Luxury holidays in Soutpansberg Mountains

In northern Limpopo, the Soutpansberg Mountains offer a cooler, greener alternative to the region’s surrounding bush. Here, dramatic landscapes are laced with scenic hiking trails, and you're more likely to spot indigenous samango monkeys swinging between trees than prides of lions. Twitchers are lured to its forests and valleys for rare-bird sightings, and lofty mountain lodges make for bathed-in-nature basecamps.

When to go

The mountains are at their most comfortable between May and September, when cool, dry days create ample opportunity for hiking and wildlife spotting. From November to March, summer rains bring greener scenery and migratory birdlife.

Getting there

  • Planes

    Polokwane International Airport is the region’s main gateway, best reached via a connection in Johannesburg. From there, it’s around a 90-minute to two-hour drive to most of the Soutpansberg range.

  • Automobiles

    Soutpansberg’s sprawling landscapes mean a car will come in handy, but be aware that winding mountain roads can make journeys a little longer than expected.