Comfortable guest suites
Madi a Thavha mountain lodge
Madi a Thavha is well-known for our central location in Limpopo, our focus on culture and our luxury, comfortable interiors. The accommodation consists of one 2-bedroom Guest suite, 5 Guest suites and 2 single Guest rooms. We have a central pool & lapa adjacent to the Farmhouse. The reception, our CraftArt shop and dining room is in the Farmhouse where we serve wholesome home-cooked meals on prior order.
Our Dancing Fish gallery is like a live-in cultural heritage gallery and embraces Madi a Thavha Textile & Design studio, all the CraftArt displayed in the rooms and gardens and in the Cultural Heritage centre. Here the colourful stories and customs of the region are presented on huge wall panels, explaining the meaning of bead work, spirituality in Africa, traditional music instruments and other artefacts from ancient times until today. A permanent exhibition of contemporary Limpopo CraftArt decorates the veranda.
Madi a Thavha offers guided village tours, and guests can book creative activities and cultural performances on tour in advance. Hiking and birding can be done practically from your room’s doorstep too.
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Guest suites
Our six luxury Guest suites each has its own special character and beauty inspired by the rich cultural heritage of the peoples of northern Limpopo.
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Lodge facilities
Lodging guests are free to visit our Cultural Heritage centre, Art gallery, Textile & Design studio, to hike and cycle around the lodge or to just laze around the pool and lapa. Meals and picnic baskets can be booked in the Farmhouse.
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Guest rooms
Two cheerful, luxury Guest rooms with exceptional Venda, Tsonga and Northern Sotho art and craft. The rooms are close to lodge’s restaurant, pool and amenities.
This South Africa is very interesting!
I’m French and it is the first time that I come to South Africa.. it is an amazing and beautiful place. You are very friendly. I love the colours you decorated the lodge!
Elodie, France
Activities
See and experience the lifestyles of the Venda, Tsonga and Northern Sotho peoples on our village and lifestyle tours in Northern Limpopo. If you wish we add fun, creative activities and cultural performances on tour or at the lodge. The Soutpansberg region offers unique birding, hiking and cycling opportunities. You only need to bring your own bicycles since there are no bicycle rent companies in far northern Limpopo.
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Cultural performances
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Venda life style tour
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Elim Art and Culture tour
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Creative workshop programs
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Cycling
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Levubu valley subtropical fruit basket of Limpopo
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Day walks Soutpansberg mountain
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Soutpansberg Birding trips
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Lake Fundudzi tour
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Visiting schools and community projects
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Venda Land of Legend tour
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.
To Mapungubwe World Heritage site
To Tzaneen, Magoebaskloof and Haenertsburg
To Kruger National Park Pafuri gate
To Kruger National Park Punda Maria gate
To Kruger National park Phalaborwa gate
Thank you for your warm hospitality
"We really enjoyed the attention to detail and the bright colours. Percy is an excellent chef! We will visit again and find more special birds."
Jonathan and Paulette Bloomer and Stephane van Rooyen, Pretoria RSA
Arts & Culture centre
Rural artists live close to earth. Connected to the worldwide web and being grounded in the culture of rural communities, paved the way to an exciting rural-hip style developing in the far north of South Africa – one that draw from the rich cultural heritage of the north yet also engages with modern mediums and universal politics. Our lodge is infused with this vibe, by design and by passion.
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Lucky Makamu
Characteristic mix of metal and wood in famous benches
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Madi a Thavha Textile & Design studio
These capable women run the sewing workshop at the lodge and train and support other textile-workers.
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Sasavona Kubayi
Few people can still weave traditional Tsonga grass baskets
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Avhashoni Mainganye
Versatile artist working in various mediums and master etcher
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Ezerael Tavhana
Venda storytelling in wood and functional art
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Lucky Ntimani
Traditional music instruments and wooden sculptures inspired by traditional stories
Madi a Thavha News update
The mountains and valleys of Northern Limpopo has many surprises and delightful experiences to offer; a colorful spread of cultural heritage, CraftArt and extraordinary biodiversity awaits visitors who like to explore. With our News Update you can keep your finger on the pulse of special treats, tours, workshops and new discoveries in the vibrant North. Enjoy and thank you for visiting! Find more articles here »
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Ever improving staff and services at Madi a Thavha
Busy, busy always at Madi a Thavha to keep our service up and colourful. The past few months have been full of new things and excitement at the lodge again. Would you like to volunteer at Vhutshilo mountain school for vulnerable children? Madi a Thavha supports Vhutshilo mountain school for Aids orphans and vulnerable children […]
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Woza Travel journalist loved her Venda experience with Madi a Thavha
“Venda – the word itself conjures up images of python dances, sacred forests and ancient traditional beliefs. And, in a way, it is just that; magical, cultural, friendly, welcoming,” says Sarah Bergs on her recent Woza travel blog about Madi a Thava – Woza Travel focus on Fair Trade hotels, green accredited Eco lodges, Nature […]
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How to get dung floors and rural wall-art on your city wall
Soft dung-floors and colourful wall-art on traditional Venda, Tsonga and Northern Sotho homesteads are some of the most distinct characteristics of rural Limpopo. Sadly, with modern brick-and-mortar houses being easier to build and more convenient to maintain, this wonderful indigenous art-form becomes scarcer by the day. Preserving heritage in contemporary form Rural Limpopo fortunately still […]
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Want to revive your soul – become a Baobab guardian
Each November when our giant Baobabs push out their spectacular white flowers is the best time to stop the crazy world, to rejuvenate your soul in a small 20-minute peep through a window of sheer wonder. Did you know, baobabs start to flower at the tender age of 200 years and to see a flower […]
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Limpopo’s master beaders show off their skills
This year international bead-company Preciosa Ornella invited traditional African beaders to enter a competition with the aim to encourage new, quality CraftArt done in beads. The Venda, Tsonga and Northern Sotho people in Limpopo are excellent beaders and Madi a Thavha did not hesitate to help 8 beaders from Limpopo to enter the competition. Chrystal […]
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We love seeing our people grow and glow
One of the best things in life is to witness people grow. At Madi a Thavha we are fortunate that we have seen a couple of men and women grow their inherent potential to become confident young leaders. Tebocho attended Access to Markets for Profit Workshop Tebocho Mathase, manager of the Madi a Thavha Textile […]
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2nd year as Limpopo Craft Flagship focus on marketing
In September, we enter our second year as the National Arts Council’s Craft Flagship in Limpopo. During year two, more focus will be on marketing. Madi a Thavha is busy building a showroom in Parkhurst where Limpopo artists can exhibit and we are currently identifying places and events in Joburg and other big cities where […]
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Subscribe to our News update
To collect travel tips and news bits from us on CraftArt and cultural happenings in northern Limpopo and our Madi a Thavha CraftArt centre at Victoria Yards in Joburg.