Popular Attractions
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Letsitele Just outside the little town of Letsitele is the workshop of one of the most impressive craft projects in Limpopo.
Hundreds of local ‘Karosswerkers’ embroider intricate and unusual designs inspired by their lives and environment. These eye-catching ethnic creations take the form of useful mats, cushion covers, bags, clothing jewellery and artworks.
Home to the Shangaan and Sotho people, Kaross Workers encourages their rich tradition of embroidery and art, creating diverse possibilities for a healthy exchange among artists.
Open Monday to Thursday 07:00 - 17:00, Friday 07:00 - 14:30.
Things to do near
Letsitele
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Big Event Venues
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Tzaneen (10.8 km from Letsitele) Tzaneen Convention Centre combines outstanding conference facilities with state of the art equipment and luxury accommodation.The venue caters for the special needs of business, incentive groups and corporate meetings. The management and staff are specialists in this field and will consult and assist in the planning of conferences and packages. Five different venues can accommodate up to 500 people, making Tzaneen Country Lodge and Tzaneen Convention Centre an axcellent choice to conference. Whether you’re holding a sales convention, board meeting or informal get-together with associates, your comfort and success are paramount. We pride ourselves in our professionalism, quality of service and enthusiasm and arrange every detail including accommodation, decor and dining. Tzaneen Convention Centre guarantees our clients exclusivity and a high level of personal service.Tzaneen Convention Centre hosts many functions, events and themed parties filled with excitement, fun and satisfaction. We offer a personalised and professional service for all events and flexible packages to suit both your budget and personal style.All our staff, most of whom have been with us from the inception of the Tzaneen Country Lodge and the new Tzaneen Convention Centre are warm and friendly and will do everything possible to ensure that your function runs smoothly – giving you the opportunity to relax and enjoy the surroundings. With your dedicated events co-ordinator you can be assured of the best service possible.Since each and every function is tailor-made to your requirements - arrangements for special dietary requirements, specialized liquor requests, children’s entertainment and supervision – are our pleasure.Live entertainment, DJ’s, flower arrangements and a chocolate fountain are, to name but a few, some of the services catered for by Tzaneen Convention Centre. With exquisite food, funky décor, fabulous service and lovely lodgings – this is the place to be.
Animal Parks
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Tzaneen (11.1 km from Letsitele) Meet, touch and feed the friendly animals at Mangela Animal Touch Farm Jacob the donkey and the miniature ponies Maya, Misty, Pepe and Inca are waiting for small visitors with crunchy apples and carrots. Mangela Animal Touch Farm also has ostriches, emus, pot-bellied pigs, goats, ducks, chickens, rabbits and more!Pony rides are available with supervision by friendly and helpful staff. The crew at Mangela pride themselves on their management of the animals and the environment. There is no better way for children to safely learn about them. Mangela also specialise in children's parties with different themes, birthday cakes and kiddies gift boxes available together with a jumping castle, jungle gym, self-drive toy cars and other fun activities. Mangela Animal Touch Farm, Tea Garden & Curio Shop offers activities and fun for kids and adults alike.Need to know? Mondays to Fridays 9:00am to 5:30pm Saturdays & Sundays 9:00am to 5:30pm.
Nature Reserves
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Duiwelskloof (24.3 km from Letsitele) Visit South Africa's own natural Jurassic Park, the Modjadji Cycad Forest, which has the largest concentration of a single cycad species in the world. This stunning 530 hectare reserve is home to some of the oldest and largest cycads in the world - some up to 13 metres high and bearing cones weighing in to up to 34 kilograms.Mysteriously situated near the home of the fabled Modjadji Rain Queen in the misty Lobedu Mountains, it's an awesome place to go walking or to chill out with a picnic basket. Between December and February these living fossil plants are in seed. When the mist lifts there are sweeping views over the cycad forest to the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park. Well constructed walks meander from the cycad forest to the acacia and grass lands below. Here you can spot large game such as blue wildebeest, waterbuck, nyala, impala and bushbuck. There's a good chance of seeing monkeys, dassies and bushpigs too. The birding is fantastic with over 170 species recorded.
