Easily accessible from both Johannesburg and Kruger National Park, the Magoebaskloof region is a mecca for birders.

Magoebaskloof is a beautiful mountainous area in the Limpopo Province at the very North Eastern tip of the Drakensberg mountain range. Fondly called “The Land of the Silver Mist” by historians and locals alike, the mountains and valleys of the area are regularly shrouded in a soft mist. This mist belt has resulted in the lush afro-montane forests that make the area a welcome green oasis in the Limpopo bushveld.

The name means Magoeba’s Valley, but the Magoebaskloof is in fact a series of valleys named after a tribal chief who had his head chopped off by warriors serving under Boer commander Abel Erasmus in 1895.

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The main town in Magoebaskloof is Haernertsburg and there are several stores here where you can stock up on snacks, drinks and food for self-catering.  There is a good list here. 

The area boasts many charming small hotels and Bed & Breakfast type places.  I can personally recommend Kurisa Moya (lodge review) for birders.  There is a good accommodation list here and you can also check Trip Advisor for recommendations.

If birding (and Cape Parrots) are your main attraction to this area, stay tuned for my birding trip report from 2009!