Play and feel colourful Limpopo!
Activities
Would you like to play? If you like to feel, hear and experience colourful Limpopo, this interactive way is probably cut out for you. We offer guided village tours, creative activities, cultural performances, cycling at and from the lodge with excellent birding and hiking opportunities in the Soutpansberg and surrounds. Sitting central in Northern Limpopo, Madi a Thavha mountain lodge is a popular stop close to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mapungubwe, Kruger Park North and the subtropical green belt of Levubu and Tzaneen.
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Venda life style tour
The lifestyle tour offers a mixture of modern and traditional life in predominantly TshiVenda-speaking areas. It goes through rural villages and end up in Thohoyandou, meaning Head of the Elephant, the capital of Venda and surroundings. See how and where most rural Venda households grind their maize meal Follow the N 1 to the north and […]
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Activities for children
Active and creative fun for the whole family – Madi a Thavha offers lots of opportunities for kids and their parents to experience a special and exciting holiday. Fun in Nature, at the Lodge or in rural villages We provide fun activities for adults and children either in the comfort of the lodge or on tour […]
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Lake Fundudzi tour
Lake Fundudzi, Phiphidi waterfalls and the indigenous Thathe Vondo forest are some of the most sacred sites of the Vhavhenda people and an integral part of their spirituality. Rather consult a tour guide The tour to the sacred Lake Fundudzi and Thathe Vondo forest can be done as a day trip, starting at Madi a […]
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Mountain biking and cycling
Madi a Thavha is one of the lodges tipped by the local cycling clubs as “cycle friendly accommodation” in the area. We offer guided cycle routes to villages nearby with our own bicycles. The Soutpansberg has lots of exciting opportunities for serious and fun cyclers too. Bicycles at Lodge We have 7 bicycles and 2 […]
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Venda Land of Legend tour
This tour takes visitors to the north of Venda with its amazing Baobab trees, quaint villages, raw beauty and famous artists. If you have time also see the biggest Boabab tree in the region and the modern Oprah-school with its eco-friendly design in the deepest of the Venda mountains. Head North-East through Nzhelele valley in […]
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Visiting schools and community projects
We like to share our involvement with social development and education projects with our guests and offer them the opportunity to visit them.Guests can visit the children of our staff at the houses of their relatives in Tshiozwi by car or mountain bike. The children love showing their living environment and village. Tswelopele crèche, Vele […]
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Creative workshop programs
The talented artists and crafters of Limpopo are also first-rate teachers. A few days working with a master in a rural village can be a life changing experience. Relaxed, creative atmosphere and patient teachers The artists and crafters of Northern Limpopo are not only talented people but also excellent teachers. They like to share their […]
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Day walks Soutpansberg mountain
Apart from our own Baobab circular route and few others at Madi a Thavha, hiking through local villages can also be arranged for those who like to experience culture in a more inter-active mode. Part of Vhembe Biosphere reserve Madi a Thavha, like all the reserves and farms in and around the Soutpansberg forms part […]
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Birding trips
There are rare birds in Limpopo, high on birders’ covet and bucket lists – this is only region in South Africa where you can, if you are lucky and persistent, see the Mottled Spinetail. Birdlife SA guide Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge offers guided birding trips to Birding hot spots of choice with Samson Mulaudzi, a […]
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Elim Arts and Culture tour
This tour introduces you to colourful Elim and surrounding villages where we visit the workshops of a wide variety of artists and crafters. Here we advise guests to make use of the services of a local tour guide, since many places are not that easy to find. Daily township life in Tshikota and Indian shops […]
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Cultural performances
Swinging entertainment with local performers. Few peoples can sing and dance like the Africans with their inborn rhythm and captivating ability to fill the air with their strong voices and rich harmonious songs.
Our tour guides
Marcelle Bosch Musa Matchume Alfred Ramolefo Samson Mulaudzi
A ‘feel good’ experience!
This lodge’s involvement in the social, cultural and natural assets of their region is truly a big step forward to sustainable tourism from every point of view. To stay at Madi a Thavha is a feel good experience too!"
Hano Boekhold – Tanzania
Routes
Sitting central in Northern Limpopo Madi a Thavha mountain lodge make for a popular stay over very close to Botswana, Zimbabwe and for the more adventurous 4x4 drivers also close to Mozambique. We are well-situated to do wonderful day trips to Mapungubwe, the two most northern gates of the National Kruger Park, Pafuri and Punda Maria and the subtropical green belts of the Levubu valley and the Wolkberge in Tzaneen.
