South Africa Luxury Travel

Custom Designed Luxury Southern Africa Safaris and Tours

go2SOuthAfrica header
  • Spectacular Wildlife
  • Africa Honeymoons
  • Distinctive Africa Travel
  • Home
  • Africa Safaris
    • Botswana Safaris
    • South Africa Safaris
    • Zambia Safaris
    • Zimbabwe Safaris
  • South Africa Tours
    • South Africa Tour Ideas
    • The Garden Route
    • Luxury South Africa Trains
    • Active South Africa Adventures
    • South Africa Self Drive Tours
    • Tours for the Disabled
  • Cape TownTours
    • Cape Town Day Tours
      • Cape Town Scenic Tours
      • Winelands/Food Day Tours.
      • Cape Town Cultural Tours
    • Experience The Cape Winelands.
    • Cape Town Extended Tours
    • Luxury Cape Town Villas
    • Active Cape Town
    • Self drive Cape Town
  • Cultural Tours
    • Eastern Cape Cultural Tours.
    • Venda Cultural Tours
    • South Africa Cultural Tours
  • About us
  • Contact Us

Cultural and photographic Venda tour

Below is a list of possible activities that will unfold.As this is a fully guided,your guide will discuss with you what is available, and or we can choose before you depart.

Your guide is a nationally recognized birding guide so it’s possible to do some birding with him as well.

There are places like the pottery village where you can work on creating your own pottery piece; its better to slow down and be in one spot for a while than to rush around to try see everything.

There are different level of lodging in the area so if you prefer a smaller local lodge or guest house we can do that as well.

Venda Tour Activities:

  • Walk around Lake fundudzi
  • Potholes
  • Manufacturers of Minwenda (traditional Venda clothing),
  • Malungu (traditional beads)
  • Makunda (traditional bangles).
  • Maria Mombabsa Wood carving
  • Betties church
  • Market in the town.
  • Vegetable/Fruit Markets
  • Louis Trichard Area:
  • Tshikota and the Indian area in Makhado/Louis Trichardt. Tshikota,
  • The township of Louis Trichardt/Makhado gives an impression of the daily life, housing, shops, shebeens, and schools in rural townships.
  • Twananani Textiles
  • Elim Area:

Twananani Textiles where a group of 12 women inspired by traditional Tsonga patterns use hand painting techniques,block printing,dyeing,bead work and embroidery to create a wide range of home decoration and fashion products.

They also run a crèche and guests are frequently invited to sing with the children.

                                            Venda textiles venda cultural tour

You can also visit the textile workshop of Elisa and Maureen Makuleke nearby; they specialize in Tsonga bead work, embroidery and traditional jewelry.

The next village, Tshivhuyuni, is where famous artist Thomas Kubayi runs his woodcarving workshop Vutsila Art Centre and music studio

Further along the Mashamba road one finds Mukondeni Pottery factory. It is very interesting to see the skilled and famous Venda potters demonstrate how they make their pots and how the traditional open-firing process works.

A few hundred meters further down that road is Mukondeni Pottery Village where a group of 15 women established by the late Sarah Munyai produce traditional and contemporary Venda pots,clay fire-pots,bowls,clay tiles and beads.

The village women dig clay from the river in their village as this particular clay is the strongest and best for making clay pots.

During the dry months there is the option to travel up to Baleni Camp to watch the ladies of the village who do salt collecting from the bed of a nearby river.

Only available during the dry winter months.

Baleni Cultural camp Venda

Experience Ancient Traditions

Baleni is situated on land belonging to the Mahumani Traditional Authority.

Staff from Baleni can take guests for a walk down to a geothermal hot spring – the only undeveloped hot spring in Southern Africa. Maintaining a water temperature of around 42 degrees, this spring is a sacred site for the local Tsonga community.Your guide will explain the spiritual significance of the spring, and educate you in the expected terminologies and behaviours for visitors.

Accommodation & Dining

Baleni Cultural Camp has 5 stand-alone thatched rondavels, each with two ¾ beds and a bedside stand. Linen is provided as part of the tariff. Ablutions are en-suite, with flush toilets, shower and basin. A stand-alone communal bathroom is available for campers. Solar provides energy for lights & hot water, and USB and 12V (cigarette lighter-style) charging for phones etc.

The ladies of the village prepare meals as well which we can order in advance.

While it is safe to drink,some people don’t like the taste of the local water, so you are advised to bring your own bottled drinking water.

After breakfast,for the next 2 days you will meandering through Venda as per the list of possible stops above.

After breakfast you head out with your guide,your day will be meandering through Venda.

Possible stops may include a visit with Betty the local head of a Church,art/craft stops,vegetable market, etc.

Your lodging for the night is Fundudzi Camp on a dinner bed/breakfast basis.Your guide will try get you to the camp by mid afternoon so you can enjoy the area as there are stops in the area of the camp.

Fundudzi Cultural Camp

 

Funduzi Cultural Camp Venda

Nestled at the foot of the Luaname Mountains Fundudzi Cultural Camp is in the heart of traditional Venda territory.

Just above the village of Mukumbani this is an ideal place from which to explore a region famed for its sacred places and traditional Venda arts and crafts.

Just below tea plantations and forests there are many long and beautiful hikes around Fundudzi, which the guides would be happy to show you.

Beyond the plantations there is the indigenous Sacred Forest and Lake Fundudzi and the views are spectacular.

