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VALLEY OF THE OLIFANTS
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Valley Of The Olifants, Limpopo,
South Africa: Travelling east visitors will discover the rich natural heritage of
the Lowveld with its claim to fame, the world-famous Kruger National Park. This region
differs markedly from the rest of Limpopo and is loved for its scenic valleys, mountains
and lush vegetation. As its name suggests, this region falls in the valley of the great
Olifants River that meanders through the Kruger National Park, forming the southern border
of the province. The valley forms part of the northernmost section of the Drakensberg, and
the Lowveld does not end in Mpumalanga, but stretches further north and surrounds many towns in
Limpopo.
The rest camps in the northern part of Kruger are part of the province and a series of
exclusive private game
reserves adjacent to the Park guarantee a luxurious wildlife experience. The Olifants
Valley is teeming with a variety of wildlife,
and is known for its spectacular scenery, mountains, rivers, dams, history and cultural
attractions. |
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Valley of The Olifants - DESTINATIONS
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  Bosbokrand, also
known as Bushbuckridge, has rather obvious roots in its surrounds where rather large herds
of antelope grazed on what is known today as Bushbuck ridge, a rocky ridge that extends
from the escarpment eastwards into the lowland bush. During the 1880s the little town grew
around a ... more » Bosbokrand |
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 Hoedspruit is a
premier eco-tourist destination for visitors to game lodges and private reserves. With its
ever present views on the Drakensberg escarpment and abutting the Kruger National Park,
Hoedspruit is unsurprisingly surrounded by beautiful game-rich country-side and is imbued
with ... more » Hoedspruit Info |
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 About 32 kilometres
outside of Tzaneen is the little farming community of Letsitele, which derives its name
from the Letsitele River, meaning “valley of the dead” in Sotho. The meaning of
this rather ominous sounding name no doubt originates in the devastating effects of
malaria, which held ... more » Letsitele Info |
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 Lying at the foot
of the escarpment in Limpopo is a little town formerly
known as Duiwelskloof or Devil’s Gorge. Today, the town is named Modjadjiskloof in
tribute to the Rain Queen, Modjadji - the traditional mystic ruler of the Balobedu people
who live in this beautiful, heavily wooded part of the country, where ... more » Modjadjiskloof |
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 Phalaborwa
is less than two minutes drive from the central gate to the Kruger National Park, the
world's most famous nature reserve. Phalaborwa offers a range of opportunities to view
wildlife up close and personally. Sunrise or Sunset Wilderness Trails, day or night
safaris including the extremely popular ... more » Phalaborwa Info |
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 Nestled between
rolling, citrus-covered hills, this lovely, sub-tropical town offers so much. Tzaneen
is close to the game areas of Limpopo but it seems to have escaped that frontier feel
which most of the Lowveld towns have. Close to the northern end of the Drakensberg, and in
the shadow of the ... more » Tzaneen Info |
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 South of Tzaneen,
the Magoebaskloof Pass leads through beautiful forrested mountain scenery. Picnicking,
fishing, swimming and hiking are always popular in the region. The Dokolewa and Grootbosch
Hiking Trails traverse forests and valleys, providing an excellent introduction to the
region ... more » Magoebaskloof Info |
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Valley of The Olifants - ATTRACTIONS
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 The flagship of the
South African national parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336
trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals (including the
"Big Five", Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhinoceros). Mopane trees
dominate the northern part ... more » Kruger National Park |
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 A major attraction
of the Hans Merensky course is the visiting wildlife - the course is bordered by the
Kruger National Park near the Phalaborwa Gate and many of the Park's inhabitants pay scant
regard to fencing. Particularly during the drier, winter months, elephants, several
species of ... more » Hans Merensky Golf Club |
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 The vast Balule Game Reserve is adjacent to the Kruger National Park,
home to the Big Five and world famous for its abundance of wildlife and birdlife. Seize the
opportunity to track and spot Africa's magnificent creatures on game drives, conducted in
open 4x4 vehicles. The vast Balule Nature ... more » Balule Game Reserve |
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 Edeni Private Game
Reserve is an untamed garden of Eden where the spoor of wildlife invites you to explore
the timeless beauty of the bush; an oasis of unimaginable luxury provides the greatest
vantage point to the Big Five and its vast, untouched wilderness. This 21 000 acre
wildlife paradise is ... more » Edeni Game Reserve |
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 The 530 hectare
Modjadji Nature Reserve, situated in the Bolobedu district of Lebowa, north-east of
Duiwelskloof, contains one of the most fascinating population of plants seen in Southern
Africa. Once the main diet of the prehistoric mammal-like reptiles that lived here, the
Modjadji cycad ... more » Modjadji Nature Reserve |
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 Timbavati Game
Reserve shares a common unfenced border with the Kruger National Park. This allows the
animals free range and ensures guests to the area the opportunity to view the greatest
diversity of wildlife that South Africa has to offer. Timbavati is a "Big Five"
Game Reserve: Lion ... more » Timbavati Game Reserve |
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 The fenceless
borders the Manyeleti Game Reserve shares with Kruger, Sabi Sands and Timbavati Game
Reserves, forms an integral ecological unit where all the animals roam free. The Mnisi
people lived and occupied this land for many generations and in the new South Africa, they
instituted a ... more » Manyeleti Game Reserve |
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 Bordering the
Timbavati Game Reserve and Kruger National Park, this reserve is hot and dry for most of
the year. The bush is sparse but soon recovers, if and when summer rains arrive. Game
wanders freely over vast areas and you are likely to see all the usual animals of the
African bush like lion ... more » Klaserie Game Reserve |
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 Adjacent to and
incorporated into the Greater Kruger National Park lies 10 000 hectares of pristine
African bushveld, which is the 'Thornybush Game Reserve'. With an abundance of bird and
mammal species including the 'Big 5'. Explore the African bush on foot and from the back
of ... more » Thornybush Game Reserve |
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Hans Merensky Nature Reserve |
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| Situated on the southern banks of the Great
Letaba River, the reserve supports a large variety of game, including antelope, zebra,
leopard and hippo. More than 200 bird
species have been recorded, among them the fish
eagle, martial eagle, snake eagle, secretary
bird and several species of waterfowl. At the Tsonga Kraal Open-air Museum, arts,
crafts and traditional huts reflect the lifestyle of a century ago. |
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« Limpopo Game and Nature Reserve
| South
Africa Game Reserves » |
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