The place where I worship is the wild open spaces, reads the plaque on the memorial bench at the Confluence Viewdeck. We sit down silently and peer out over the dry Limpopo riverbed into Botswana and Zimbabwe. We are in Mapungubwe National Park in the very north of South Africa.
It didn’t take long before we fell in love with this untouched place. So, we want to share this blog on things to do in Mapungubwe National Park for people like you who are also searching for the wild open.
Mapungubwe National Park is an otherworldly landscape of unmatched beauty and speaks of the very soul of the continent. Giant baobab trees proliferate between barren sandstone boulders and outcrops, while animals migrate across international borders as they have done for aeons.
Incredible natural landscape aside, the cultural landscape of Mapungubwe is just as spectacular. South Africa’s youngest and most northern national park is home the oldest kingdom in Southern Africa. It’s a UNESCO site protecting the medieval Mapungubwe Kingdom that predates Great Zimbabwe by about 200 years.
The combination of the natural and cultural landscapes, a rich variety of wildlife, excellent accommodation inside the park, and a sense of being at the end of South Africa before the real Africa begins are all reasons to pay a visit to this remarkable part of the country.
While there are a few things to do at Mapungubwe National Park, the biggest attraction for us was spending time in the wild, open spaces. It truly is a hidden gem, and very few South Africans even know of the Mapungubwe magic. (I used to be one of them until I read about Mapungubwe in the grade 6 History curicullum when studying for my PGCE).
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Visiting Mapungubwe National Park FAQ
When is the best time to visit Mapungubwe? Winter, anytime between May and September, is prime time for visiting Mapungubwe. Expect chilly nights and mornings, with mild days around 25°C.
Summers (especially December – February) in the Limpopo Valley are brutal and best avoided unless you find temperatures up to 45°C enjoyable.
Where is Mapungubwe located? The park is in Limpopo province, right on the border with Botswana and Zimbabwe, at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers.
It is 73 km west of Musina on the R572. The town of Alldays is 70 km southwest on the R521.
How much does it cost to enter Mapungubwe National Park?
SA citizens & residents (with ID): R60/30 per adult/child
SADC nationals (with passport): R120/60
International visitors: R240/120
How big is Mapungubwe National Park? The park covers 28,000 hectares or 280 km². The park is divided into two parts, with a piece of private land between them. We only visited the Eastern Section, where you’ll find the main gate, reception, museum, Mapungubwe Hill and Leokwe Camp.
Do you need a 4×4 for Mapungubwe? Not really. Our rental car (Renault Stepway) did pretty well, and we had no problems.
About 35 km of gravel or sand roads are suitable for sedan cars, while a further 100km is 4×4 accessible.
The Tshugulu 4×4 Eco-route in the Western park section is a dedicated 4×4 trail. This trail is signposted as 4×4 only, so don’t attempt it in a sedan.
No fuel is available in Mapungubwe, so fill up in Musina or Alldays.
What animals can I see in Mapungubwe? Species commonly spotted in Mapungubwe are kudu, zebra, eland, giraffe, elephant, waterbuck, bushbuck, impala, klipspringer, gemsbok, warthog and wildebeest.
Lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, white rhino, red hartebeest or hyena are rare.
Why is Mapungubwe Important?
UNESCO declared Mapungubwe a Cultural Landscape, a heritage of the rise and fall of the first indigenous empire in Southern Africa.
This kingdom’s capital was called Mapungubwe, which flourished about a thousand years ago. Archaeological findings (such as Chinese porcelain and Persian glass beads) from Mapungubwe prove that this kingdom traded as far away as China and India via Islamic traders on Africa’s east coast.
Many still think there was nothing in Africa before the European colonisers came and rescued the Africans from the dark ages. Mapungubwe proves that complex, class-based kingdoms existed before the white man came to Africa. And that is very important to know, both for Africans and Europeans.
Growing up in the dying moments of apartheid, my history lessons were all post-colonial ideology. Luckily that all changed, and Mapungubwe was added to the South African grade 6 curriculum in 2003. So I stumbled upon Mapungubwe years later, in a grade 6 History book, when I planned a crit lesson on the topic during my teaching practice.
Mapungubwe confirms a long history of human interaction in Southern Africa. The kingdom flourished between 1200 and 1270 AD, giving rise to the most advanced Southern African society at the time. Historians believe that the Kingdom of Greater Zimbabwe was based on the Mapungubwe society.
Mapungubwe’s decline, around 1300 AD, is linked to dramatic climate change, with crop failures as a result. Something that we and future generations might have to deal with again.
Hopefully, a visit to the Cultural Landscape of Mapungubwe will make you ponder how we as humans interact with history, with one another and with our environment. Children (especially those older than grade 6) will love their textbooks come to life when they visit Mapungubwe Hill.
