Exploring the Heart of Waterberg, One Kilometre at a Time

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to explore the greater Waterberg region from Boschhoek Mountain Estate, buckle up and join us on a round trip that’s equal parts adventure, snack breaks, and the irresistible urge to take photos of mountains and breathless landscapes. We’ve detailed the urban centres further afield for you (not going into detail about Bela-Bela or Modimolle).

The Route: From Boschhoek to Vaalwater and Beyond

The first stop? The trusty OK Mini Mark at Vaalwater — your launchpad for coffee, biltong, or just confirming that you packed enough padkos. The OK Mini Mart is well stocked with your everyday essentials, and also has a small bottle store with an impressive selection of decent wines. There is a petrol station too, convenient to fill up before your road trip ahead. 

• Distance: Boschhoek Mountain Estate Loubad Gate to OK Mini Mark, Vaalwater, on the R33: 37 km
• Handy tip: although slightly further than Boschhoek to Modimolle to get here, the OK Mini Mark offers a large selection of essential groceries and refreshments on a far more scenic stretch of the R33 than the Boschhoek-Modimolle stretch of the same road. Picturesque mountains, orchards and bushveld vegetation make this a very pretty drive. 

Beyond the gates and well-manicured gardens of the Mini Mark, the R33 unfurls through more bushveld beauty — think rolling hills, impressive mountains and lots of game. Vaalwater, a gateway town to the Waterberg, greets you with various hardware and utilitarian and agricultural shops and the odd nursery along the R33, but the real gem of Vaalwater is the Zeederburg Centre, Vaalwater’s answer to urban convenience. Here, nestled among impressive trees offering welcome shade in summer, a variety shops offer everything from farm-fresh produce to boutique game lodge apparel, décor items, art and baked goods. A very well stocked Spar and Tops at Spar is also part of this centre, carrying a bit more variety than the OK Mini Mark. 

• Distance: OK Mini Mark to Zeederburg Centre, Vaalwater: 23 km
• Handy Tip: There is a Courtney James store in the Zeederberg Centre that carries a very stylish range of bush apparel and accessories and will also deliver anywhere in South Africa should you wish to buy gifts or send your purchases further afield. 

The Circuit: North to Lephalale

It’s time to point your nose north. The next stop is Lephalale (formerly Ellisrus), the coal heartbeat of Limpopo. The drive is a visual feast — acacia trees fanning out, the occasional giraffe cameo, and long stretches that beg for open-window driving. There are two potential routes to Lephalale from Vaalwater. Heading straight after the Zeederberg Centre, takes you on a more direct but less scenic route; turning right off the R33 at the Zeederberg Centre is slightly longer but far more scenic. The road is in excellent condition and passing many game farms allows for some interesting game spotting (you may even spot wild dog along the way!) 

Lephalale, stands proud with its bustling economy and the mighty Matimba Power Station. It is a busy urban hub with most major retailers that urbanites are familiar with, as well as an awesomely stocked Chinese ‘hypermarket’, restaurants, hardwares and other familiar urban services. Being a gateway to Botswana (Groblersbrug Border Crossing is only 100km away), the town offers many services for those preparing for cross-border travel. 

In Lephalale, there is a lovely nursery, African Trees Indigenous Nursery (left, just before the Sasol Garage  as you approach Lephalale), which carries not only indigenous flora, but flora which is endemic to the Waterberg region. Many of the plants are cultivated on site by the proprietors and are healthy and strong – all very well priced too!

• Distance: Zeederburg Centre, Vaalwater to Lephalale: 98 km
• Handy Tip: Lephalale is not a particularly pretty town but it does have most services one would expect from a comprehensive urban hub. The Sasol Petrol Station at the entrance to the town has very clean toilets and a well-stocked supermarket, as well as curio and biltong shops inside.

Southwest to Thabazimbi: Iron, Art and Antelope

Turn your wheels southwest along the R510, aiming for Thabazimbi, home to the magnificent red mountains, numerous game reserves and the Marakele National Park. The road is in excellent condition all the way and you’ll meander your way through large expanses of nature reserves with impressive mountains in the distance.

The main Thabazimbi mine closed in 2015 and the nature of Thabazimbi has subsequently changed. Although the area appears to be extremely vibrant and bustling, the main road into Thabazimbi (as well as smaller urban roads in the town) is in a sad state and the economic centre of the town is now in a poor state of disrepair. There is a new larger shopping centre on the outskirts of town with many popular chain stores and banks, and a Spur restaurant (the most decent restaurant we could find on the road trip!). 

• Distance: Lephalale to Thabazimbi:  approx. 120 km
• Handy Tip: Unless you’re planning on visiting the National Park or one of the game reserves, save yourself a trip into Thabazimbi. All services in Thabazimbi are available closer to Boschhoek in places like Modimolle, Bela-Bela and Vaalwater.

Bela Bela: Spa Town Serenity

From Thabazimbi, turn southeast on the R516 for Bela Bela, formerly known as Warmbaths — a town famed for its natural hot springs. At the time of writing this, the road was being rebuilt so there were many delays. But driving through larger game lodges like Mabalingwe, Koro-Koro, Safari Plains and Zwartkloof resulted in many sightings of wild animals and birds of prey along this route, and the proximity to the Rooiberg to the north makes for a pretty spectacular drive.  

• Distance: Thabazimbi to Bela Bela: 95 km
• Handy Tip: There is a Shell Service Station in Bela Bela with very clean bathrooms and a well-stocked shop. A welcome stop before heading back to Modimolle

Heading Back to Modimolle

Head north to Modimolle along the R101. The road winds through pretty poorts and hilly landscape and has recently been resurfaced so is in good condition. The road markings are very clear, making driving in the evening or at dusk much easier 

• Distance: Bela Bela to Modimolle: 28 km
• Handy Tip: At the time of writing this it was very evident that Modimolle is a well-run municipality – we arrived back in Modimolle in the dark and all street lights were working and suburban streets were clean and orderly.

Return to Boschhoek Mountain Estate

The final leg returns you to Boschhoek Mountain Estate on the R33.

• Distance: Modimolle to Boschhoek Mountain Estate Loubad Road Entrance: 50 km

Grand Totals and Handy Tips

• Total distance: roughly 430 km
• Best time to travel: All year round (we travelled in Winter).

So, there you have it — a Waterberg road trip, with enough scenery, stories, and interesting stops to make for a fun day out. Enjoy!