The Olifant's Ciryle Route

Big game enthusiasts will want to take this route. From Polokwane, the circuit heads eastwards through Chueniespoort in the Strydpoortberg Mountains and Sekhukhuneland.

Big game enthusiasts will want to take this route. From Polokwane, the circuit heads eastwards through Chueniespoort in the Strydpoortberg Mountains and Sekhukhuneland. Enroute, travellers has various overnight options including the Sekhukhuni Camp that forms part of the Ivory Route, built in Sepedi style, honouring the rebellious 19th century African King, who refused to bow to Boer dominance.

En-route to Big Five country travellers come to the Drakensberg Escarpment, with its sheer rock walls, pockets of indigenous forest, grasscovered slopes and vast plantations. It abounds with streams, waterfalls, crystal-clear ponds and potholes- and embraces the world’s third largest canyon.

This is the world of the adventurous hikers and cliff climbers – it is one of the last remaining unspoilt regions of South Africa. From the top of the Escarpment, the route descends sharply into the Lowveld along the banks of the mighty Olifants River.

Amongst some of the places to visit its one of the premier provincial nature reserves, the 23,000 hectare Manyeleti Game Reserve, which has similarities with the Kruger National Park.Walking safaris are organised, elephant back rides and tracking, and the traditional game viewing drives.

For accommodation purposes, the traveller has various options ranging from five star private game lodges abound in the Hoedspruit area, to public rest camps and tented safari camps. Travellers can also set off for the Kruger National Park via the Orpen Gate for more game spotting before leaving the area via Hoedspruit airport. Alternatively, the traveller can opt to travel through the KNP to exit at Phalaborwa Gate whereupon the route runs westward to attractions such as Letaba Ranch.

Here the tourist can view hippos and crocodiles on the banks of the mighty Letaba River. Award winning accommodation is in abundance in the Phalaborwa area including the Ivory Route camp built on tribal land in Shangaan style near the Baleni Salt Pan, close to the Little Letaba River. Here there’s the chance to learn about Shangaan culture as well as the ecology of saltpans.

The homeward journey could be by flight from Phalaborwa airport to Johannesburg or by driving through the town of Modjadjikloof to visit the Modjadji Cycad Reserve. The Modjadji cycad, which grows up to 13m, has been protected by several generations of rain queens.