Thohoyandou

Accommodation | Activities | Restaurants | Business Directory

Geography and history

Thohoyandou, the former capital of the independent homeland of the Republic of Venda, is situated in the Vhembe Region of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Located in the South of Vhembe district, Thohoyandou is on the main road between Louis Trichardt and the Kruger National Park.

With banana plantations, subtropical fruit, tobacco and maize lands, Thohoyandou is the lush agricultural centre of the Vhembe Region. The name of this town is TshiVenda for ‘head of the elephant’ which explains why the town is the administrative and commercial centre for the traditional Venda community. It was named after the great king of Vhavenda, King Thohoyandou, who ruled the kingdom from somewhere between 1690 and 1730.

A stadium was built in this town to celebrate the independence of Venda and was originally named the Venda Independence Stadium. In 1994, its name was changed to Thohoyandou Stadium. Today, Thohoyandou is one of the fastest emerging towns in the Limpopo Province and is also home to the University of Venda.

Accommodation

Being such a large focal point for tourism there is of course also a wide range of accommodation in Thohoyandou to cater to any tourist. From luxury guest houses to self-catering apartments and bed and breakfasts, there is no shortage of places to stay in Thohoyandou. For a complete list, please visit our accommodation directory.

Activities and attractions

A diverse range of activities is available in Thohoyandou.

Activities in the area include the following:

Big Tree (The largest baobab in the country)
Dzata Ruins and Museum of the Drum
Kokwane Prehistoric Footprints
Lake Funduzi
Lwamondo Hill
Mphaphuli Cycad Reserve
Phiphidi Falls & Guvhukuvhu Pool
Thathe Vondo Forest
Thulamela (Historical site indicating the smelting of gold)
Tshatshingo Potholes
Tshimbubfe (Archaeological site containing iron furnaces)

Restaurants

The restaurants in Thohoyandou are a culinary delight. This town offers many fine restaurants, pubs and coffee shops. Please view our restaurant directory for a complete list of places to eat in Thohoyandou.

Businesses

Thohoyandou has a thriving business community. As the fastest growing town in Limpopo, it has many businesses that offer great locally produced products. For more information on the businesses in town, please see our business directory.

***Images Courtesy of Go Limpopo © LIMPOPO TOURISM & PARKS