Rooibokkraal, Waterberg

Lying very far north, so far that it is almost on the border with Botswana, Rooibokkraal seems virtually in the middle of nowhere, almost. There are other towns like Thabazimbi and Lephalale, at least 80 kilometres away. But do not let this little piece of superfluous information put you off coming here. Because the silence, tranquility and sheer beauty of the area alone will more than delight visitors.

Rooibokkraal lies in the heart of north western bushveld where the Limpopo meets the Crocodile River and where the sun goes down behind trees silhoetted against a sky devoid of all else but open space and starlit nights. Game reserves and private game farms in the vicinity promise hours of game viewing, thatched roof lodges and tented safaris. This is the part of the world that, despite being on the other side of the Limpopo from the Kruger National Park, promises plentiful game viewing that includes cheetah and leopard.

Rooibokkraal and the area acts as a springboard into Botswana where the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park are major draw cards. Closer to home are the Madikwe Game Reserve and Marakele National Park, both within easy reach of Rooibokkraal. The Marakele - known as the Marakele Contractual National Park because of the agreement with Dutch businessman Paul Fentener Van Vlissingen to acquire a further 23 000 hectares for the reserve - in particular lies in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains with an impressive wildlife list and some pretty majestic landscapes. Game includes the elephant and rhino as well as the big cats, and an impressive colony of endangered Cape vultures.