Alldays

Alldays sits on the R521 in the northern Limpopo bushveld, about 120 km west of Musina and roughly 65 km from the Mapungubwe National Park entrance gate. It was founded in 1907 as a trading post and has stayed small. The surrounding countryside is classic mopane bushveld: flat, dry, shimmering in the heat, with ancient baobabs scattered across the plains. Some of these trees are over a thousand years old and large enough to stop traffic. A magnificent Nyala tree in the town itself spreads across more than 100 square metres.

The town serves the surrounding network of private game farms and hunting lodges, and the De Beers Venetia Diamond Mine, one of the country's largest diamond operations, is in the district. That mine and citrus farming on the Limpopo River banks are the economic engines here. The town itself is minimal: a fuel stop, some basic services, and a post office. What draws people is what is around it. The Limpopo River forms the border with Botswana and Zimbabwe a short drive north, and its banks hold dense riverine forest and good game viewing.

Langjan Nature Reserve is 24 km south. Mapungubwe, the UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Limpopo and Shashe rivers meet, is about an hour north on the R521. The park holds Iron Age ruins, the famous Golden Rhino artefact, elephant, giraffe, zebra, and over 400 bird species. The road to the park beyond Alldays has a reputation for potholes, so travel at your own pace. Fill up in Alldays before continuing north. There are no fuel facilities at the park.

Alldays hosts an annual Baobab Festival, a local celebration worth timing a visit around. Birdwatching is serious business here, particularly during migration season. The African fish eagle and lilac-breasted roller are regulars. If you are passing through on the R521 from Polokwane heading toward Mapungubwe or Pontdrift, Alldays is the last proper stop before the bush takes over.