Polokwane

Sat smack bang in the heart of Limpopo Province, Polokwane is considered the northern gateway to the wilds of the South African North. Some come on their way through to the legendary Kruger National Park; others have the wildlife of the Polokwane Game Reserve in their sights, where crashes of white rhinos and wandering giraffes roam the acacia-dotted plains of the Pietersburg Plateau, all criss-crossed with kilometre upon kilometre of hiking track.

Back in the centre of the town, pretty avenues crammed with blooming jacaranda trees give way to old English colonial architecture, and moving monuments to the Boer War pepper the squares. There are some interesting museums too, such as the Hugh Exton Photographic Museum showcasing a different era of the life and times of the city, and the Bakone Malapa Open Air Museum as well, where Polokwane tour guides introduce visitors to traditional Northern Sotho culture. There’s also a smattering of lively grill restaurants and bars to sample, fuelled on the weekends by crowds of students out of the city’s various university campuses.