Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit is a place in the Limpopo region in South Africa. The village is located at the foot of Klein Drakensberg along the railway line to Kaapmuiden and between Krugerpark and Blyderivierspoort. The village was founded in 1869. Hoedspruit is the main town of Maruleng municipality. 
The first European to enter the territory was the Dutchman François (Frans) de Cuijper, who led an exploration group from Fort Lijdzaamheid in present-day Mozambique in 1725. However, the Dutch were expelled by warriors of chief Dawano.
The first permanent European resident was João Albasini, born in Portugal, who founded several trading posts in the area. The route that originated from this trading network is now known as Voortrekker Road.
The Kruger National Park or simply Krugerpark, is an extensive game reserve in the northeastern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in South Africa, on the border with Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It is one of the most famous game reserves in Africa. Originally, the territory of Krugerpark was inhabited by the San people, more than a hundred rock paintings have been discovered in the park. They were displaced by Bantu peoples in the Middle Ages. The Krugerpark is 380 km long, averages 60 km wide and covers a total area of approximately 20,000 km. The northern part covers a fairly arid wilderness with ironwood trees and sandy rivers. The central and southern parts are mainly characterized by grasslands. The park contains 25 camps, of which 12 are major camps such as Skukuza, Lower Sabie and Satara. All camps are fenced. Visitors are only allowed to exit their vehicles in these camps and designated areas such as picnic spots like Tshokwane. In addition to its size, Krugerpark is known for its wide variety of animal species. There are more than 148 registered mammal species, 505 bird species, 118 reptile species, 53 fish species, and 35 amphibian species. Thus, Krugerpark houses the largest variety of animals on the continent of Africa. The most famous animals are the 'Big Five': lion, buffalo, leopard, rhinoceros, and African elephant. The park has the largest population of African elephants in the world. In 2003, the park counted 11,700 African elephants. Besides these five species, there are many others such as giraffes, hippos, kudus, impalas, wild dogs, zebras, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles, baboons, and rare bird species like the southern ground hornbill. The southern ground hornbill, vulture, martial eagle, kori bustard, saddle-billed stork, and pel's fishing owl together form a variant of the Big Five, known as the Big Six.
De drie grondleggers van het Krugerpark, van links naar rechts: Piet Grobler, Paul Kruger en James Stevenson-Hamilton
Limpopo is the northernmost province in South Africa and has a population of 5,404,868 inhabitants (2011). The capital of Limpopo is the city of Polokwane (historical name: Pietersburg). Formerly known as the Northern Province, Limpopo's name was changed in February 2002 after an election held by the provincial government. The name refers to the Limpopo River. The name comes from the Northern Sotho word for large waterfall. Limpopo was formed in 1994 from the northern part of the old Transvaal and the former Bantustans of Venda, Lebowa, and a large part of Gazankulu. The province of Limpopo consists of 5 districts which are further divided into 22 municipalities.
The Blyde River Canyon is a gorge in South Africa, located in the Mpumalanga province, and is known as a particularly impressive natural phenomenon. The gorge is about 26 kilometers long and approximately 800 meters deep. The high walls of the gorge are mainly made of red sandstone which the Blyde River has eroded into. The area is part of the northern part of the Drakensberg Mountains. A unique view is offered by the canyon at the "Three Rondavels", three gigantic, round rocks, strongly reminiscent of the round huts - rondavels - of indigenous peoples. The Blyde River Canyon is part of the so-called "panorama route". This famous route begins at Graskop and includes "God's Window", the "Pinnacle", and potholes at Bourke's Luck.
The Drakensberg Mountains are a mountain range in South Africa, reaching up to 3482 meters in height, making them the highest in the country. In Sotho, the mountain range is called Maloti, and in the Zulu language, the mountain range is called uKhahlamba, meaning "barrier of spears." The Drakensberg Mountains form the eastern part of the Great Escarpment, of which the Namibian escarpment is also a part. The Drakensberg Mountains are a remnant of the original African plateau. The mountains are covered by a layer of basalt up to 1500 meters thick, with a layer of sandstone underneath. This has resulted in a combination of very steep blocks and peaks. In the sandstone layer, there are caves containing many rock paintings made by the San people who were hunter-gatherers in the area until the mfecane.
