Limpopo, The Place Of Peace & Friendliness

The name Polokwane means “place of peace” and the capital city of Limpopo province is fast-growing and friendly. It’s a vibrant mix of people and cultures and is also known as the gateway to the north – a stepping stone to the province’s bushveld and mountain hot spots, as well as the world famous Kruger National Park (KNP).

Gateway city

The gateway city of Polokwane is abuzz with things to do and see. The city centre features beautiful historic buildings, galleries and museums, mainly around the civic centre, which has open public parks with water features and a collection of sculptures.

Savannah Mall has a wealth of first-class shops selling leather goods, gold and jewellery, art, crafts and curios. South of the city, Gemco Arts & Crafts curio centre tempts you with a selection of drums, gold jewellery, curios, carvings.

Rising up from the bush like an ancient palace, is Meropa Casino and Entertainment World, a pulsating African-themed entertainment venue. Try your hand at the tables or slot machines, relax with a cocktail at the bar, or visit their African craft and cultural market.

The city offers a wide choice of lodges, guesthouses and hotels. At the Ranch Hotel, you can get up close and personal with a pride of lions and then enjoy an outdoor lunch or an evening meal under the stars. Polokwane is a convenient stopover between Gauteng and the Kruger National Park, and Polokwane International Airport serves as a gateway to the sub-continent.

Polokwane is busy preparing for the 2010 Fifa Football World Cup. Polokwane is one of the host cities, and construction of the Peter Mokaba Stadium is well under way. The airport is undergoing a major renovation, and shops, businesses, guesthouses and lodges are getting ready to give visitors a warm African welcome.

The bushveld beckons

Great thing here is that within ten minutes drive from the city centre, you can be in the bush. The Polokwane Game Reserve is an eco-jewel on the city’s doorstep. There are plenty of game reserves within an easy drive from Polokwane. You can also take an elephant back safari – adventures don’t get much bigger than this! Or go on a guided tour and have your fortune told by a sangoma – or traditional healer.

Scenic and cultural beauty

Famed for its forests, waterfalls and rivers full of trout, the picturesque mountain hamlet of Haenertsburg is an easy drive from Polokwane. The Iron Crown rises into the sky above the village – this peak is the highest point in Limpopo and is also the name of the local pub! Eat pancakes, stroll around pretty public gardens, take a sundowner cruise on the Ebenezer Dam and enjoy the dramatic views of the northern Drakensberg mountains that stretch along this part of the province.

Icons of Limpopo

From Polokwane it’s a short drive to some of the province’s best gems – the world’s largest baobab tree at Sunland, the ancient cycads of the Rain Queen at Modjadji village, and Makapan’s Valley, where you can travel back in time some 3,5 million years to when hairy hominids roamed these plains.

From Polokwane, the bushveld stretches out in vast tracts towards Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The region offers an abundance of wildlife and bushveld destinations, including the world famous Kruger National Park