15 things to do at Mapungubwe National Park

By Roxanne Reid
In South Africa's far north, where the Limpopo and Shashe rivers meet and you can peer into Botswana or watch eagles soar over Zimbabwe, lies Mapungubwe. It’s rich in biodiversity and scenic beauty, conserves fossils and ancient rocks that are nearly three billion years old, and has 24 species of acacia tree and a magnificence of baobabs. But what makes it a Unesco World Heritage Site is its cultural importance. Here are 15 things to do at Mapungubwe National Park. 

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Just see if you don't fall in love with Leokwe's Venda-style chalets and their outdoor showers

1. One of my favourite things to do at Mapungubwe National Park is to stay over at the Venda-style Leokwe Camp in a fully equipped chalet with aircon and ceiling fan. There’s a swimming pool built between the rocks and deck for cooling off on a hot day. Other good options include the luxury self-catering Tshugulu Lodge for groups up to 12 or Vhembe Wilderness Camp. (In the western section there’s also the Limpopo Tented Camp and Mazhou campsite, but both have had problems with monkeys and baboons so aren’t my favourite accommodations in the park, although they’re not far from the Maloutswa Pan hide – see no. 11.)

Clockwise from top left: Limpopo tented camp with its giant nyala trees; braai/picnic area near Leokwe's pool; Leokwe chalets set among the red rocks; Leokwe's swimming pool

The Treetop walkway gives sweeping views out over the Limpopo River, where you might see elephants crossing

2. Visit the Treetop walkway overlooking the Limpopo River in the eastern section near Leokwe camp. Just less than two storeys off the ground, the raised boardwalk takes you into the tree canopy where identification plaques point out some of the common trees, such as leadwood and fever tree. It used to end in a hide on the river’s edge, but on our last visit in August 2014 this was gone, washed away by flooding a few months earlier. Even without it, you get wonderful views of the river.

Each deck at the Confluence gives a slightly different view of where the Sashe and Limpopo rivers join; there are ablutions, picnic spots and a cold drink kiosk

3. Visit the viewing decks at the Confluence to see where the Sashe and Limpopo rivers meet, and where Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa join along the riverbanks. The four decks, including sunset and sunrise decks, give a wide view out of the river valley, the meandering flow of water and the inevitable baobabs peeping out over the other vegetation. You might also see elephant, kudu, impala and wildebeest like tiny matchbox toys below.

4. Don’t miss the ‘stone tribe’ at the Confluence. Go to the fifth lookout deck south of the car park (past the ablutions). In the distance to the left is the ‘stone tribe’, which is really a collection of fossilised termite mounds. 

I love Mapungubwe almost as much for its intriguing trees as for its wildlife

5. Self-drive around the park to see elephant, rhino, Burchell’s zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, wildebeest, kudu, eland, waterbuck, and the remarkable klipspringer galloping up the rock faces. If you’re staying at Leokwe, see if you can find the tracks of the resident leopard that prowls the camp by night.

6. See how many of the park’s big trees you can identify – such as baobab, nyala, leadwood, fever tree, mopani, marula, fig and Commiphora trees (called Kanniedood, or ‘cannot die’ in Afrikaans because during winter they look dead even though they’re not). Bring along a good guide to trees if you’re new to all this.

7. Go on a guided sunset or night drive along roads not open to the public for a chance to see an aardvark, genet, hyena or leopard. It’s a great way to find out more about the animals and plants of the area from an experienced guide. 

Walk to the top of Mapungubwe Hill with a guide who will tell you about the area's historical importance

8. Take a guided heritage walk up 147 steps to the top of Mapungubwe Hill, see the graveyard of kings and learn more about the history and culture of the people who lived here from 1220–1290 AD, when they traded with Egypt, India and China through Islamic traders on the east coast.

The architecturally unusual interpretive centre opened in 2012 and houses many of the artifacts unearthed at Mapungubwe. A short film and many poster displays explain Mapungubwe's history and cultural significance

9. Don’t miss the wonderful interpretive centre and museum near the main gate. The unusual structure was Building of the Year 2009 in the World Architectural Awards. Inside are some beautiful stained glass windows and lots of displays telling the story of the oldest known kingdom in southern Africa, older even than Great Zimbabwe. You can also see some of the archaeological treasures that were unearthed here, including the tiny but famous golden rhino, now returned to Mapungubwe. There’s a restaurant for light refreshments and a small curio shop.

10. Go on a guided walk in the park to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of the bush and learn about medicinal plants, tracks and signs from your guide. If you make a special request beforehand you may even be able to visit one of almost 150 rock art sites in the park.

Driving the park's roads and 4x4 routes is rewarding, taking you past rocks, baobabs and fever trees, as well as elephants and other big game

11. Drive the 45km (4–6 hour) 4x4 Tshugulu Eco Route, which takes you through some spectacular terrain and habitat. There’s a game hide along the way. Book at reception for a fee, and ask for a brochure detailing GPS co-ordinates of points of interest, including a picnic spot, a sandstone valley, a red sand dune and various trees like baobab, wild fig and tambotie.

At Maloutswa Pan we watched warthogs wallow and giraffe and antelope come to drink

12. Visit the Maloutswa Pan hide in the western section of the park to see game in the dry season. (If you’re staying at Leokwe, you have to drive out the main gate and travel west to the entrance of this section.) The pan is a favourite spot for wallowing warthogs, which use it as a beauty salon for full-body mudpacks, and is excellent for birds in the wet season.

13. Hike the three-day Vhembe Trail and let your guide interpret the fauna and flora along the way. Book ahead.

14. Try to spot the Big Six of birds found in the park – Pel’s fishing owl, martial eagle, lappet-faced vulture, ground hornbill, kori bustard and saddle-billed stork. Remember to look up for a chance of seeing the magnificent Verreaux’s eagle. The park has an impressive bird list of some 400 species.

Keep an eye out on the rocks for dassies, klipspringers and birds of prey. As the sun sets, the rocks turn warm shades of red and gold

15. Drink in the beauty of the rocks at sunset as you enjoy a braai. Raise a glass of chilled white wine to another magnificent day in Africa.

Tips

• To avoid disappointment, prebook activities by emailing mapungubwe@sanparks.org or phoning +27 (0)15 5347923/4.
• Fill up at Alldays or Musina; you can't buy fuel inside the park.​
  

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