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To Kruger National park Phalaborwa gate
Traversing Limpopo from Bosveld to Lowveld via vibrant Elim, the Tsonga open air museum in Letsitele and Kaross’ brilliant embroidered works. A photographer’s dream, the whole route. The scenic route from Madi a Thavha to Phalaborwa gate. From Madi a Thavha, first ensure your camera-battery is loaded and ready. You drive to vibrant Elim first. There you […]
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To Mapungubwe World Heritage site
Golden rhino, ancient civilizations, big game and award winning architecture at Mapungubwe World Heritage site confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe,where many generations left their footprints; from Iron age peoples to San hunters, earlier Venda tribes, ivory hunters and settlers. Where two wide African rivers and three robust countries meet. At the confluence of the […]
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To Kruger National Park Punda Maria gate
Enjoy our hip, rural region. See wonderful and original art along the road. Experience the vibe of Thohoyandou on your way to Punda gate. First stop Elim. This is a route from Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge to the Punda Maria gate of the Kruger National park, approximately 150 km east of our lodge along […]
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To Tzaneen, Magoebaskloof and Haenertsburg
Enjoy more of the green, subtropical parts of Limpopo. Lush Tzaneen and Magoebaskloof in the Wolkberge From Madi a Thavha go to and drive through Louis Trichardt / Makhado. When you get to the N1 turn to the right/south direction Polokwane. Drive for 38 kilometres on the N 1 and just before the Capricorn Tollgate turn […]
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To Kruger National Park Pafuri gate
Boababs galore on this unusual and scenic rural route to Pafuri, the most northern gate of Kruger National Park. One of only two border posts (for 4×4 adventurers) to Mozambique is also tucked in at ‘Crooks corner’ where South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique’s borders intersect. Scenic route through the mountains and valleys of Venda land. […]
Thank you all at Madi a Thavha, it was a wonderful stay and more!
"It was an experience – it is great to understand more fully the cultural side of Limpopo and its people."
Gary Clare, Georgie, Tonie Harris, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
Arts & Culture centre
Rural artists and crafters have the novelty of being only a mobile-click away from the big wide world yet, living closer to the earth, they have time to reflect and to be grounded in the Ubuntu culture of rural communities. This paved the way to a unique and exciting rural hip style developing in the far north of South Africa - a style drawing from the rich heritage of the northern peoples yet, one that very much engage with modern mediums and universal politics. Our lodge is infused with this vibe, by design and by passion.
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Elisah Maluleke
Colorful beaded and embroidered wall hangings Tsonga style
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Justice Mugwena
Contemporary sensual wooden sculptures and benches
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David Murathi
Traditional wooden scultures and beautiful sculpted interior products
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Homu Minceka White
Traditional Tsonga beaded textiles and objects, also of spiritual significance
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Amorous Maswanganye
Colourful wooden sculptures often pieces with social comment
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Hlamarisa Vuma
Rich tradition of beading in rural Tsonga communities, high skills levels too
Just as beautiful as the region so lovely the lodge.
"Here we’ve seen ‘real Africa’ for the first time. The hike in the mountain was lovely too".
Hans Mirjam, Els, Bas, The Netherlands
Madi a Thavha travel magazine
Welcome to our Travel magazine and blog! It will be updated four times per year with travel tips, new developments and news of what's happening on the vibrant northern frontiers of South Africa. We will also keep you in the loop of Madi a Thavha mountain lodge's special tours, workshops, new packages or specials here. Thank you for visiting, hope to see you soon again!
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Unique art exhibition Dec-Jan 2015 at lodge
Well-known Zimbabwean artist Nonny Mathe applies different mediums and techniques like batik and acryl paint on textile and canvas. The maize flour resist she uses to create the cracking effect, give her work striking layers of texture and depth. Her paintings are mainly abstract and semi-abstract with moving figures captured in bold, rich colours. Workshop […]
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Welcome to our NEW rural-hip website!
Pam-pam-pam……welcome to Madi a Thavha mountain lodge’s new website! What has changed? You now have an easy-click virtual “coffee-table-travellers’ guide” to vibrant Northern Limpopo, literally at the tip of your thumbs. Your homework of what to do and see and where to stay in Northern Limpopo all ready on a silver plate – and a mobile […]
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Baobab special 14 Nov-14 Dec this year
A flowering Baobab tree is a spectacular botanical sight! It has the most unusual delicate flowers, budding pure white against the solid, plump arms and fresh leaves of these African giants. Madi a Thavha mountain lodge is situated in the southern part of the Boabab-belt of South Africa and flowering time here is from October untill December. […]
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Sustainable tourism is a daily passion and lifestyle
Besides running the lodge, Madi a Thavha is deeply involved with development programmes, often in partnership with like-minded NGO’s, community organisations and individuals. We strongly feel that it is important to share the skills that we developed at Madi a Thavha in the field of arts, crafts and sewing, business development, cooking and housekeeping. We […]
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