South African Airways

The big daddy of SA’s game reserves, the Kruger is brilliant. The Big Five are all here in their natural environment: elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino and leopard. They’re elusive, but you can almost guarantee great sightings if you join a game drive with a ranger. You’d be very unfortunate not to spot everything except leopards and lions on a self-drive, too. The Kruger is 360km long and 65km wide – don’t be too ambitious in the distance you aim to cover. Drive slowly and stop often for sightings. High-end accommodation involves private luxury lodges with butlers and game rangers who practically deliver the animals to your door. Visitors can also opt for cheaper, self-catering chalets or tents permanently pitched on raised wooden platforms near communal facilities.

This challenging guided trail is one for hardened adventurers. It follows the border of the Kruger for 250km and takes about 100 hours to complete. All drivers and passengers must be completely self-sufficient, as there are no ablution facilities or drinking-water stops along the way. It involves rugged terrain, with river crossings and steep slopes and temperatures can top 40°C in summer. You’ll probably see the Big Five en route, but it’s not the easiest way to find them!

Masorini is a restored village that dates back to the Stone Age. Restoration began in 1973 and excavations revealed insights into domestic life and trade and commerce in the hunter-gatherer era. Dome-shaped furnaces used to smelt iron ore were uncovered and the spears, farming tools and arrowheads made there were discovered. The local BaPhalaborwa people have now renovated the huts as well and there’s museum at the site. It’s 11km from the Phalaborwa Gate.

Letaba Ranch is a large provincial park run by the Limpopo Tourism Agency. The unfenced reserve borders the Kruger and the area is particularly good for elephant and buffalo sightings. You can stay in the Mtomeni tented camp and set off on walking trails every day. The route and length are determined by the weather and the movement of game, with a combination of full day, morning and evening walks. The camp has twin-bed tents and communal dining areas, where your guide prepares meals around a fire.

Amarula is a delicious cream liqueur made from the marula fruit, which are abundant in Limpopo. The lapa near Phalaborwa Gate is a small exhibition-cum-drinking space, where you can learn about the drink, stock up on a few bottles and buy memorabilia.

This small museum records the rich mining history of Limpopo and the sector’s importance for the local economy. It includes the Big Hole, an open-cast mine an impressive 20km wide and 450m deep. The museum showcases ancient smelting techniques used when the Sotho people first mined for copper and iron ore. The museum is in Phalaborwa’s oldest house in Koper St.