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Hi all

Being a Kruger veteran, my wife suggested we try something different (gasp!). So I thought we might try Mapungubwe.

I need some advice:

Where is the best camp to stay? I need self-catering anyway, so restaurant etc is not an issue. However,a kitchette, shower is essential.
what are the roads like? I don't have a 4x4 (or even a bakkie), only a VW Polo 1.9tdi.
Do I need to take extra fuel etc?
What is the game experience like? I know Kruger well enough to see Big 5 almost every visit, so I don't want to trade down!

Thanks in advance:)

Hi Yatiya

I hope that you will become a Mapungubwe convert

Firstly, the eastern and western sides of the park are separated by private land. The main camp, Leokwe is on the eastern side. It has most of the "tourist" areas such as the heritage site, the visitors information section, the broadwalk and the confluence.

I found Leokwe camp breathtakingly atmospheric. The scenery is most unusual, stark and has a terrible beauty. The cottages are semi luxury and very, very comfortable.

Leokwe





pool area



confluence



broadwalk





Limpopo tented camp, on the other side is close to the waterhole. The tents seemed very comfortable.



The waterhole attracts all kinds of animals and is a wonderful place for animals and birds.



This is not Big 5 country, but one of atmosphere



baobabs



and mystery

There are 4by4 roads, but the main attractions can be accesed by normal vehicles. There is a petrol station about 20kms from the reserve.

Hi yatiya and Welcome!

MM has given you an excellent overview of Mapungubwe. I was there recently, driving a Polo , and stayed 2 nights at Leokwe and 3 at Limpopo Tented Camp. I enjoyed both camps, whilst they are quite different, and both parts of the park. However, due to ongoing drought in the area, I saw very little game on the eastern (Leokwe camp) side, but particularly enjoyed the treetop boardwalk and the hide at the end of the boardwalk that overlooks the Limpopo. While I didn't always see that many birds, just the atmosphere of walking at treetop level was magic!

I was amazed at the difference in the amount of game (and birds) that I saw when I moved on to the western (Limpopo camp) side of the park, which had been less affected by the drought. While I never saw any predators on either side of the park (altho I heard both lions and hyena at night), I had several lovely up close encounters with breeding herds of ellies on the western side and was amazed at how close some cows with small calves came to me. I should note that I am very comfortable around ellies and always, once I've approached to a comfortable distance from the ellies, switch off my engine, which allows them to approach me if they wish to. The Mapungubwe ellies seemed to me to be particularly relaxed and several times came very close indeed -- on occassion less than 3 metres from my car!

On my first visit to the hide, I saw very little, but on my second visit, which was mid-afternoon when no one else was there (the hide seems to be busiest early mornings and late afternoon), just as I was about to leave after again seeing very little, a herd of ellies approached and for the next hour I was massively entertained by ellies of all ages and sizes frollicking in the water and intereacting, most of the time right in front of the hide, which meant that I could almost reach out and touch them, they were so close! They most definitely knew that I was there in the hide, often lifting thier trunks to catch my scent as I moved about in the hide with my cameras, but again they were very relaxed.

Mapungubwe is not KNP, but its scenery is dramatic, there is a lot of history there, and the park has a very special atmosphere. I most definitely hope to return there and recommend the park enthusiastically.

Enjoy your visit!

Thank you all for your advice:) (particularly the pics - spectacular!)

See you soon;)

Hi yatiya,

We made this Journey of Discovery a year ago. You can read all about it including the camps here