Mapungubwe: INFO

[Robbert]

Thanks Boorgatspook!, Glad you liked the picture!!

These pictures keeps me up!



Doublebanded Sandgrouse (Pterocles bicinctus), Mapungubwe march 2008

[JoelR]

The transfrontier area that includes Mapungubwe NP (South Africa), Tuli Block (Botswana) and the Maramani area (Zimbabwe) is renamed from Limpopo Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area to Greater Mapungubwe TFCA.

The name change (press release) was signed on Friday 19 June by a bunch of dignitaries. Boring, you'd say? NOT THIS TIME!

[Bushhappyfred]

Hi can anyone tell me if the transfronteir park is open and if you can go into the Botswanan and Zimbabwean sides of it. I am planning a trip there in October 2009. Thanks

[Imberbe]

No, you cannot travel directly from Mapungubwe to Botswana or Zimbabwe. There is a river with no bridges! Pontdrift border post to Botswana is however almost right next to Mapungubwe and Beitbridge to Zim is not far either. Both are however outside of the park and are normal commercial crossings.

[Bushhappyfred]

Hi Imberbe, thanks for the reply. I understand that you can only cross the river at Pontdrift into Hohowever I guess my real question is that when you are staying at Mapungubwe can you get access to the Botswana side on the basis that you are in the transfrontier park?

[Imberbe]

Simple answer ...no!

That concept has not been developed in that area to the extend that it has been developed in say the Kgalagadi. Maybe in the future?

[Senyetse]

Yes Imberbe is correct. At this stage Mapungubwe is part of the transfrontier park in the sense that the park stretches across international boundaries - allowing the cross border protection and movement of wildlife. The cross-boundary tourism aspect has not been developed yet. I'm sure it will in good time, these things usually take a while to happen, infrastructure needs to be developed, etc.

[Imberbe]

The magnificent new interpretation center that has just been completed at Mapungubwe, and which is yet to be inaugurated, has already won a prestigious international award.

It has been chosen as the best building in the world, due to a revolutionary new design. It contains for instance only 5% cement. Local building materials were used, and local women made the clay tiles on site.

The building will house the Mapungubwe museum, which holds the valuable collection of artifacts archeologists retrieved from Mapungubwe Hill, where the first Southern African king lived around the year 1000 AD.

BEELD

[Micetta]

Sure looks ecological and melting in nicely with the surroundings

[CurtisDillon]

WOW! This is great. The buildings look awesome. It is good to see something different from the normal designs.

[RayK]

Hi Imberbe,
Congratulations to Mapungubwe. I saw the building first hand and I know I was impressed.

[Josh of the Bushveld]

And Media Release here...

Was waiting for that.
From the first picture posted, the architecture looks somewhat similar to the buildings at one of the newest lodges in one of the well known private reserves adjacent to Kruger.

[Cassius]

South African architect Peter Rich has won this year's World Building of the Year Award for his Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre in the Mapungubwe National Park.

The Interpretation Centre is set on the side of a mesa, formed from the dramatic geological events that resulted in the Limpopo River changing its course from flowing into the Atlantic Ocean to discharging into the Indian Ocean. The Mapungubwe National Park celebrates the site of an ancient civilization linked to the Great Zimbabwe trading culture in the context of a natural setting that re-establishes the indigenous fauna and flora of this region.

This Centre is a poverty relief project using ecological methods and materials. The project’s agenda extended beyond the presentation of ancient and more recent history of the area to awaken an understanding of the vulnerability of the local ecology. These objectives were manifested in the construction process of the Centre in which unemployed local people were trained in the manufacture of stabilised earth tiles and in building the timbrel vaults.

The Centre is scheduled to be in operation as early as next year, some of the materials that will be on display include the famous Golden *** and clay pots. The Center will give both day and overnight visitors a tour showcasing the amazing landscapes that the National Park has to offer.

[Cassius]

The Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre is situated at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers, and is designed to house artefacts from the region’s prehistory. The project used the skills and labour of local people by involving them in the design and construction of the Centre.

[NetEk]

Mapungubwe is growing

-
- Samaria farm bought


I recently visited the park and talked to quite a few people about the progress. Apart from the big Den Staat farm all main farms within the parks boundary have been bought and theoretically the western and eastern section can be linked now. No decission seems to be taken on implementation though.

The acquiring of the Samaria farm (including the first part of important wetlands - the majority being on Den Staat) is a bit of a funny one. SANParks has agreed to keep running the orange farm for another 5 years, mainly because they can't just throw the hundreds of workers of the farm - I think.

:

Not completely accurate. The part bought of Samaria is only the western farm of 3 by the same name. The two eastern Samaria's do not belong to the park and although the game can move between the parts these are still closed to the public and is private land. Hence the signs that say no entry private land. I must say in your defence some of the "tour guides" still do not know this and will take the game drive over the private land and then look very suprised when the owners stop them and ask what they are doing on private land after telling the tourist that the land has been bought.