Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge
Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge offers rural hip fused with luxury, 4-star accommodation in the Soutpan...
Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge
Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge offers rural hip fused with luxury, 4-star accommodation in the Soutpansberg mountain range. We offer Art, Culture and Lifestyle tours to the true heartbeat of Limpopo and feature a top-notch Arts & Culture Centre, CraftArt shop and Textile & Design studio at our lodge. Children are welcome, we offer creative activities, cultural programs, cycling, hiking and birding for them and their parents.
Madi a Thavha - Water from the mountain in TshiVenda - has a mountain stream run through it and sits in a quiet valley of the Soutpansberg. While Northern Limpopo is actually more famous for its abundant wild life and spectacular Baobab-sunsets we are even more fascinated with the rich variety of lesser known yet vibrant cultures that drive the peoples of the North.
We love to surprise our guests with what rural life in Limpopo really looks like, offering the opportunity to engage with real people, artists and crafters in their own studios or homesteads. Our deep involvement with CraftArt, social development and education in the north gives us the edge to pick the best and offer tailor made tours catering for various interests from art, craft and heritage to rural architecture and birding in these beautiful, unknown parts of Limpopo an opportunity that international travellers and especially photographers, love to snatch.
Madi a Thavha is a Fair Trade certified lodge situated 10 km west of Louis Trichardt/Makhado, only five hours drive away from Johannesburg. Its excellent location in the centre of the region makes it a perfect base from which to explore the Soutpansberg and Limpopo valley which forms the northern frontiers of South Africa.
Madi a Thavha is a popular culture-stop-over for guests travelling to the Kruger National Park, the world heritage site of Mapungubwe, the game lodges of the Tuli block in Botswana, the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or for adventurous travelers tackling the off-roads to Mozambique.
Our lodge is known for our unique interiors, a fusion of traditional and modern Venda, Tsonga and Sotho styles with luxury amenities coupled with Dutch efficiency. Madi a Thavha has a warm homey feel and our well-informed staff really bend over backwards to ensure that guest have a real good time in the North.
Our Arts & Culture centre is an enormous asset to the region. Here one can get a vivid summary of the various cultural influences that shaped the region to what visitors can see and experience today. Our CraftArt-shop stocks hand-picked local art craft, local textiles, jewellery and also the unique products of our Textile & Design studio at the lodge.
Reception is at the old farm house with its cozy lounge, fireplace, DStv, a dining room with adjacent open plan kitchen and a friendly chef serving delicious fusion-food.
Our lapa and solar heated swimming pool has sweeping views on the surrounding mountains where our guests usually relax after an exciting day amid the rural buzz.
Madi a Thavha offers a range of activities for adults and families with children either in the comfort of the lodge, in nature or on tour in villages. We have seasoned and knowledgeable tour guides handling our CraftArt, Communities Lifestyles or Nature tours.
Energetic guests can use our thick-wheel bicycles or do hiking-routes at the lodge. We can also put together various tailor-made cycle, birding or hiking excursions in the close vicinity, on request.
Our lodge can comfortably accommodate up to 18 guests in eight separate units, four guest rooms and four guest suites. In some units we can arrange extra beds on request. Our guest suites have a fully equipped kitchen for self-catering.
We serve a three course set menu based on bookings either on the veranda or in the dining room of the farm house. Breakfast is a delectable buffet of juices, yoghurts, fruits, muesli's, baked muesli or pancakes, bread, toast, muffins, cheese and various egg dishes.
We sincerely hope you make your way to us. We always receive the most interesting guests and would love to meet and treat you too!
Reviews
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"Comfort"
30 July 2017"Loved the whole setting."
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"Beautiful place to spend quality time with nature"
03 November 2015"Hmm what a peaceful n tranquil place..I loved every moment. We enjoyed the fresh air ..the rooms were neat had a peaceful night sleep. The place is stunning will surely recommend it to my friends. Really appreciate the warm welcome.."
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"Wonderful"
30 April 2012"What a gem, wonderful hosts thank you Aart and Marcelle highly recommended. We had a wonderful time and will definitely be back."
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"What a lovely place!"
