Mazhou Camp Site
Mapungubwe National Park
Savanna biome · Lion · Honey badger
From R 421 a night
Inside park
Where to stay in and near Mapungubwe National Park
Ancient kingdom archaeological site
Limpopo, South Africa
About Mapungubwe National Park
Mapungubwe is a national park at the meeting point of South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, where the Limpopo and Shashe rivers join. The sandstone hill at its centre was the capital of a trading kingdom in the thirteenth century, the source of the famous golden rhino, and a World Heritage Site; the interpretive centre and the guided heritage walk are the reason to come. The park itself is baobab country with elephant, eland, giraffe and a strong bird list along the riverine forest, and there is a treetop walkway to the confluence. It is a summer-heat park, so winter is the season, and the camps are inside.
Things to do: Cultural activities · Game drives · Guided walk · Stargazing · Hiking · Photography · Scenic drives
Where you can stay: Rest camps · Chalets · Camping
Wildlife near Mapungubwe National Park
What people record most across Limpopo. Past sightings, never a guarantee.
From iNaturalist records across Limpopo, not confirmed sightings inside this reserve.
Stay in & near Mapungubwe National Park
Request inside-park camps here. Spekboom confirms with SANParks, then you pay on Spekboom. Mix in a gateway stay from the same list if you want nights outside the fence.
Leokwe Rest Camp
Mapungubwe National Park
Savanna biome · Lion · Honey badger
From R 1,821 a night
Inside park
Vhembe Wilderness Camp
Mapungubwe National Park
Savanna biome · Lion · Honey badger
From R 1,044 a night
Inside park
Getting there
3 stays we sell in Mapungubwe National Park. Tap a pin for the listing.
22.2109° S, 29.4105° E800 km from Cape TownOpen in Maps (opens in a new tab)
Why book here
Your stay helps keep Mapungubwe National Park wild
Wild places survive when the communities around them earn more from protecting wildlife than from anything that would replace it. Every stay you book through Spekboom carries a conservation contribution built into the price, never added on top, so choosing where you sleep becomes a way to fund the people and projects keeping this landscape intact.
- Built into every booking
- A conservation share
- Where it goes
- Local causes & communities
Mapungubwe National Park: your questions
Where is Mapungubwe National Park?
Mapungubwe National Park is in Limpopo, South Africa.
What wildlife can you see near Mapungubwe National Park?
In Limpopo, commonly recorded species include animals such as Sharpe's Grysbok, Tsessebe, Roan Antelope, Lichtenstein's Hartebeest and birds including Tropical Boubou, Racket-tailed Roller, Black-fronted Bushshrike, based on iNaturalist occurrence data. These reflect the wider province, not confirmed sightings inside the reserve.
How do you book a stay at Mapungubwe National Park?
Request inside-park rest camps on Spekboom. We confirm the dates with SANParks, then you pay on Spekboom. SANParks assigns the unit after confirmation. Gateway lodges and guesthouses listed here book the same way, so you can mix nights inside the park with a stay outside.
How far in advance should you book accommodation in Mapungubwe National Park?
SANParks opens rest-camp bookings 11 months in advance, releasing a new month on the first working day of each month, and popular camps sell out within days for school holidays, long weekends and peak season. Request as early as you can on Spekboom for those dates. Stays just outside the park usually have availability much closer to the time, and you can book those here too.
Do you pay conservation fees at Mapungubwe National Park?
Yes. SANParks charges a daily conservation fee per person on top of accommodation, with lower rates for South African residents and SADC nationals. Wild Card members do not pay the daily fee. Tariffs are revised each year, so check current rates when you book.
When is the best time to visit Mapungubwe National Park?
The best time to visit Mapungubwe National Park is May-Sep (dry season).
What is there to do at Mapungubwe National Park?
Popular activities at Mapungubwe National Park include cultural activities, game drives, guided walk, stargazing, hiking, photography, scenic drives.
Where can you stay in Mapungubwe National Park?
Places to stay inside Mapungubwe National Park include Mazhou Camp Site, Leokwe Rest Camp and Vhembe Wilderness Camp. Request them here; Spekboom handles the SANParks confirmation. Every booking funds conservation.
Parks near Mapungubwe National Park
The closest parks and reserves. Distances run centre to centre, as the crow flies.
Part of
Other parks and reserves that share something with Mapungubwe National Park.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in AfricaNational parks in Southern and East AfricaNational parks and reserves in South AfricaNature reserves and parks in LimpopoAll protected areas
Official information
The SANParks website has park rules, maps and daily conservation fees. To book a rest camp or a stay nearby, use the places on this page.
- Park website: www.sanparks.org (opens in a new tab)
