Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge

Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge offers rural hip fused with luxury, 4-star accommodation in the Soutpansberg mountain range. We offer Art, Culture and Lifestyle tours to the true heartbeat of Limpopo and feature a top-notch Arts & Culture Centre, CraftArt shop and Textile & Design studio at our lodge. Children are welcome, we offer creative activities, cultural programs, cycling, hiking and birding for them and their parents.

Madi a Thavha - ?Water from the mountain? in TshiVenda - has a mountain stream run through it and sits in a quiet valley of the Soutpansberg. While Northern Limpopo is actually more famous for its abundant wild life and spectacular ?Baobab-sunsets' we are even more fascinated with the rich variety of lesser known yet vibrant cultures that drive the peoples of the North.

We love to surprise our guests with what rural life in Limpopo really looks like, offering the opportunity to engage with ?real' people, artists and crafters in their own studios or homesteads. Our deep involvement with CraftArt, social development and education in the north gives us the edge to pick the best and offer tailor made tours catering for various interests from art, craft and heritage to rural architecture and birding in these beautiful, unknown parts of Limpopo ? an opportunity that international travellers and especially photographers, love to snatch.

Madi a Thavha is a Fair Trade certified lodge situated 10 km west of Louis Trichardt/Makhado, only five hours' drive away from Johannesburg. Its excellent location in the centre of the region makes it a perfect base from which to explore the Soutpansberg and Limpopo valley which forms the northern frontiers of South Africa.

Madi a Thavha is a popular ?culture-stop-over' for guests travelling to the Kruger National Park, the world heritage site of Mapungubwe, the game lodges of the Tuli block in Botswana, the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or for adventurous travelers tackling the off-roads to Mozambique.

Our lodge is known for our unique interiors, a fusion of traditional and modern Venda, Tsonga and Sotho styles with luxury amenities coupled with Dutch efficiency. Madi a Thavha has a warm homey feel and our well-informed staff really bend over backwards to ensure that guest have a real good time in the North.

Our Arts & Culture centre is an enormous asset to the region. Here one can get a vivid summary of the various cultural influences that shaped the region to what visitors can see and experience today. Our CraftArt-shop stocks hand-picked local art craft, local textiles, jewellery and also the unique products of our Textile & Design studio at the lodge.

Reception is at the old farm house with its cozy lounge, fireplace, DStv, a dining room with adjacent open plan kitchen and a friendly chef serving delicious ?fusion-food'.

Our lapa and solar heated swimming pool has sweeping views on the surrounding mountains where our guests usually relax after an exciting day amid the rural buzz.

Madi a Thavha offers a range of activities for adults and families with children either in the comfort of the lodge, in nature or on tour in villages. We have seasoned and knowledgeable tour guides handling our CraftArt, Communities' Lifestyles or Nature tours.

Energetic guests can use our thick-wheel bicycles or do hiking-routes at the lodge. We can also put together various tailor-made cycle, birding or hiking excursions in the close vicinity, on request.

Our lodge can comfortably accommodate up to 18 guests in eight separate units, four guest rooms and four guest suites. In some units we can arrange extra beds on request. Our guest suites have a fully equipped kitchen for self-catering.

We serve a three course set menu based on bookings either on the veranda or in the dining room of the farm house. Breakfast is a delectable buffet of juices, yoghurts, fruits, muesli's, baked muesli or pancakes, bread, toast, muffins, cheese and various egg dishes.

We sincerely hope you make your way to us. We always receive the most interesting guests and would love to meet and treat you too!