From semi-arid regions to thick mists and lush forests, the Soutpansberg area has it all
Bridget Hilton-Barber
No one can accuse the Soutpansberg of being namby-pamby. Out here, in the north of the Northern Province, the spaces are big, the scenery dramatic and the history suitably torrid. There are still unspoiled wilderness areas, the destinations are mostly wild and secluded – none of those twee Alpine-style cottages you get all over Mpumalanga – and the sunsets are arguably the finest in the country.
Take good walking shoes and a solid cooler box. South Africa’s northernmost mountain range rises abruptly in the west, near the forgotten village of Vivo, and stretches east for some 130km in a series of wild peaks and troughs before petering out, exhausted, near the northern boundary of the Kruger National Park.
The western end is semi-arid and scrubby and as you move east, it slowly turns into a high rainfall zone with thick mists and deep forests.
For those who know it, the Soutpansberg brings out great oohs and aahs of approval. Whether you’re into walking quietly about remote bush camps with a good pair of binos, saddling up with a backpack and heading into the hills, or just rambling around with a picnic basket, this place really does seem to have it all.
Just remember there were floods up here recently, so if you’re planning on day drives, bring a strong car and a decent large-scale map. In fact, you may want to lose the knee rug and thermos flask altogether, and settle for something a little stronger. The Soutpansberg, as I said, is not a namby-pamby place.
But it’s fun. Lots of fun. The range of vegetation here will bring out the tree- hugger and Bambi-lover in even the most hardened – and the local stories and legends will capture your imagination.
Louis Trichardt is the main centre of the Soutpansberg, a handsome rural town with wide streets and good biltong butcheries. A far cry indeed from 100E000 years ago when the area was inhabited by Stone Age hunter-gatherers – and later, the intrepid San. They were followed by the ancestors of the Vha Venda, maShangaan and isiSotho people, believed to have crossed the Limpopo river in a series of migrational waves starting in the 12th century.
The first European records begin with the arrival of pioneer and outlaw Coenraad de Buys in the 1820s. A giant of a man, De Buys fled the Cape colony with a bounty on his head and trekked north with a band of loyal and hardy followers.
He fell in love and married a black woman named Elizabeth, starting the region’s first coloured settlement called Buysdorp. When his beloved Elizabeth died, goes the story, De Buys vanished into the hills and was never, ever seen again.
Things to do:
l Imagine yourself holding the reins of a Voortrekker oxwagon. Visit the Schoemansdal Museum, 15km from Louis Trichardt, which has an authentic display of a Voortrekker laager and comprehensive memorabilia from the times when this town was overrun with unsavoury renegades and transport riders, while out in the beyond lay hostile tribes and malaria. The museum also has a small but fascinating section on the history and pre-history of the area. And you can even visit the grave of trek leader Andries Potgieter, if you must.
l Take a day drive through Bluegumspoort – a scenic mountain pass in the foothills of the Soutpansberg. Or head north through Wylie’s Poort – an impressive pair of tunnels that cut through the heart of the Soutpansberg – and spend a day at the Messina Baobab Reserve, which boasts hundreds of the famous upside-down trees. West of Louis Trichardt, you’ll find vultures and raptors galore in the wilds of the Blouberg Mountain & Nature Reserve. East, you’ll find Elim, a village with a small museum commemorating the work of Swiss doctors and missionaries in South Africa.
l Take a hike. There are a variety of good walks up here from one-day outings to four-day epics. The Hanglip Section has a one-day 18km route, the Baobab trail is 25km, the Limpopo Wilderness trail is a three-day route and the Mabudo Shango Trail is 55km over four days. And there are lots more. The plateaus and cliffs, ravines and valleys make for unforgettable hiking.
Places to stay
Buzzard Mountain Retreat: It’s right at the top of the Soutpansberg – and accessible only by 4×4. If you haven’t got one, the owner will drive you up and drop you off. There are two stone cottages with stoeps, and a series of wooden huts. All are self-catering – and none have electricity. From here you can romp in a rock pool on the edge of a cliff, walk through dense forests or climb up to World’s End, a viewpoint that’ll make you weak with pleasure. Book on Tel: (015) 516 4896.
Lesheba Wilderness: Climb above the clouds they say, walk with the rhino. This is Lesheba Wilderness, a magical game farm at the western end of the Soutpansberg. Stay in a series of bush camps from which you can explore the valleys, and forests, wide open plains and spectacular gorges. Book on Tel: (011) 648 1966 or e-mail to [email protected].
Medikwe: A delightfully unusual place set in the foothils of the Soutpansberg, about 40km west of Louis Trichardt. Here you can either stay in Pioneer’s Cottage, a lovely old house in the middle of the bush – or at Boulder’s Cottage, a charming place that’s been built around the natural overhang of a cave. Glorious peace and quiet and wonderful walks along the Sand River Gorge, whose cliffs and caves sport a wealth of ancient San art work. Book on Tel: (015) 516 0481, 082 893 2958 or e-mail to [email protected].
Ben Lavin Nature Reserve: Beautiful views, archaeological sites dating back to 1250AD; birds, trees, mountain bike and walking trails, a variety of accommodation from self-catering chalets to a luxury tented camp and private bush camp for up to 20. Book on Tel: (015) 516 4534 or e-mail to [email protected]
Shiluvari Lakeside Lodge: About 25km from Louis Trichardt, with a sweeping view over the lake to the Soutpansberg beyond, set in a small nature conservancy; they’ll take you into the heart of Venda and Shangaan traditional life, including the history, the legends, musical and dance traditions and arts and crafts. Book on Tel: (015) 556 3406.
For more information on the area call the Soutpansberg Marketing & Tourism Association on Tel: (015) 516 0040 or e-mail [email protected]