Modimolle

Description

Modimolle is the gateway to the Waterberg region of Limpopo, roughly 2 hours from Johannesburg. It is an eco-tourism destination with an abundance of nature and game reserves, and activities like hiking, mountain biking, game viewing, horse riding, birding, and ziplines. With the Waterberg Mountain providing a beautiful backdrop to the unspoilt bush, Modimolle is a fantastic destination for a little holiday fun outside of the city.

Previously known as Nylstroom (Nile Stream), the town got its name from the Voortrekkers who settled here in the 1870s, believing they’d found the Holy Land and the Nile River. What they mistook for a pyramid was actually a koppie, and they confused the flooded Mogalakwena River for the Nile. Today the town is a bustling centre with a variety of shops and accommodation for every need and budget.

It’s a fantastic town to explore, with plenty of history. The wagon wheel tracks commemorate the Great Trek from the Cape to the northern Hinterland, and have been cemented for the part that passes through Modimolle. Other historical attractions include Strijdom House and Museum, the Concentration Camp Graveyard with the graves of 544 women and children from the Anglo Boer War, the adjacent Moth Memorial that honours the soldiers who fought and died in the war, and the Dutch Reformed Church (1889) which is now the oldest church is sub-Saharan Africa, north of Pretoria.

Modimolle is a nature lover’s dream. It is surrounded by a beautiful wilderness and a patchwork of farmland with maize, ground nuts, and table grapes as the main crops. Visit Bateleur Nature Reserve with its 3,000 hectares of deep gorges and rock pools, epic fauna and flora, and 10 different Stamvrug Hiking Trails. The reserve is fantastic for mountain biking, star gazing, biking, and birding.

There are plenty of activities and attractions to enjoy in the surrounds. The Waterberg Zipline (19km) offers a 2.5 hour adventure zipping through the Waterberg Mountain to see fauna and flora, and over 250 species of birds. Donkerpoortdam (12km) is a fantastic spot for angling and water sport. Thaba Kwena Crocodile Farm (21km), home to 22,000 crocodiles, is the largest commercial crocodile farm in the southern hemisphere. Don’t miss feeding time! Other attractions include Nylsvley Nature Reserve (36km), Euphoria Golf Course (41km), and De Wildt Shingwedzi Cheetah and Wildlife Centre (43km).

Modimolle is a fantastic destination for those looking to spend some quality time in nature.