Thohoyandou

Thohoyandou is the proud heart of the VhaVenda people

Thohoyandou  is the commercial, administrative and legislative centre for the district. It is a bustling centre of commerce, well served with shopping complexes, an interesting museum and an international standard hotel and casino.

Sightseeing in Venda is intimately linked to the rich store of legends and myths that the VhaVenda live by. One of the best-known sacred places is Lake Fundudzi in the Mutale River where, as legend has it, the giant python god of fertility dwells that demands the sacrifice of a maiden each  year.

This annual sacrifice became an integral part of Venda life, together with the remarkable ceremony known as the Domba Dance which has become part of the initiation rites of young women. The dance, also known as ~he Python Dance, is performed by rows of girls imitating the movements-of a python. Both the lake and the Domba dance may only be viewed by obtaining permission from the local authority.

The Thathe Vondo Forest is a beautiful indigenous forest that incorporates the sacred burial ground of the chiefs of the Thathe clan, while the scenic Phiphidi Falls and Gubukhuvo Pool are believed to be the home of water sprites that foster good relations with the ancestral spirits. The falls are reached via the R523 between Sibasa and the tea plantations.

Of interest also is Lwamondo Hill, on the R524 between Tshakuma and Shayandima, where a troupe of sacred baboons have kept watch through the ages to warn the Lwamondo of approaching danger and intruders.

Archaeological sites include the Dzata Ruins and Museum of the Drum -site of the VhaVenda royal village,dating back to 1400 AD on the R523 between Thohoyando and Makhado, and Tshimbubfe where iron furnaces dating back to 1250 AD have been found. At Thulamela in the Kruger National Park, evidence has been found of gold smelting as early as 1300 AD.

Some of the natural attractions in the area include the 3 000- year-old Big Tree, the largest baobab in the country with a girth of 43 m found near the Sagole Spa and the scenic Nwanedi National Park which is well stocked with game and has a fine resort area around two dams. The Park is situated 75 km north of Thohoyandou on the R525. The Mphaphull Cycad Reserve on the Mutale Road near the Makonde Village, east of Thohoyandou is also worth visiting.

The Nzhelele Dam and Nature Reserve is reached by turning off from the R523 to Makhado. The Tshatshingo Potholes lie on the Thohoyandou / Mutale Road. Turn left to the potholes at Khubve Village.

Accommodation in and around Thohoyandou