Limpopo Transnational Park is the largest in the world. It is located on the territory of approximately 4 million hectares and captures the territories of three countries at once: Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. In order for tourists to be able to freely visit Limpopo, state borders were abolished – a unique case for such an occasion. You get one visa and can actually visit three countries at once.
History of creation
According to simplyyellowpages, Limpopo Transnational Park opened in April 2002. The easiest way to get here is from Nelspruit (South Africa) or from Beira and Maputo by land. It is impossible to drive past the park, as any local resident will show you the way, or even crowd into the guides. By the way, the entrance to the park costs no more than 10 US dollars. For a superficial acquaintance, the price is quite reasonable.
Limpopo Park is the world’s largest protected reserve, it has no analogues.
Limpopo Park is the world’s largest protected reserve, it has no analogues. Protection is necessary to control rare animals and protect them from the inhabitants of nearby lands. Still, about 20 thousand people had to be relocated from their homes, which caused considerable discontent. No, no, yes, there are raids on the reserve.
A distinctive feature of this park is its location at the confluence of two powerful rivers Limpopo and Shashi. Here, once the ancient Bushmen painted the rocks with bizarre patterns and carved gold. A magical place, saturated with animal and human power.
Purposes of creation
The Limpopo Transnational Park is home to various parks and reserves. It unites such vast territories as the Zimbabwean Gonarejo Park, the Mozambican Limpopo and the South African Kruger National Park. In total, there are about 50 reserves here, which reflect the unique diversity of this part of the globe.
Actually, what was this huge park created for? The organizers of the large-scale project themselves name two goals: the conservation of rare African animals and the economic development of rural communities that live in the vicinity.
It’s no secret that there are a lot of animals in the world now under threat of extinction. The same cheetahs, wild dogs living in Africa, rare species of birds. Limpopo is just what is needed to maintain the balance of the ecological system of the whole world, its flora and fauna. Each of the countries whose territories are part of the park could not fully do this. It was necessary to create in fact a new country – a natural state, where everything is subject to other laws. Only in this way in Africa it was possible to maintain the diversity of the animal world.
Today, next to the Limpopo Park, you can visit communities that live according to their traditions, sometimes not paying attention to the laws of civilization.
For rural residents, the creation of the park has also become a kind of way of life. Africa has always been interesting to tourists for its originality. And today, next to the Limpopo Park, you can visit these communities that live according to their traditions, sometimes not paying attention to the laws of civilization.
This step also contributes to the development of ecological tourism. The locals are willing to make contact, they are a visual embodiment of the Africa that we know about from adventure novels. This is Africa of deserts and wild animals, but not buildings of glass and concrete.
Animal world
In the Limpopo Transnational Park, there are several routes through which tourists can get acquainted with the wildlife of the reserve. It is unlikely that you will be allowed to travel on your own – it can be dangerous. So get ready for a tour accompanied by professionals – a guide and people who can protect you in case of danger.
At first glance, the park is striking in its diversity. Perhaps nowhere else can you find such huge baobabs growing along the rivers, large herds of elephants and buffaloes that live next to lions. This exotic puts everything in its place: the world, which used to be only in pictures or on the TV screen, suddenly grows in front of you. And here you have to behave like a guest – so as not to pay for your impudence or carelessness.
Unfortunately, Limpopo National Park initially suffered from a lack of wildlife. They were easily shot by local residents and rebels. To replenish the population, several thousand animals from different countries had to be transported for 4 years – antelopes, gazelles, elephants.
Limpopo Park is an Africa of deserts and wild animals, but not buildings of glass and concrete.
Today there are about 150 species of mammals, up to 500 species of birds, more than 2 thousand species of various vegetation. Well, what is Africa without the famous “big five”? Elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, lions and leopards are found in Limpopo Park.
Limpopo Transnational Park is a real place of pilgrimage for tourists who come here not only for strong emotions, but also to study and observe the surrounding world.
Limpopo Transnational Park is a real place of pilgrimage for tourists who come here not only for strong emotions, but also to study and observe the surrounding world. After placing the park, you can reconsider your views on what is happening on our planet, feel a connection with nature, understand that a person is just a part of it.
In memory of visiting the park, tourists buy various souvenirs – for a few dollars you can buy animal figures or whole paintings depicting hunting scenes.
The park is so popular on the continent that in honor of the unification of the territories of the three states, a 20-cent coin was issued with a circulation of only 1,000 pieces. On the obverse is the coat of arms of South Africa and the inscription in Khoisan: “Different people, unite.” The reverse features elephants and the inscription “Mamerle”.
