Soutpansberg

Soutpansberg is a region in the Limpopo Province made up of plains, mountains, bushveld and subtropical lowveld. The name Soutpansberg is Afrikaans for “salt pan mountain” and is named after the large salt pans that can be found at the base of the north-western slopes of the mountain. The Limpopo River is the source of life in this region, helping support the 500 tree species, the indigenous animal and bird life, as well as the various farms and traditional villages in the area. The Soutpansberg area is culturally diverse, being home to Afrikaners, as well as the native Sotho, Venda and maShangaan.

The Limpopo River Valley is one of the most concentrated sources of wildlife in South Africa. The region has one of the highest concentrations of leopards in the world and is considered to be a bird watchers paradise, with beautifully coloured birds like the Knysna Lourie, the Purple-Crested Lourie and the Narina Trogon all flourishing in the area of Hangklip and 300 000 hectares of land being made into 2 raptor conservancies.

Two other valleys that lie within the Soutpansberg region are the Mapungubwe and Makapane Valleys, both of which are World Heritage sites and home to South Africa’s “Big 5”, which includes lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino, as well as being home to a wide variety of South Africa’s other big game.

The major town in the area is now known as Makhado, it was formerly known as Louis Trichardt (the name of a Voortrekker leader). The town blends seamlessly into its surrounding landscape and is a rapidly growing agricultural area. Makhado can be found at the base of the Soutpansberg mountain range. The town is a great place to find some of Africa’s more tropical fruits, such as litchis, bananas and mangoes.