Bars
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Tzaneen (24.4 km from Letsitele) Enjoy delicious cocktails and sun-downers when taking some time out in the bushveld of the Tzaneen area.
The themed Le Toues le Treq bar with its Rosa le Rouge painting is situated at Tzaneen Country Lodge.
Galleries and Museums
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Tzaneen (24.9 km from Letsitele) Tzaneen Museum exhibits some ethnological artefacts such as weapons, pottery, African drums and utensils of the local Tsonga and North Sotho people.
Well-informed guides show visitors around and explain the Tsonga legends that are depicted in sculptures under the trees in the garden. The museum also possesses a very large number of pole carvings from the region, as well as some world-class woodcarvings and various artefacts from the mysterious minority tribe, the Lobedu, which was ruled by the Rain Queen.
Dams Vleis
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Tzaneen (25.7 km from Letsitele) Surrounded by nature reserve, Tzaneen Dam is a popular recreation spot for bird watchers, anglers, picnickers, water-sports. Enjoy a barbecue on the banks of the dam.
Nature Reserves
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Tzaneen (27 km from Letsitele) The new Agatha State Forest comprises some of South Africa's rare jungle-like, dense forest, just 18 km away from Tzaneen.
This natural forest is also home to the Rooikat Hiking Trail. The facilities include a picnic site, fireplaces and ablutions.
Hiking Trail
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Tzaneen (27.1 km from Letsitele) The beauty of nature is rolled into this one-day route. See stunning landscapes, a variety of birds, such as the rare bat hawk, jackal buzzard, purplecrested lourie or backheaded oriole. Also look out for animals, such as the bushbuck, common duiker, bush pig and baboon. Bird lovers may spot a Set against the Krugerkop and Tandberg, is the New Agatha Plantation through which the Rooikat Day Walk winds.
Wind through pine plantations and then follow the course of the Bobs River.
Take a dip in one of the cascades, rapids and pools along the way. Picnic facilities at the Die Akker Picnic Site.
Hiking Trail
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Duiwelskloof (27.3 km from Letsitele) Modjadji Cycad Reserve offers 12 km of well-maintained day trails from the cycad forest to the lower lying acacias and grasslands. Large antelope including blue wildebeest, waterbuck, nyala, impala and bushbuck can be seen along the trails. Keen birders will find plenty of opportunities to tick off some of the 170 species of forest and bushveld birds. Guided tours of Modjadji Cycad Reserve and the nearby village can be arranged at the little information centre.
Animal Parks
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Tzaneen (27.7 km from Letsitele) Cuddle a baby crocodile and count all 68 teeth
If you’re feeling brave you could even feed the big toothy predators. Situated on a scenic avocado farm outside Tzaneen, Agatha Crocodile Ranch is a definitely worth a visit.
On offer are adventurous daily tours, an opportunity to touch a baby crocodile and also to feed the enormous adults. Tours include a fascinating talk about the behaviour, conservation and breeding of the Nile crocodile, followed by a feeding show and guided tour of the breeding dam and enclosures.
Who’s your daddy? Of all the 220 Nile crocodiles on the ranch, Rufus is the biggest at 4.2 meters long and is probably 49 years old.
Daily tours and feeding shows are between 09:00 – 16:00, Monday to Sunday. Tours last one and a half hours and promise lots of thrills.
Agatha Crocodile Ranch also features a local art gallery and curio shop.
+27 (0)15 307 4398
Waterfall
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Tzaneen (29.8 km from Letsitele) Situated near the dense forests of the Magoebaskloof, the roaring Debengeni Falls is a magical spot for picnicking or swimming in the crystal pool.
Named for the deeply carved pool, Debengi means ‘place of the big pot'.
Right in the middle of hiking country, it’s also renowned for some rare species of birds. One of these is the colourful Grey Wagtail, a regular summer visitor to this pool.
An endemic bird that will get twitchers excited is the Bush Strike – only found here and in the Woodbush Forest nearby.
Other beautiful birds to tick off are the Chorister Robin and green Narina Trogon.
