The African Ivory Route (Wilderness, Wildlife, Culture and Brilliant 4×4 routes)

Depart after breakfast.

The road network will take us north-east into rural South Africa, until we meet the Olifants river where it has through the millennia cut its way from the highveld plateau into the wilderness of the wild lowveld region.

A 4×4 track will lead us away from the river into the mountains to an undiscovered gem – Marula  community campsite. 

Camping under the African stars – stuff of dreams .. 

Depart after breakfast.

We make our way back to the Olifants river, cross the river and proceed into the Strydpoort mountains. 

We now follow ancient ox wagon tracks across the mountains and valleys, until we reach our overnight stop at the top of the Drakensberg escarpment – Mafefe community campsite. 

And once again we will be silenced by the night sounds of un-touched nature…

A day full of surprises !!

Afro-montane forests …

The Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve is an immense 18 718 ha mountain wilderness area of protected escarpment, scenic landscape, mountain vegetation and wildlife.

“The place of water”, this is where many of the prominent rivers of the Lowveld originate. In the Wolkberg Mountains, which form part of the world – famous Drakensberg mountain range, the reserve offers a diversity of plant and insect species. It is also world renowned for its rare butterfly species.

Ancient Baobabs ….

….One story goes that the god Thora did not like the baobab growing in his garden, so he plucked it out and threw it out over the wall of Paradise. It fell on the Earth below, landing upside down and simply continued to grow…….

And a  small village with a BIG history, and a lovely “Wild West” bushveld hotel……….

Leydsdorp, the smallest city in South Africa and once the capital of the Lowveld, was named in honour of President Paul Kruger’s secretary of state, Dr William Leyd.

Having shot his first lion at the age of twelve, Paul Kruger was a keen hunter and used to visit his hunting house in Leydsdorp (which can still be seen today) on a regular basis. In fact, he enjoyed it so much, that when he needed to put his signature on a few important documents that were only allowed to be signed in a city, he proclaimed it as such.

And thus Leydsdorp was proclaimed an official city on 1 October 1890. However, the history of Leydsdorp started as early as 1870 with the discovery of gold, the extent of which was fully recognised in 1887/8, starting the 2nd gold rush in South Africa. Sadly, just when uncle Paul thought he could maintain state control over the mining through the proclamation of the area as the Selati Goldfields, the sudden and rapid boom ended as quickly as it had started.

Depart for the Letaba Ranch sector of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park will link the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique; Kruger National Park in South Africa; Gonarezhou National Park, Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe, as well as two areas between Kruger and Gonarezhou, namely the Sengwe communal land in Zimbabwe and the Makuleke region in South Africa into one huge conservation area of 35 000 km²

We enter the Park through a non-tourist service gate, and slowly make our way deeper into this pristine wilderness. The Letaba Ranch sector is well known for its big herds of Buffalo, Elephant breeding herds and packs of Wild Dogs!

Our camp site tonight is in the heart of BIG 5 territory …..

Typical talk around the morning camp fire: “Have you heard the Hyaena last night…Yes, and did you hear the Lions roar….No, but I heard the alarm “bark” of a Bushbuck…. !”

After a picnic lunch, we slowly drive up the Great Letaba river, enjoy a sundowner drink or two …

before arriving at the beautifully situated Mtomeni Tented Camp – luxury in the bush !