Mpungubwe is located far away along the border of South Africa with Botswana and Zimbabwe, and at one of the viewpoints you can see the convergence of the three countries. Prior to the visit, we made it a point to visit the Dzata ruins in the Southspanberg (a World Biosphere Reserve) to serve as a reference and comparison site. Its connections with Mpungubwe and Great Zimbab are quite strong and evident, and it enriches the understanding of the culture from that corner of the globe. In terms of chronology, Mpungubwe preceded Great Zimbab and Dzata came in later using stones from Zimbabwe. 

We camped in Mpungubwe for two days and one night where we did a self-drive game viewing, an organized sunset safari (of which we were the only ones who availed), and a morning hike up Mpungubwe Hill. Wildlife in the park is satisfactory for me and since it is not popular for it, chances of encountering other sightseers are slimmer than other game reserves and national parks I have been to before; naturally most would opt to go to nearby Kruger. As we were driving back to Loekwe Camp on our rental car after the sunset drive, we encountered a leopard walking towards us along the dirt road not far from where we stayed. Sightings like that close to the camp had to be reported. The cabin is equipped with a stove, microwave, toaster, and a fridge, and it makes sense to take food along as the only restaurant in the park near the entrance has limited offerings. What makes the landscape different as well is the presence of baobabs, and it may even be a better place to appreciate them than in Musina Boabab Nature Reserve. 

The guide to the hill carried a gun and he first led us to a dig site that is kept close unless there are visitors. The hike up the hill is easy, yet steep. The promontory affords an unobstructed view of the former kingdom, so it comes as no surprise that the site was chosen as it is quite central and the landscape made it easy to defend. On top, there are structural ruins and rock-carved holes marking the corners of houses or palaces. There is also a royal graveyard of which the excavated remains were again interred following a formal ceremony, as well as a reservoir and a game corner (of which the guide demonstrated how those games worked). The site of habitation was move three times, and they are named as A (K2) , B (Schroda), and C (the hill). The remains of the two others, however, are scant. An interesting landform is the Rainmaker, considered sacred by the locals to this day. The national park covers a larger area than the inscribed relict cultural landscape. 

The museum prides itself as a modern architectural gem and has even reaped awards. It houses replicas of the most important finds such as the golden rhinoceros and the scepter, as well as what I can only surmise as original stoneware and beads. Interestingly, it appears that who Svein referred to as the uncle of their guide happened to have been the guide we got, and so I did not pass on buying a copy of his book, which largely tackles their traditions and beliefs, after the tour. Visiting Mpungubwe early this year concluded the chase for current World Heritage Sites of South Africa, and it can surprisingly be quite a magical place.