Staying at Leokwe Camp in Mapungubwe
Leokwe Rest Camp is just stunning! Set between sandstone outcrops, Leokwe, with its Venda-styled thatch rondavels, almost feels like part of the landscape. The best thing about Leokwe Camp is that it’s unfenced, giving you a true feeling of being in the bush.
One morning, we had a herd of zebras between our rondavel and parked car, which frightened Jin, so I had to go and shoo them away before she would get in the car for our game drive. The other time we had a huge eland bull grazing by our porch, so Jin wanted to wait until he moved on before getting out of the car.
Because the camp is unfenced, animals move through it, whether it is a steenbok, elephant or lion, so scan your surroundings before getting in or out of your car – just to be safe. It’s also wise to stay on your stoep or inside the rondavel at night.
The camp features a beautiful swimming pool between the rocks surrounded by a sundeck. There is also a communal braai area. There is no shop, so bring everything you need with you.
The rondavels are well equipped for self-catering, with an open plan kitchen-living room area. There is a ceiling fan in the living room and AC in the bedroom for those HOT summer months. The two-bed rondavel also comes with a sleeper couch in the living room, ideal for children.
The best thing about the rondavels is the enclosed stoep, where you can have a lekker braai while watching the sunset or stars at night.
The outside shower was another highlight of our stay at Leokwe.
Leokwe is located in the Eastern Park section, 12 km from the main gate. Book your stay at Leokwe directly on the SANParks website.
Things to Do in Mapungubwe National Park
Plan to spend at least two full days in Mapungubwe National Park to explore the natural and cultural landscapes. More would even be better.
It really is a long way to come, as it sits right on the border of Zimbabwe and Botswana (about 530km from Johannesburg). So spend a few days in the reserve going on game drives, having braais, gazing at the night skies and wallowing in the Mapungubwe magic.
We spent three nights at Leokwe Camp in Mapungubwe National Park as part of our Limpopo road trip and loved every moment.
Below is our guide to the best activities and things to do when visiting Mapungubwe National Park.
Join a Guided Heritage Walk up Mapungubwe Hill
A Heritage Walk up Mapungubwe Hill is a must when you’re in the park – it is the main reason behind the national park, after all. Guided walks leave the main gate every morning and afternoon and must be booked in advance from the reception area.
A short drive in a national park’s open safari vehicle takes you to the bottom of Mapungubwe Hill, from where you’re guided up the ancient citadel by an armed ranger. We were all nervously excited as we approached the steps leading up the hill with giraffes and impalas walking around not that far away.
A set of wooden stairs, 147 in total, squeeze through a narrow gap between a crack leading up the hill. A spectacular view awaits at the top. After oohing and aahing over the view, your guide will start to tell you about Mapungubwe.
Mapungubwe means Place of Jackals, and this outcrop was where the king and his family lived between 1220 and 1290 AD. An estimated 50 people of the ruling elite lived on Mapungubwe Hill, while about 5,000 commoners lived below.
The guided Heritage Walk lasts about two hours, and it’s an exciting and insightful activity for young and old.
If you want to learn more about the history of Mapungubwe, don’t miss the Interpretation Centre and Museum at the main gate. The museum is an award-winning piece of architecture consisting of domes made from local sandstone. Like Leokwe Camp, it almost looks part of the environment.
In the museum, you can see artefacts unearthed from the area, including a replica of the famous golden rhino of Mapungubwe. The original is held at the University of Pretoria.
Gaze into Botswana & Zimbabwe at the Confluence View Deck
One of the most beautiful places in Mapungubwe (there are so many) is the Confluence View Deck. From here, you have an incredible view of the surrounding area.
Named the Confluence View Deck for its location above the point where the Limpopo and Shashe rivers meet, it is also the point where South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe come together. It truly is a spectacular view.
Look out for Calie’s memorial bench on the view deck. Sit down for a while and worship in this wild open place with its big sky and angry earth strewn with gigantic rocks, rivers and ancient baobabs.
Look out for the blue, white and black Botswana flag on the kopje across the Limpopo River. To the left of this flag is Botswana, while Zimbabwe lies to the right.
You might even spot a herd of elephants crossing the Limpopo between the countries if you’re lucky. More likely, you’ll spot cows on their cross-border commute.
The Mapungubwe Cow Conundrum
Some people are upset that cattle are walking around Mapungubwe National Park.
Gert* and his wife Anneli* say: FFS! It’s a national park, keep out your skinny-ass cows or tie them to a pole. And you can also dehorn them! We are here to see kudus and elephants! The Botswana and Zimbabwe people are no good, and their cows just come here to munch prime South African grass.
FFS.
Yes, Gert and Anneli*, calm down; no need to have an aneurysm about it!
