Where to find wildlife, discover the city’s history and make the most of a weekend in Limpopo’s capital.

In Polokwane, you can spend the morning looking for giraffes in the bushveld and the afternoon studying photographs of the streets you’ve just walked. A football fixture can set the pace for the rest of the day. And if you have a morning to spare, the grasslands above Haenertsburg are worth a drive out of town.

1. Go on a self-drive at Polokwane Game Reserve

Start on the southern edge of the city, where the reserve’s roads wind through bushveld and open grassland. Look for giraffes above the trees and sable antelope farther out. The reserve is also known for the short-clawed lark, a reason to bring binoculars and pay as much attention to the grass as you do to the larger animals. Leave time for a stop at one of the picnic sites. Visitor information

2. Tour Bakone Malapa Open-Air Museum

A reconstructed homestead gives this museum its shape. On a guided visit, the buildings and objects help explain how Bakone communities, part of the Northern Sotho people, organised daily life. Ask when pottery, basketry or other craft demonstrations are scheduled. A demonstration is worth making time for because it lets you see how an object was made before you consider how it was used. Visitor information

3. See early Polokwane through Hugh Exton’s lens

Inside a former Dutch Reformed church, the Hugh Exton Photographic Museum holds a collection of glass negatives dating from 1892 to 1945. The photographs record the town when it was called Pietersburg. Look past the posed faces and notice the details at the edges of the frame. The clothing, ox wagons and streetscapes give you a different sense of the city outside. Visitor information

4. Make time for the Polokwane Art Museum

At the Library Gardens Complex, the city’s art collection brings together South African paintings, works in wood and sculpture. Give the gallery an hour of its own. A morning spent between the art museum and Hugh Exton’s photographs offers two ways of looking at Polokwane, one through the work of artists and the other through the record of a single photographer. Visitor information

5. Step inside the Irish House Museum

The green building on the corner of Market and Thabo Mbeki streets had a life in retail before it became a museum. Its exhibitions trace the area’s history and cultural heritage. Take a moment to look up at the façade from the pavement before heading inside. The building is part of the story, too. Visitor information

6. Bring binoculars to Polokwane Bird Sanctuary

North of the city, hides look out across water, reeds and shallow pans. Pick a hide and stay long enough for movement to catch your eye. You might see a heron near the reeds or waders working the shallows, depending on water levels and the season. Confirm access with the municipality before setting out. Visitor information

7. Catch a match at the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex

The newer Peter Mokaba Stadium hosted matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Its corner supports echo the shape of baobab trunks, a detail worth looking for on your way in. Check the Premier Soccer League fixture list before you go. The old and new stadiums sit next to each other, and the listing will tell you which ground is hosting your match. Visitor information

8. Book a round at Polokwane Golf Club

The 18-hole, par-72 parkland course has several tee options and generous fairways, with bentgrass greens that reward a well-judged approach. If golf is part of your weekend, set aside a morning for the round. The club publishes visitor rates, and it’s worth confirming a tee time before you head to Voortrekker Street. Visitor information

9. Play a round of mini-golf at Meropa

Mini-golf at Meropa is a good way to spend an afternoon with a group of mixed ages. If the children still have energy afterwards, the entertainment complex also lists go-karting and an arcade. Check which activities are running before you go, especially if you’re planning the outing around the track. Visitor information

10. Take a day trip to Haenertsburg

Leave the city for the grasslands around Haenertsburg. The Louis Changuion Trail starts and finishes in the village, crossing open slopes and patches of indigenous forest. The local tourism association lists a shorter route of about 5 km and a longer loop of about 10 km. Pick the shorter walk if you want time to browse the village bookshops and stop for lunch afterwards. Visitor information

Before you go, confirm museum hours, tour availability and reserve access directly with the venue. For a short visit, pair a morning at the game reserve with an afternoon around the Civic Centre and Library Gardens.

Author: swoosh0018

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