To the north of Letaba, near the Zimbabwe border, are Venda and Gazankulu, largely rural peasant communities with a reputation for arts and crafts. The mystical South African artist Jackson Hlungwane, who has pieces of his remarkable sculpture in South African and European galleries, is based here. This is also the home of the Rain Queen, said to have been Rider Haggard’s inspiration for She, and the Modjadji Forest, the world’s largest collection of cycads (50-million-year-old palms).
In the west, the Waterberg mountains and the Soutpansberg provide excellent opportunities for hiking, riding and nature watching, and there are several private game ranches in the area.
In the far south, near the Gauteng border, Warmbaths unsurprisingly contains warm mineral springs. In the center of the province are Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg), the provincial capital, notable for the Bakone Malapa Museum, and Potgietersrus, an attractive old Afrikaaner town, with a rare breeds breeding center.