trip planning
Length of Stay
Weekend Getaway
This region is close enough to Pretoria/Johannesburg for a weekend's birding. Leaving friday afternoon one would have a good day and a half of birding. There is enough diversity of habitat types within a short distance of each other for birding to be rewarded and for you to get good species totals.
Long Weekend
Spend Thursday and Friday at the same accommodation and then Saturday and Sunday in a different area. In this way you will cover two areas in one trip.
Longer visits
In 5-10 days you should clock up an impressive bird list. Try to cover as many habitats as possible. Contact our BirdLife Travel office for suggested routes and to help you get the best out of your visit.
Land Use, People and Access for Birdwatching
Three national parks, one World Heritage Site (Mapungubwe) and a number of provincial parks are found within the region. The land use is mostly for eco-tourism, cattle and game farming. Most of the land in the western and central parts of the region is privately owned.
English is the most commonly spoken language across all cultural groups. In the far north-east one enters communal land where Venda-speaking people live. Pedi speakers inhabit most of the central and western parts of the province while Tsonga-spoeaking people live mainly in the extreme eastern parts.
Please respect all land tenure, whether communal or private. Be aware, when birding along the roadsides, that you may not enter any property without the owner's permission. If you want to bird on communal land, ask to speak to the headman before venturing off the main road. Local people are usually very friendly and happy for you to see their area, but it is necessary to observe their protocols.
Road Conditions and Signboarding
The road infrastructure throughout the area is good and a sedan car will get you around to most places. There are a number of international well known hire companies operating within Suth Africa.
South Africans drive on the left-hand sidfe of the road. The general speed limiit in South Africa is 120km/h on the main highways, 80 to 100km/h on other roads except in residential areas where it is restricted to 60km/h. You are restricted to 40km/h in game reserves and protected areas.
Road sign boarding is good throughout the region, except for parts of the North-Eastern Venda north of Thohoyandou. Here you must use your good sense and ask for directions when not sure. The people in the region are friendly and usually happy to help.
How safe is it to travel in South Africa?
This is always a major worry for visitors to South Africa, as our high crime rate is very well publicised! The region and province is generally very safe for tourists however petty theft, car break-ins etc do happen (but probably no more than anywhere else in the world).
When travelling do not leave valuables visible, keep you wallet, passport, mobile phone etc on you at all times, especially in towns. Game Reserves are generally free of any crime. When banking or using ATM's be on you guard as this is where most theft and muggings occur. Never let anyone offer you help with your banking. Be alert and aware of what is happening around you. Ask first if you are uncertain about visiting certain areas. Lodges, B&Bs etc can offer valuable advice.
Health
There is a danger of malaria during summer in the Kruger National Park, north of the Soutpansberg and east of Letsitele. If visiting these areas during the summer months, please consult your doctor on the appropriate malaria prophylactics to take and administer insect repellents before and after sunset.
Climate
This is a summer rainfall area. In the summer, the mountains are often cool and moist in contrast to the Limpopo Valley, which can become very hot. Winters are mild throughout the area but the mountainous regions can be cold at night.
International Dialing Codes
When phoning from abroad the code is +27 (0) (ie ignore the zeros which preced the local dialing codes). When dialing abroad from South Africa the Internal code is 00 then the respective country code, eg dialing the UK would be 0044 [number].