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Phalaborwa Gate Trip back in time to a beautifully restored Stone Age village in Kruger National Park
Situated on top of the picturesque Masorini Hill 11km from Phalaborwa entrance gate on the road to Letaba camp, Masorini offers a glimpse of an organized economy that existed before the arrival of European settlers in South Africa.
The village also gives insight into the lifestyle of the Stone Age hunter-gathering society that formed an integral part of the natural environment in Kruger National Park.
Excavations exposed hut floors and artefacts that gave clues to their way of life, homes, iron foundries and commerce. Dome shaped clay furnaces were used to smelt the iron ore and moulded into spears, arrowheads and farming tools. These items were traded for glass beads, ivory, animal products and food between the BaPhalaborwa at Masorini, the Venda in the North and later, the Portuguese on the east coast.
Archaeological and ethnographic research ensured that the reconstructions are as authentic as possible. Local BaPhalaborwa people renovated the huts have recently and there is a site museum and picnic spot at the base of Masorini Hill. Enjoy the fabulous views from the top!
Guided tours to the huts and furnace depart from the museum.
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Restaurants near
Valley of the Olifants
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
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Tzaneen (62.5 km from Valley of the Olifants) This well-known attraction inside the Hans Merensky Nature Reserve is built exclusively of traditional materials.
Tsonga Kraal Museum is an open-air reconstructed village showcasing the many traditional building styles of the Tsonga people who originated from southern Mozambique.
Friendly and animated guides bring the village to life as they perform the traditions of the North Tsonga.
Another Limpopo museum like it is Bakone Malapa Museum near Polokwane.
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Polokwane (Pietersburg) (74.6 km from Valley of the Olifants) The stylish Bakone Malapa Museum is a wonderful place to experience the rich culture of the BaSotho people.
The Bakone, a highly sophisticated subgroup of the Northern Sotho tribe, will give you a warm welcome and enthusiastically share their contemporary and traditional customs.
The guides are superb story tellers and the village becomes alive as they take you on a journey through their traditional way of life.
Considered a living museum, the Bakone tribesmen practise long-standing traditions to explain the traditions of Africa’s people. Another reconstructed village like it is the open-air Tsonga Museum near Tzaneen.
Bakone Malapa is built in the style used by the northern Sotho 250 years ago and demonstrates the daily life of the Bakone clan.
Two homesteads exhibit and explain fire making, maize grinding and beer brewing in the traditional manner. Handcraft demonstrations include pottery, basketry and bead work. Most of these locally-made creations are sold from the onsite craft shop.
And that’s not all – the museum and cultural village has a bird sanctuary, wildlife reserve, hiking trails and outdoor recreation areas.
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Polokwane (Pietersburg) (76.2 km from Valley of the Olifants) Take a trip back in time and catch glimpses of yesteryear at the Hugh Exton Photographic Museum.
Boasting a 23 000-strong cultural and historical photo collection taken between 1892 and 1945, the museum is well worth a visit.
Valuable original glass negatives capture the fascinating first few years of the town’s history on celluloid taken by photographer, Hugh Exton. The collection unlocks the mysteries of Polokwane’s bygone era with of images of architecture, industry, clothing, trade and famous town residents.
The museum is housed in the beautiful 1890s Dutch Reformed church. Bookings are essential. +27 (0)15 290 2186
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Polokwane (Pietersburg) (76.3 km from Valley of the Olifants) Conveniently situated across the road from the Hugh Exton Photographic Museum and Civic Centre, Polokwane Museum is an excellent spot to while away a few hours.
Occupying a lovely late Victorian shop built in 1906; the building was beautifully restored in 1986 and is now a National Monument.
Here you can discover the secrets of this city and surrounding region as well as Stone Age and Iron Age artefacts. A highlight of the museum is a display depicting the colourful traditional cultures of Limpopo people.
Complete your trip back in time and stroll across the street to the Hugh Exton Photographic Museum for an insight into the gold rush days of Polokwane's beginnings.
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