The Blogitects Do Limpopo: Mapungubwe National Park

Mapungubwe National Park was the second stop on the Blogitects’ Limpopo road trip. Read about our first and third stops.

I’ve been procrastinating on this post about Mapungubwe National Park because I don’t know where to start. Mapungubwe, which is at the far northern tip of South Africa, across the border from both Zimbabwe and Botswana, was the whole reason we planned our Limpopo road trip; I’d been wanting to go there forever. There is a lot going on in Mapungubwe and it’s a difficult place to explain.

Mapungubwe is best known for its archeological history: It’s the site of Southern Africa’s first kingdom and class-based society (predating Great Zimbabwe), which existed here during the 13th century, and it’s the original home of the famous golden rhino of Mapungubwe.

But Mapungubwe is also full of natural wonders: soaring rock formations, millennia-old baobab trees, neon-green fig trees clinging to the sides of cliffs, great herds of elephants, roaming lions, surprisingly speedy tortoises, and technicolor birds.

Mapungubwe offers unique accommodation, one of the country’s prettiest swimming pools, a fascinating cultural tour, and an architectural-award-winning interpretation center, which, while worth visiting, has a few issues.

Before I tell you all about our visit, I’d like to recommend this excellent post about Mapungubwe by maverick travel blogger Roxanne Reid. Roxanne’s post, aptly named “Mapungubwe National Park: everything you need to know”, will answer any questions you have that I don’t answer below.

Our Visit to Mapungubwe National Park: The Basics

Mapungubwe is about a six-hour drive from Joburg. We could have done the trip in one go but chose to break it up with a stop in Magoebaskloof, which is a little more than halfway. We spent four nights in Mapungubwe, which was cool but I think we could have done everything we wanted to do in three nights.

We took a big risk going to Mapungubwe in December. The week before we went, the area was experiencing high temperatures close to 40°C (well over 100°F), which I think would have been pretty unbearable. It was several degrees cooler when we were there but still extremely hot, to the point that we could do nothing but nap and read between noon and 5:00 p.m. It was great being there during the rainy season when everything was green, but winter temperatures are probably more pleasant.

Technically you don’t need a 4x4 to drive around most of Mapungubwe or to get to Leokwe Camp. But I was glad we had Greylene; there are a lot of 4x4-only roads in the park and even the main roads are rough in spots. Almost none of the roads are paved.

The Leokwe Camp

Mapungubwe has several accommodation options but we stayed in the main camp, Leokwe, which is 11 kilometers (about 30 minutes drive) from the park entrance. The camp is a collection of thatched chalets surrounded by the most beautiful rock formations, which were populated by all sorts of animals: lizards, dassies, klipspringers, tortoises, baboons, ground squirrels, many birds, and even the occasional elephant. The chalets are self-catering and equipped with very basic cookware and a braai (barbecue) in the outdoor area. We paid R1600 (about $85) per night, plus the park conservation fees (R67 per person, per day, for South Africans).

We loved the pool at Leokwe, which is nestled between the rocks near the entrance to the camp. We went a couple of times just before sunset and it was very relaxing.

Driving in Mapungubwe

Mapungupwe is a great self-driving game reserve, and there are several interesting sights in addition to the main archeological attractions. “The Confluence”, where the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers meet and you can see across the borders of Zimbabwe and Botswana, is one of the coolest parts of the park, with a beautiful trail around several different decks with views over the rivers. There is a nice picnic site surrounded by baobabs, and another viewpoint on the other side of the Confluence parking lot that looks out over an eerie group of fossilized termite mounds.

On the way to the Confluence (which is a short drive from Leokwe Camp), there is a “treetop walkway” that takes you out closer to the Limpopo River. But the walkway is damaged and not super interesting, in my opinion. I would skip it if you’re short on time.

One morning we took ourselves on a long game drive to the western section of Mapungubwe, which is separated from the eastern section by private land. (This means you have to drive out of the park and back in again to get there.) The western side is super wild and we saw lots of interesting animals, including many elephants and a pair of lions.

The Interpretation Centre and Tour of Mapungubwe Hill

I had been really excited to visit Mapungubwe’s interpretation center, a famous building by South African architect Peter Rich.

The building is indeed very cool-looking and has some interesting artifacts inside, including a replica of the golden rhino (which, to most people’s surprise, is small enough to fit in your hand). We also really liked the outdoor café. But the interpretation center itself was a little disappointing because: 1) the air conditioning didn’t work on the main floor, and there were no open windows or ventilation of any kind, and we nearly suffocated; and 2) I was told photos aren’t allowed – a rule that immediately turns me off to any tourist attraction I visit.

There is a short walking path behind the interpretation center that leads to a lookout point over Mapungubwe Hill, which you can walk to without paying for admission to the center. Admission to the center was about R85.

We also did the heritage walking tour of Mapungubwe Hill, which I really enjoyed. The tour leaves from the park gate every day at 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., and lasts for about two hours. (If you go in summer, definitely plan on 7:00 a.m. and bring water to avoid heat stroke.) The tour costs about R350 per person and involves a short walk through the bush and a climb up Mapungubwe Hill. Wear sturdy shoes.

Our guide, Johannes Masalesa, grew up in the area. He told me that that his grandfather was the person who tipped off the white farming family who “discovered” Mapungubwe in the 1930s.

Johannes explained the history of the hill – which is really more of a plateau – during the brief reign of the Mapungubwe kingdom, when the king and his family and court lived on top of the hill and everyone else lived down below. The king arranged for massive amounts of soil to be carried up the hill for agricultural purposes, which changed the geography of the plateau.

I was fascinated by the ancient grain and water storage containers dug into the rock, which have survived up there for almost 1,000 years. There is also a moruba game board carved into one of the rocks.

All in all, I loved our visit to Mapungubwe and it was totally worth the journey. It’s wild and far-flung and culturally important and weird. Highly recommend.

Next up in the Blogitects’ Limpopo adventures: Leshiba Wilderness.