24 April 2011"We spent two wonderful days at Madi a Thavha, staying in the wooden cottage. The cottage is beautifully decorated with local Venda fabric and local photographs, and was superbly comfortable for four of us. Madi a Thavha provided us, at a very reasonable price, with a guide, Musa, who spent a day and a half with us showing us sights and introducing us to local crafters and artists. He was great company - knowledgeable, friendly, articulate and fun. We had a marvellous time. Definitely recommended as a place to stay and to explore the area."
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"Overnight stay"
26 September 2010"Great setting, well equipped cottage in a lovely area. Very peaceful."
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"Definitely worth a visit"
05 May 2010"A wonderful visit and we could have stayed for much longer. It's a beautiful setting and the accommodation couldn't be better. The hosts were friendly and incredibly helpful. This was despite the fact that I'd forgotten I'd booked for self-catering and turned up at 5pm with no food - at short notice a 3 course delicious dinner was provided for 3 and served with a smile! Thank-you"
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"Definitely worth a visit"
05 May 2010"A wonderful visit and we could have stayed for much longer. It's a beautiful setting and the accommodation couldn't be better. The hosts were friendly and incredibly helpful. This was despite the fact that I'd forgotten I'd booked for self-catering and turned up at 5pm with no food - at short notice a 3 course delicious dinner was provided for 3 and served with a smile! Thank-you"
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"Wonderful"
30 April 2010"Madi a Thavha is a wonderful place situated in a beautiful valley with birds and butterflies and the river from the mountains.....the owners Art and Marcella are amazing people who emphasize and an art exhibition of the local Venda and Tsonga artist....they were also the most helpful with arranging tours to meet the local artists etc and they just acquired wifi ....which I appreciated very much....this is truly a wonderful place !"
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"Wonderful"
30 April 2010"Madi a Thavha is a wonderful place situated in a beautiful valley with birds and butterflies and the river from the mountains.....the owners Art and Marcella are amazing people who emphasize and an art exhibition of the local Venda and Tsonga artist....they were also the most helpful with arranging tours to meet the local artists etc and they just acquired wifi ....which I appreciated very much....this is truly a wonderful place !"
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"A pleasant stay,"
15 April 2009"Friendly, mountain bikes available, less walking than we had hoped for."
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"A pleasant stay,"
15 April 2009"Friendly, mountain bikes available, less walking than we had hoped for."
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"Great!"
31 December 2008"Great place, great people. This is a beautiful part of the world and Madi a Thavhna is a really good place to stay"
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"Great!"
31 December 2008"Great place, great people. This is a beautiful part of the world and Madi a Thavhna is a really good place to stay"
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"Fantastic"
13 July 2008"Considering our stay was to attend a funeral, it was most enjoyable.Our hosts were very friendly, helpful and considerate.The accommodation was spotlesly clean and comfortable, and everything we needed was provided.The setting is spectacular, high in the mountains with wonderful views and clean air!I would definitely return there if I was in the area, and would certainly recommend it."
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"Fantastic"
01 July 2008"Thoroughly relaxing and a truly friendly atmosphere. Thanks"
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"Recommended"
17 June 2008"Fantastic in every aspect!"
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"Our stay at Madi a Thava"
09 June 2008"I was travelling to Makhado to take part in the Kremetart 175km Cycle Race with two of my friends.Madi a Thava was the perfect place to stay with the quiet farm atmosphere, comfortable accommodation and excellent cuisine.We will definitely be back next year.Thank you!"
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"Very comfortable"
26 February 2008"Just what I needed after a hectic day working.The staff were warm and friendly, the food was great and the room was very comfortable, just wish I had more time to take a dip in their pool."
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"Very comfortable"
26 February 2008"Just what I needed after a hectic day working. The staff were warm and friendly, the food was great and the room was very comfortable, just wish I had more time to take a dip in their pool."
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"Wonderful"
18 December 2007"Our stay there was absolutely wonderful. We were warmly welcomed and assisted every step of the way. The chalet was beautiful and clean and the people very very friendly."
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"Wonderful"
18 December 2007"Our stay there was absolutely wonderful. We were warmly welcomed and assisted every step of the way. The chalet was beautiful and clean and the people very very friendly."