Golf Courses
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Tzaneen (33 km from Letsitele) Serenely situated on the scenic Hans Merensky Dam, Tzaneen Country Club is an undiscovered challenge for the serious golfer.
The course is alleged to be one of the fairest tests of golf around and should have the high and low handicapper alike urging to book the next round.
Rolling fairways and punishing but fair roughs merge to present a ‘shot makers’ ideal challenge.
A well stocked bar with a cosy fireplace creates a friendly setting for socialising after many rounds.
Tzaneen Country Club hosts some of the major tournaments on the PGA Winter Tour. Local and visiting golfers gather here every May for a weekend of golfing and good times at the annual Koraalboom Tournament.
Nature Reserves
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Tzaneen (33.4 km from Letsitele) Bordering the Wolkberg Wilderness, this incredibly scenic mountain reserve features crystal clear rivers, countless butterflies, waterfalls and lovely pools.
Swarms of colourful butterflies, intricate spider webs and awesome bird life make it a popular destination for hiking and birding. Part of its appeal is the awesome natural beauty characterised by rolling grassy hills, lush kloofs and indigenous forests.
An amazing variety of butterflies can be seen in the forests during late summer. Look out for the elusive Narina Trogon and Samango monkeys clambering in the treetops. Other forest-dwelling birds to spot are the Cape Parrot, Chorister Robin-Chat, Orange Ground-Thrush, Green Twinspot, Black-fronted Bush-Shrike and Barratt's Warbler.
Spectacular flaming acacias dot the grassy hills, some covered in thousands of white blossoms or stunning purple-red pods.
Popular Attractions
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Duiwelskloof (35.1 km from Letsitele) Drink a pint inside the widest tree in the world! The legendary Sunland Baobab in Modjadjiskloof is internationally celebrated for being the widest of its species in the world. These magnificent trees evoke impressions of quintessential Africa, and if they could speak - many a fascinating tale could be told.Locals believe this baobab could be as old as 6000 years. Feasibly, it is most likely 1000 years old. Carbon dating from samples taken inside the hollows of the tree indicates that the tree was scorched by fires in 1650, 1750-1780, 1900, 1955 and 1990.Old baobabs eventually become hollow inside, and the Sunland Baobab has wonderful caverns within its incredibly wide girth. In 1993, the owners of Sunland Farm cleaned out the hollows and found artefacts of Bushmen and first white settlers.The spacious caverns were then turned into a pub and wine cellar - the famous Baobab Tree Bar and Wine Cellar! The ‘Baobar’ can accommodate up to 60 people. This unusual landmark has since become a popular tourist destination in the Limpopo Province. In spring, the Sunland Baobab produces beautiful, large flowers and attracts a variety of birds - including two pairs of owls.
Nature Reserves
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Tzaneen (40.2 km from Letsitele) Lying on the banks of the Great Letaba River just west of Kruger National Park and close to Tzaneen, the Hans Merensky Nature Reserve is a fabulous place to view wildlife on foot.
You’ll find none of the big hairy scaries here – just various antelope including rare sable, zebra, wildebeest, warthog, hippo and giraffe. If you’re lucky, you might even spot the more elusive leopard, jackal and hyena.
The Great Letaba River flowing on one side of the Hans Merensky Nature Reserve attracts rich and varied bird-life in all seasons. Evenings visitors are usually treated to special sightings of nightjars and owls.
The main attraction of this beautiful reserve is the chance to walk most of it easily on foot. Exciting hiking options include the one km Mopane Interpretive Trail, the Letaba Trail along the river and the Giraffe Trail, a 32 km three-day hike with overnights in luxury huts.
A self-drive route winds through the reserve and you can hope to see a fair amount of wildlife. Make your way to the wonderful lookout point that offers fantastic views – it makes for a great picnic spot.
Guided morning and sunset game drives are available but you’ll need to book a day in advance. Thrill seekers can opt for the mountain bike trail and horse rides.
You could also visit the Eiland Mineral Bath, a bubbling thermal spring long used by locals as a source of salt and medicinal treatments. Today the spring supplies an outdoor swimming pool for guests to enjoy.