Yes, it is a national park, but it’s also a cultural landscape. The farmers and their cows have been here for thousands of years. The unique beauty of Mapungubwe lies in the balance between culture and nature.
Cattle walked these lands and crossed this dry riverbed long before there were even international borders. One can even argue that the cultural landscape should get more emphasis, but what do we know?
*not their real names
Walk Under the Fever Trees at Treetop Walkway
What we love about Mapungubwe is that there are so many places in the reserve where you can leave your car and get out in nature. You don’t simply observe nature but become a part of it. The Treetop Walk is one of those places.
A sign with a quote from Rudyard Kipling’s The Elephant’s Child: Just So Stories welcomes you to the Treetop Walk.
At last he came to the banks of the great grey-green greasy Limpopo River all set about with fever trees
Rudyard Kipling: The Elephant’s Child
The Treetop Walk is almost a kilometre in length and takes visitors on a spectacular walk on a raised walkway through the riverine vegetation on the banks of the Limpopo.
The walk goes through a beautiful patch of ana, leadwood and giant fever trees and is particularly beautiful later in the afternoon when those fever trees almost glow yellow-green in the afternoon sun
The walkway is so high that you almost walk on canopy level, giving you a completely different perspective. From the walkway, you can get a closer look at the prolific birdlife of the park while looking for antelope (bushbuck, kudu and waterbuck love this riverine vegetation) from above.
We had an unforgettable experience at the Treetop Walk. While we were on the walkway, two baboon troops showed up simultaneously, and all hell broke loose as they started to fight.
The wrath of two male baboons going at each other while the rest of the troop went crazy is something we won’t ever forget. It started in the trees, and then they took the fight down to the walkway, cutting us off from a way out to the car. It was petrifying and (in hindsight) fascinating!
Spot Wildlife on a Self-Drive Around the Park
The well-maintained gravel roads of Mapungubwe make a self-drive safari through the park a breeze, and it’s something to look forward to. Besides looking for game, you should also stop at the viewpoints and walkways described above.
We would get up early and do a game drive loop before returning to Leokwe camp for a brunch braai and some relaxing before doing another afternoon game drive along the same route.
The game viewing route for sedan cars goes a circular route around the park’s eastern section and takes about 2 hours to complete, allowing for a slow drive to spot the animals and get off at a few viewpoints. The stretch of road running along the Limpopo and passing the SANDF site was particularly beautiful and fruitful in terms of game viewing.
We saw a ton of kudus, impala and zebras. The boulders and sandstone outcrops are prime spots for the nifty klipspringer, so keep your eyes peeled for any movement on the rocks. Unfortunately, we only saw one elephant during our three-night stay in Mapungubwe, which was very disappointing. Even worse, it was lying down and asleep!
Count How Many Baobabs You Can Spot in One Day
Much of Mapungubwe’s unique character lies in the abundant baobab trees throughout the park. They are almost everywhere you go and come in all weird and wonderful shapes and sizes. One particular baobab has a trunk of 31m in circumference.
Elephants love baobabs (also called upside-down trees) as much as we do, and you’ll see many of the baobabs with damaged trunks, sometimes even completely destroyed. The elephants snack on the juicy bark; once they pop, they can’t stop, and they have huge appetites!
Besides the distinct upside-down trees that look like they fell from the sky, the park supports healthy and varied vegetation. There are 24 Acacia species and 8 Commiphora (Kanniedood) species, among others.
The Treetop Walk is excellent for enjoying the Nyala berries, Ana, Leadwood and Fever trees.
Tick Off Mapungubwe’s Birds
Mapungubwe is not only about old stones, big game and even bigger trees, but also the little things. Over 400 species of birds have been recorded in the park, making Mapungubwe somewhat of a birder’s paradise.
Before coming to Mapungubwe, we spent a few days at Birder’s Cottage in Magoebaskloof, so we were soooo into spotting birds. The riverine forest around the Treetop Walk is excellent for bird viewing.
You can tick off special bird species in Mapungubwe, including the prized Pel’s Fishing-Owl Three-banded Courser, Meve’s Starling, Meyer’s Parrot and Kori Bustard.
Even if you’re not a birder (yet), consider getting a Veld or Pocket Guide Book to Birds in South Africa. Once the birding bug bites, there is no cure, so get a field guide and enjoy the birding madness.
Stargaze From Your Stoep
The stoep at your rondavel in Leokwe Camp is the best place to end a day in Mapungubwe.
Have a braai and watch the sky turn to fire at sunset with the silhouettes of baobabs etched against the sky. Later, when the chops, wors and braaibroodjies have all disappeared, the night sky will wow you with a dazzling display of stars.
It’s in quiet moments like this that you will fall in love with Mapungubwe all over again.
We hope you find the wild open spaces that you’ve yearned for in Mapungubwe National Park. We will definitely be back for more Mapungubwe magic!
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