Fundudzi Cultural Camp has 5 stand-alone thatched rondavels, each with two single beds, chairs and a bedside stand.

A stand-alone communal bathroom is also available. Solar provides energy for lights & hot water, and USB and 12V (cigarette lighter-style) charging for phones etc. Catering by local villagers can be arranged – please pre-order when booking.

Visitors to Fundudzi have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a beautiful environment.In a hugely fertile valley with modern tea plantations,the real gems are the natural areas with forests,lakes, ivers and waterfalls.

Venda tea plantation.

 

The area is well populated with rural villages and tourists will be spoilt for choice visiting crafters, manufacturers of Minwenda (traditional Venda clothing), Malungu (traditional beads) and Makunda (traditional bangles).

Interested in truly local art? Many artists, potters and crafters work in the area.

For those wanting a closer understanding of some of the local rituals, a demonstration of the Domba Dance (python dance) can be pre-arranged for evening entertainment at Fundudzi.

There is no electricity, and paraffin or solar lanterns are provided for light at night.

 

  • Cultural Tours

    • Cultural and photographic Venda tour
    • Eastern Cape Cultural Tours.
      • 11N In the Footsteps of the leaders.Roots of the struggle
      • 2N Eastern Cape Culture/Nature/Villages
      • 2N The Struggle:Eastern Cape Cultural / Historical Tour.
      • 3N Traditional Ways:Nelson Mandela Village/History/Nature
      • 3N:Nelson Mandela/Culture/Safari
      • 4N:Fossils/Bushman rock art/Xhosa Culture/Karoo Farm Life
      • 4N:Village Life
      • 5N Wild Coast Resort’s and Culture.
      • 5N:The Real Eastern Cape
      • 6N Durban to Garden Route
      • Eastern Cape Tour article from New York Newspaper
      • Eastern Cape Tour Lodging
      • Eastern Cape Village Immersion
      • Eastern Cape Wild Coast Walk:5Nights/6Days
      • Footsteps of Nelson Mandela
      • Images of Eastern Cape Village Immersion
    • South Africa Cultural Tours
      • 11N In the Footsteps of Nelson Mandela
      • 12N The Tribes/Cultures Africa Safari
      • 14N General South Africa Cultural Tour
      • 14N General South Africa Cultural Tour
      • 9N:South Africa Art,Craft,Bead Tour.
      • South Africa 11N In the Footsteps of the leaders of the struggle
    • Venda Ancient and Surviving kingdom.
    • Venda and Kruger National Park
    • Venda Cultural Tours
    • Venda Mission/Church Interest Tour

South Africa Tour and Safari Testimonials.

View Testimonials
  • South Africa Tour National Geographic Testimonial
  • sep 2019 south africa botswana gorilla safari uganda
  • 2019:Thanks very much its been a tough adjustment being back in the office today after such a wonderful time.
  • 2019:The trip was amazing just as expected
  • 2019:South Africa and Botswana Safari.
  • 2019: Reviews of Jacis Lodge Riverdene Mooiplaas
  • 2017: French Chef 
  • 2017: US college South Africa tour
  • 2017: Short Kruger Park Safari
  • 2017:How was it did you get the shot you wanted
  • Dec 2016:Southern Africa from the USA with a marriage proposal
  • Nov 2016:South Africa Tours-Group from USA-3rd repeat visit.
  • October 2016:Botswana Safari with a South Africa Tour from Canada.
  • September 2016:Kenya from the USA-1 client 2cnd repeat visit.
  • September 2016:Tanzania Safari from the USA.
  • March 2014:South Africa Honeymoon from Singapore
  • Dec 13:Venda Cultural Tour from Singapore.
  • Sep 2012 South Africa Tour/Botswana Safari from California USA
  • Nov 11 US group from DC:South Africa

Useful links

  • About Africa Safaris
  • South Africa Visas
  • Malaria on Safari
  • Africa Safari Clothing
  • Travel Insurance
  • South Africa Car Rental
  • South Africa Hotel Grading.
  • South Africa Cell Phone Rental
  • South Africa Currency
  • South Africa Weather
  • South Africa Beaches
  • Cape Town
  • Johannesburg
  • Durban
  • Port Elizabeth
  • Cape Town Winelands
  • Kruger-National-Park
  • Garden Route Information
  • North West Province
  • Gauteng
  • Mpumalanga
  • Wild Coast
  • Kwa Zulu
  • The Drakensberg
  • The Karoo
  • Route 62
  • Panaroma Route

Copyright© 2023 · email stephen@go2southafrica.com · phone: +1 (541)482-6050

custom designed South Africa Tours and Africa Safaris

Menu
  • Home
  • Africa Safaris
    • Botswana Safaris
    • South Africa Safaris
    • Zambia Safaris
    • Zimbabwe Safaris
  • South Africa Tours
    • South Africa Tour Ideas
    • The Garden Route
    • Luxury South Africa Trains
    • Active South Africa Adventures
    • South Africa Self Drive Tours
    • Tours for the Disabled
  • Cape TownTours
    • Cape Town Day Tours
      • Cape Town Scenic Tours
      • Winelands/Food Day Tours.
      • Cape Town Cultural Tours
    • Experience The Cape Winelands.
    • Cape Town Extended Tours
    • Luxury Cape Town Villas
    • Active Cape Town
    • Self drive Cape Town
  • Cultural Tours
    • Eastern Cape Cultural Tours.
    • Venda Cultural Tours
    • South Africa Cultural Tours
  • About us
  • Contact Us