Land of the black-and-white bull
North of Mokopane, a granite koppie rises from the earth. The Bapedi people once farmed with their Nguni cattle at its base, and in Sepedi, each Nguni skin pattern has a name. When the koppie shimmered white in the sun after rain, with dark patches of vegetation in-between, they said the koppie looked like a black-and-white bull. And so it was named: Thabaphaswa, the mountain of the black-and-white bull.
Thabaphaswa is not just a single koppie – the entire sanctuary to the south-east is mountainous, full of beautiful heights and secret kloofs. There are many hiking trails of varying difficulty, allowing hikers of all levels of fitness – and their dogs – to explore the area and enjoy its spectacular views, indigenous vegetation, prolific birdlife, curious Nguni cattle and unpolluted skies.
The layout of Thabaphaswa’s trail network means that you can hike from any of the camps or the centrally located cottages. The trails are well signposted, each marked with a different-coloured boot print. A map is issued to hikers and since the farm
