Nwanedi Game Reserve, Limpopo (original) (raw)

Lying west of the northern reaches of the Kruger National Park, Nwanedi Game Reserve is particularly scenic situated as it is in the foothills of the Venda Mountains in the foothills of the Soutpansberg.

Did you know? The lifespan of the Baobab trees is great and there are specimens in South Africa as old as 3000 years. Even the average baobab on the side of the road is 350 years old.

The Nwanedi Game Reserve is home to a rich supply of animals who take advantage of the effortless landscape dominated by umbrella thorn savannah, patches of mopani and gorgeous baobab trees. The bushveld thickens into lushness the closer one heads to the mountains changing the landscape entirely.

Nwanedi, as its proximity to the Venda mountains implies, lies in the Venda region of Limpopo, where the shrouded mystery of the sacred Lake Fundudzi lies just south west of Nwanedi, as does the Holy Forest of Thathe Vondo.

This mountainous and remote part of the Limpopo is worth every extra effort it takes to reach this space of legend, water spirits, guardians of hidden lakes and secret burial places.

Nwanedi itself boasts a fair number of white rhino who have made the 9 300 hectare reserve their home, and accommodation is to be had in chalets in the foothills of the Soutpansberg Mountains, beside one of the two beautiful dams available at Nwanedi.

One of the secrets of the Game Reserve is their spectacular waterfall, known as Tshihovhohovho Falls, its sides hewn with natural ledges that allow for incredible jumps into the water below.

To get there take the R525 from Thipise towards the Pafuri Gate. Expect to see antelopes, giraffe, rhino and, if you are lucky, a leopard. Birding, hiking, 4x4 trails, game viewing and fishing are all on the menu.