The park is filled with gigantic, ancient baobabs and impressive sandstone cliffs, and is home to a rich history as the birthplace of an ancient African kingdom. The absolute highlight is the spectacular viewpoint around the tri-border point. From the wooden platforms, you can enjoy sweeping views across the rivers and literally see South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana merge into one another.

The perfect link to Zimbabwe

Geographically, the park is very strategically located. Mapungubwe is the ideal, adventurous stopover on the route when crossing the border from South Africa into Zimbabwe and continuing to the rugged and untouched Gonarezhou National Park. It breaks up a long travel day in a fantastic way.

Our honest accommodation tip: Choose Mapesu

We personally found the campsite and accommodation inside the park itself somewhat less appealing. The official campsite is a considerable distance from the iconic tri-border point, and the permanent accommodation in the park was simply less impressive in terms of quality.

That is why we recommend staying just outside the park boundaries in the adjoining Mapesu Private Game Reserve. This is the ideal base. Mapesu itself has an incredible amount of wildlife roaming the reserve and offers a much higher-quality stay. What’s more, from there you can drive into the official Mapungubwe National Park in just ten minutes. This way, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: the luxury and tranquillity of Mapesu, and the magical views of Mapungubwe.