Mapungubwe National park

The great ruins at Mapungubwe, in the Limpopo River Valley, show remains of the first and greatest ever South African kingdom to have flourished. Mapungubwe shows remains of human occupation in and around 850 AD (two and a half centuries before Great Zimbabwe). The most significant find at Mapungubwe was a gold rhinoceros and gold bowl dating back to around 1200 AD. The artefacts at Mapungubwe illustrate a flourishing trade and advanced social systems of African kingdoms in the 13th century.

Waterberg Region

Vaalwater is the central village of the Waterberg area, the heart of the Bushveld region.  The Waterberg has been described as South Africa’s best keep secret.  Its rugged beauty, together with its diversity in plant- and animal life, has led to the development of several exciting eco-tourism projects such as the biosphere reserve -  the Waterberg Nature Conservancy - the amalgamation of  conservation areas in order to protect  more than 150 000 hectares of the Waterberg-habitat.
The Waterberg-range, incorporating  many rivers, streams and swamps, stretches for 150 kilometres in a long arc from Thabazimbi in the West, Nylstroom in the centre to Potgietersrus in the east. Apart from the spectacular scenery of the mountains themselves, there are many game sanctuaries, nature reserves and farms, many offering accommodation.