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Mapungubwe is perched on a steep, rocky hill and is only accessible through a single narrow cleft. It was once a natural fortress and the center of the Mapungubwe culture, of which archaeologists have found abundant evidence, including artifacts of gold. Though not a destination for everyone that visits South Africa, it is truly unique and an excellent addition for those enjoying a safari in the Kruger National Park with a few days to spare.
Need Advice?People lived on the southern terrace from around 1030 to 1290 AD (about 260 years). The hilltop was occupied for some 70 years, from 1220 to 1290 AD. The site has been a national landmark since 1984.
At Mapungubwe National Park, visitors can indulge in guided trips to cultural and archaeological sites; visit the Tree Top Walk and a range of bird hides. Self-guided trails, bird-watching trips, and night game drives are also available. You can visit the graveyard at the top of Mapungubwe Hill, see a natural amphitheater and walk the territory once trod upon by the ancestral Mapungubwe people where wildlife now reigns.
The treetop walkway overlooking the Limpopo River near Leokwe camp offers guests magnificent vistas over the river and the landscape. The walk is also a great way to become acquainted with the various trees found in the park, as placards identify them. The walkway ends at Maloutswa bird hide.
The viewing decks at the confluence of the rivers – which encompasses four decks for various purposes, such as the sunset viewing deck – are great places to gain insight into the significance and terrain of the park. You can see where South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe share their borders at the Sashe and Limpopo rivers meeting place. It is also a great viewing point for animals frequenting the rivers.
Walking up to Mapungubwe Hill to discover the ancient African Kingdom is one of the most profound historical experiences you can imagine. It is eerily enchanting to walk amongst the remains of a powerful tribe estimated to have lived there between 1200 and 1290. They left suddenly, leaving behind gold and precious artifacts. The question is, why?
Mapungubwe National Park may host abundant wildlife, but its fascinating historical sites and unique geology set it apart. Savor the privilege of an unorthodox glimpse into the past.
Mapungubwe is situated in the far northern reaches of South Africa, on the border of Botswana. Guests traveling to the park will be welcomed at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, where they will be assisted in transferring to Polokwane. From there, guests will be chartered to Mapungubwe's private airstrip or transferred to an air-conditioned vehicle.
Guests will be transported via a private, air-conditioned 4x4 vehicle to the park from either Polokwane or a previous destination on your itinerary. The park is approximately 200km from Polokwane and offers excellent scenic views of the South African landscape. Driving options are also available from Botswana's side.
Mapungubwe is great to visit during a large part of the year. The summer months between November and February can be scorching, however. The summer season is also the rainfall season, but rain is scarce (10 rainy days per year on average) and provides little comfort for the extreme heat, with summer temperatures sometimes rising to 45°C.
The dry season is the best time for game viewing, which fortunately falls within the cooler winter months between May and September. During the dry season, animals can easily be tracked to the various water sources in the park. Birders wishing to visit the park should do so in spring or early summer to avoid the intense heat.
Mapungubwe National Park was only proclaimed on Heritage Day, 24 September 2004, but was already established as Vhembe Dongola National Park on 9 April 1998.
Mapungubwe National Park is important for the paleontological and anthropological treasures buried in the landscape. Two of the earliest plant-eating dinosaurs – Plateosauravus, which grew 10 meters long and lived 210 million years ago, and Massospondylus, which grew 6 meters long and lived 195 million years ago, have been excavated here. The most famous discovery is the remnants of the Leopard Kopje people, renowned for being Africa's first indigenous kingdom that lived here between 1220 and 1300 AD. Graves of their royalty were found in the 1930s with golden artifacts. Mapungubwe has many more sites of human activity dating back as far as 300 000 years ago.
Mapungubwe National Park has all of the Big Five, excluding the buffalo. Elephants are the only common Big Five specie. Leopards and rhinos are occasionally spotted, and lions only very rarely. The chances of spotting a giraffe are pretty good, and you'll sometimes encounter hippos. Many predators, including wild dogs, cheetahs, hyenas, and caracals, occur here. The chances of spotting these predators are relatively low, however. Several antelope species occur, from klipspringer to eland. The shy aardvark is relatively common in Mapungubwe.
The park is home to 17 bat species, including the Wahlberg's epauletted and Egyptian fruit bats. Other lesser mammals range from warthogs and honey badgers to civets to porcupines. Reptiles are plentiful; you might spot anything from Nile crocodiles to rock monitor lizards. Be wary of highly venomous snakes such as black mamba and puff adders, and keep an eye out for the large Southern African rock python. Bird watchers will delight, as 387 birds have been recorded in Mapungubwe National Park, and over 400 species in the surrounding area. Verreaux's eagle occurs in high density; cuckoos are abundant, and even Pel's fishing owl may be seen if you are lucky enough.
Mapungubwe is situated in the Limpopo Province on the Southern floodplains of the Limpopo River, the natural border between South Africa and Botswana. From the park, you can see the meeting place of the Limpopo and Shahe rivers, the border between Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa.
The area has a wide range of habitat types that, in turn, cultivate many diverse plant species such as acacia, fig, fever, and Commiphora trees. The water-rich soils of the floodplains mean that many of the trees have grown to enormous sizes, including some huge baobabs - one of the trees boasts a circumference of 31m. The area also bears great cultural significance and is a proclaimed World Heritage Site. The remains of the ancient civilization found on top of Mapungubwe Mountain have become one of the focal points of the park's conservation efforts. The famous Golden Rhino was found here and can be viewed in the park.
An activity not to be missed is a visit to the museum. Here you can view the celebrated Golden Rhino and learn about the rich cultural heritage that makes this park unlike any other in the world. It also imparts knowledge of the landscape and its wildlife. However, the real jewel of the park is experiencing the magnificent scenery and historic inheritance yourself. The heritage tour allows visitors to step back in time while encountering the animals that now rule the region.
Game drives through the park are available, and night drives are top-rated as guests search for nocturnal wildlife. Guided bush walks are another activity that offers guests a comprehensive bush experience. The Tree Top Walk is a great way to view the landscape from a different perspective and concludes perfectly with a hide that overlooks the majestic Limpopo River.
