali Private Game Lodge is on a fully inclusive basis, including accommodation, all meals and 2 game activities per day, but excluding drinks.  Conservation levy for your stay is included in the tour price.

Day 5 - LIMPOPO RESERVE TO PILGRIMS REST

An early morning wakeup call heralds your last opportunity to head back into the bush for your last sightings of Africa’s creatures in their natural environment.

Back at the lodge enjoy a hearty breakfast before checking out and heading to the northern reaches of the Panorama Route.  From here you will travel through the J G Strydom Tunnel and Abel Erasmus Pass into the world renowned Panorama Route.

This is a land of dramatic contrasts characterised by majestic mountains, primeval indigenous forests, latter day plantations and ancient mountain fortresses.

he Panorama Route is one of the most beautiful and popular travel destinations in South Africa, and leads through the rugged mountain range of the northern Drakensberg Mountains.  The Panorama Route passes the north-eastern part of the Great Escarpment, the inland plateau declines abruptly and steeply and opens up fantastic views of the plains of the Lowveld a thousand metres below.

The most spectacular stretch of the Panorama Route is the Blyde River Canyon. From many well-positioned vantage points one has a view of the 33 km long gorge, which starts at "Bourkes Luck Potholes" and ends at the "Three Rondavels". The Potholes are very impressive rock formations that were shaped millions of years ago by erosion. The bizarre swirl holes developed when the once rapid river carried masses of sand and debris.

At Bourkes Luck you will stop for some lunch (at your own expense).

Continue on your way, stopping at the final viewpoint at Gods Window.  With magnificent views, canyons, rock formations and waterfalls, God's Window is truly an area of breath taking scenic splendour. Gods Window is so called for the panoramic view of the Lowveld more than 900 m down into lush indigenous forest clad ravine. The majestic cliffs plunge over 700 meters to the Lowveld and the private game reserves which have made the area one of South Africa's main wildlife destinations. God's Window is a small part of a 250km long earthwork of sheer cliffs and extravagant beauty. One can observe the hills and forests as far as the eye can see. In fact, it seems as if one can see forever!

It is now time to head into Pilgrims Rest where you will check into your hotel, and have the balance of the afternoon at leisure to explore this delightful little village.

Painstakingly restored to its former glory, The Royal Hotel in Pilgrim’s Rest offers guests a unique taste of late Victorian style accommodation.  The 10 converted late 19^th century buildings make up the Royal Hotel’s 50 richly decorated  bedrooms, with antique brass beds, washstands and sumptuous en-suite ball & claw baths.

The elegant lounge extends a warm invitation to settle into plush armchairs and take tea or a drink in front of a roaring fire in winter.  The Peachtree and Diggers Restaurants serve hearty old fashioned meals of local ingredients.  The attention to period detail extends to the historical Church Bar; a former relocated school chapel.

Pilgrims Rest is an historical old mining town, set in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains where a gold rush took place during 1873.

After it was officially declared a gold field in September 1873, it suddenly grew to 1,500 inhabitants searching for alluvial gold.   In due course the alluvial deposits were depleted and the locals turned to forestry, but their village, whose residents still number in the hundreds, has been painstakingly preserved as a "living museum" and major South African tourist venue.

The town’s original architecture remains largely unchanged since then, due to the fact that the town was declared a National Monument in 1986.

Pilgrim’s Rest was the location of an emergency mint during the Second Boer War. This mint struck the famous and extremely rare Veld Pond.  Today this coin is extremely rare and valuable, and is treasured by collectors from throughout the world.

The uniqueness of this village is vividly evident in its museums and historic sites.  Wander down the road from upper into lower town, popping into a host of museums, shops and churches, all houses in their original buildings.  The village offers a fascinating window into the past, and captures the spirit of a bygone era.

Also at the graveyard, every single grave was laid facing in the same direction, except for the famous Robber’s Grave which is laid perpendicular to the rest, emblazoned simply with a cross and the large type words of Robbers Grave. It is as the name suggests the grave of a robber who was shot stealing a tent from one of the miners. A tent represented a "home" so was the most valuable of any individuals belongings, stealing this tent was a most grievous crime and the punishment was meted out in the extreme.

Your accommodation at Royal Hotel Pilgrim’s Rest is on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.

Day 6 - PILGRIM’S REST  TO JOHANNESBURG

Today you have an opportunity for a late lie in before enjoying a leisurely breakfast  or heading back into the village to have a last look at the many old buildings you didn’t get a chance to see yesterday.

After checking out of your hotel, it is time to head out again via Downtown Pilgrims rest on the road over Robbers Pass into Lydenburg.  This road, now tarred, follows the same route that the stage coaches and transport wagons travelled to and from Pilgrims Rest.  The road offers breath-taking views but is also steeped in history.

In 1899 two masked highwaymen held up the stage coach and robbed it of £10000 before making their escape.  They were never brought to justice.  13 years later an unlucky villain tried his luck at the exact same spot, but his horse was recognised and he also foolishly paid off all his debts in town with the looted silver. He was arrested and sentenced to jail for 5 years, but returned to Pilgrims Rest on his release as a local celebrity to start the Highwaymans Garage.

At the top of the pass on the Morgenzon plantation land you will be lucky to spot some wild horses.  Seldom seen these horses originated from a breeding stud to feed the stage coaches.  Captured by the Boers during the Anglo Boer War the original horses were used in a night stampede on a unit of the British Army.  After the stampede the horses scattered and have been living and breeding in the wild ever since.

Continue on through Lydenburg and Dullstroom back to Johannesburg. Dullstroom, which is one of the coldest villages in South Africa, is one of South Africa’s premier trout fishing areas. 

or those visitors with morning departure flights, an overnight in Johannesburg at a hotel in close proximity to the airport can be booked.

*** END OF SERVICES ***

COSTING:  From ZAR 6 990-00 per person sharing

Cost includes: Accommodation, meals, entry fees and excursions as set out in this itinerary, VAT and Government Tourism Levies.

Not included: Flights and any transportation in any form, either with a guide or self-drive rental vehicle.  Vehicle hire costs to be quoted separately.  Any meals and excursions not specified in the above itinerary, gratuities or items of a personal nature.