Mapungubwe

Seat of the first and richest pre-colonial kingdom in southern Africa (11th-13th centuries), with gold objects older than Great Zimbabwe

Area

280 km²

Protection category

UICN II

Parque nacional — what the IUCN categories mean

Declared in

1995

Region

Southern Africa (Limpopo)

Climate

Tropical, Árido / desértico, Templado, Mediterráneo

Best time

May to September

World Heritage

Plan your visit

Best time: May to September
Area: 280 km²

Highlight

Seat of the first and richest pre-colonial kingdom in southern Africa (11th-13th centuries), with gold objects older than Great Zimbabwe

Declared in 1995 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003, Mapungubwe protects the archaeological site of the kingdom of the same name, which flourished between the 11th and 13th centuries as the first and richest documented pre-colonial state in southern Africa, and the direct forerunner of the better-known Great Zimbabwe. Twentieth-century excavations here turned up a golden rhinoceros and other ceremonial objects that reveal a sophisticated trading network reaching as far as China and India, long before any European contact.