South Africa - Places To Stay

Soutpansberg Mountains - Leshiba Wilderness (FTTSA accredited) offers ecologically sustainable tourism in the Soutpansberg Mountains with a rich culture and heritage of the local Venda people. The lodge is built as an authentic Venda village recreated by the internationally renowned artist Noria Mabasa. The 4 en-suite African style huts in the Venda Village are connected by intimate courtyards. The 2 luxury suites, Mwedzi (Moon) and Duvha (Sun), offer a romantic and secluded stay amongst the bush with private plunge pools and patios overlooking the animals grazing on the plains below.

The lodge has a thatched lapa with lounge & dining room and adjacent pool. They also offer a range holistic treatments, including Reiki, crystal healing and reflexology, using an indigenous range of local oils. Leshiba is a unique & beautiful Reserve with an interesting selection of wildlife, rich in birdlife and even has a minor rock art site.

Soutpansberg Mountains

Accessible by car, directions on request. Transfers can be arranged.

4 Standard Rooms in Venda Village and 2 Luxury Suites
Features below are based on Standard Rooms

Venda Village: standard room
£152 per person sharing, all year round

Mwedzi & Dhuva Suites:
£219 per person sharing, all year round

Dinner and Breakfast, one guided game activity per day

Children over 12 are welcome

Game drives, guided and self-guided walks, mountain biking, rock art visits, indigenous healing massages (prior arrangement only)

Leshiba Wilderness (FTTSA accredited) developed amongst others a social responsibility programme, which culminated in the establishment of a unique non-profit Leshiba Centre of Indigenous Knowledge. The Centre aims to research, preserve and promote the rich indigenous knowledge of the local people. It has raised significant funding for skills training and in recognition was awarded the Imvelo Award for Best Social Involvement programme in 2007.

Project Objectives
To facilitate training programmes to educate and empower local people with traditional knowledge, to utilise their natural resource base for sustainable economic upliftment.

Develop research capacity in the field of Indigenous Knowledge in the local sub-region.

To develop, design and secure funding for community based poverty elimination programmes in the broader Makhado area.

To utilise Leshiba Wilderness as a resource base to understand and explore the potential contribution of indigenous knowledge to local development and nation building.

Cash in South African Rands is accepted. All major credit cards are accepted.

Leshiba is a unique 2500 ha wilderness reserve with an abundance of wildlife, including white rhino, giraffe, the rare brown hyena, porcupines, pangolins and the elusive leopard. It offers excellent birding with over 250 species, including Verreux and Crowned Eagle, Cape Vulture, Purple Crested Turacom, and has a high floral diversity with over 350 tree species.

Leshiba is also home to an interesting minor San rock art site.