Region
Limpopo
Sleep in Hoedspruit for Kruger's central-north gates, Polokwane for the N1 and Mapungubwe, Tzaneen or Haenertsburg for the mountains; 3 nights if you stay in one base, more if you split.
Key facts · South Africa
- Best months
- Apr–Sep
- Currency
- South African rand
- Language
- 12 official languages
- Plugs
- M · C · N · 230 V
- Time zone
- South Africa Standard Time
Rules in force · 8Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive befor…
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- Southern Africa ↗A rental car may leave its home country only with the rental company's cross-border letter, the registration papers and paid road taxes at each post; driving into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique or Angola without them ends at the border.
- Southern Africa ↗Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive before sunset: livestock, wildlife, pedestrians and unlit trucks make night driving the main cause of serious visitor accidents.
- South Africa ↗Check visa and entry rules for your passport with the Department of Home Affairs or a South African mission before booking; exemptions depend on nationality, and the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is optional for most visa-exempt visitors in 2026.
- South Africa ↗Travelling with children: accompanied foreign children no longer need a birth certificate, but unaccompanied minors, South African children and some passports that omit parents' names still do; check with Home Affairs and your airline before you fly.
- South Africa ↗Driving is on the left. If your licence is not in English or has no photo, get an International Driving Permit before you travel; rental companies also check it.
- South Africa ↗National park gates open and close at fixed times; you must be inside your camp before the gate closes, and speed limits in parks are enforced.
Limpopo is South Africa's northernmost province, bordering Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and it holds the quieter half of the Kruger National Park plus the Waterberg bushveld, the Soutpansberg mountains and the Mapungubwe ruins. It is a driving province: distances are long, public transport between towns is thin, and the good stuff sits at the end of a gravel or tar road. Pick one or two bases rather than touring the whole province.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- HoedspruitPlanned
Gateway to Kruger's central-north gates and the private reserves; has an airport with Johannesburg flights.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- PolokwanePlanned
Provincial capital on the N1; airport 5 km from town, car hire at the terminal.Provincial capital on the N1; airport 3.1 mi from town, car hire at the terminal.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- TzaneenPlanned
Green foothills of the Magoebaskloof; good for the Wolkberg and forest country.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Day trip
- PhalaborwaPlanned
Town at Kruger's western gate; lowveld heat, up to 45 °C in summer.Town at Kruger's western gate; lowveld heat, up to 113 °F in summer.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- ThohoyandouPlanned
Venda heartland base for the Soutpansberg and Lake Fundudzi country.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- GiyaniPlanned
Eastern lowveld town on the road toward the Kruger's far north.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- HaenertsburgPlanned
Small mountain village on the R71; trout country and forest walks.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- OhrigstadPlanned
Panorama-route edge town below the Blyde River canyon area.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Hoedspruit 3 — self-drive or guided Kruger north plus one private reserve
- 5 nights
- Hoedspruit 3 + Tzaneen or Haenertsburg 2 for the mountains
- 7 nights
- Polokwane 1 + Waterberg 2 + Hoedspruit 4
- Limpopo is bigger than it looks on a map: Polokwane to Hoedspruit is roughly a half-day drive, and Mapungubwe is further still.
- Summer lowveld heat is real — Phalaborwa has recorded around 45 °C. Start game drives at first light.Summer lowveld heat is real — Phalaborwa has recorded around 113 °F. Start game drives at first light.
- Do not walk in deserted places or alone at night; lock car doors and keep windows closed in town.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kruger National Park (Orpen or Phalaborwa gate) | Hoedspruit | 60 min | unknown | Orpen gate is the closest; the park's far north is hours further. Gate times change with the season — be inside well before closing. |
| Phalaborwa | Hoedspruit | 90 min | unknown | Kruger's western gate town; fill up with fuel before entering the park. |
| Wolkberg Wilderness Area | Tzaneen | 60 min | unknown | Hiking area; go with a group and check access before setting out. |
| Mapungubwe National Park | Polokwane | 240 min | unknown | Long drive to the far north; better as an overnight than a day trip. |
Bags between cities
Luggage forwarding between lodges is not a standard service here; plan to carry your own bags between bases.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa (country-wide) | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowveld and Kruger northHoedspruit, Phalaborwa, Giyani | hot | hot | hot | ok | best | best | best | best | ok | hot | hot | hot |
| Highveld and mountainsPolokwane, Tzaneen, Haenertsburg, Soutpansberg | ok | ok | ok | best | best | ok | ok | ok | best | best | ok | ok |
- Lowveld and Kruger north
- Hot and humid October to March, with summer highs in the low 30s °C and Phalaborwa known to reach the mid 40s; the dry, mild winter from May to September is the best game-viewing window as vegetation thins.
- Highveld and mountains
- Summer temperatures around 27 °C and cooler nights up in the Soutpansberg; winter mornings can be cold at altitude.Summer temperatures around 81 °F and cooler nights up in the Soutpansberg; winter mornings can be cold at altitude.
The province has almost year-round sunshine. May to September is the dry season and the standard safari window, matching the lowveld ratings; the bush is greenest and the birding best from November to March.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg (O.R. Tambo) | Polokwane | N1 north by car | ~3 h 30 | The main road in; the N1 continues through the province toward Harare. |
| Johannesburg | Hoedspruit | Domestic flight | check | Hoedspruit has an airport with regular Johannesburg flights; add transfer time at both ends. The alternative is a 5–6 h drive. |
| Johannesburg | Polokwane | Domestic flight to Polokwane International | check | Check whether a scheduled service is running; the airport is about 5 km from town with no bus service, but car-hire kiosks and taxis at the terminal.Check whether a scheduled service is running; the airport is about 3.1 mi from town with no bus service, but car-hire kiosks and taxis at the terminal. |
| Cape Town | Polokwane | N1 via Bloemfontein and Gauteng | ~17 h drive | Fly rather than drive this one; the N1 route is long and mostly for those already touring. |
Regional passes
Kruger conservation fee
buyPaid per person per day at the gate for Kruger; South African residents and citizens pay a lower rate than international visitors. Check current fees.
Wild Card (SANParks)
checkPays off only if you visit several SANParks over a year; run the numbers against your park days.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Braai and grilled game | Lodges and farmstalls across the province | Most lodges include dinner; self-catering units have braai stands. |
| Biltong and droëwors | Polokwane and roadside farmstalls | Buy from a busy stall; it keeps well for the drive. |
| Venda and Tsonga home cooking | Thohoyandou and Giyani | Look for mopane worms, groundnut relishes and pap; ask what is in season. |
| Trout | Haenertsburg and the Magoebaskloof | Mountain streams; several farm restaurants serve it. |
| Mangoes and subtropical fruit | Tzaneen and the Letaba valley | Harvest season is roughly November to February; roadside stalls sell direct. |
Go next
South Africa
N1 south to Gauteng, or fly from Hoedspruit or Polokwane
The country page has the Cape, Garden Route and Kruger planning.
KwaZulu-Natal
plannedDrive south via Mpumalanga, or fly via Johannesburg
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and the iSimangaliso wetlands.
Cape Town and the Western Cape
Fly from Hoedspruit or Polokwane via Johannesburg
The usual second half of a South Africa trip.
Cape Town
Fly via Johannesburg, ~4 h total
City base for the Western Cape.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source