Lepokole Hills

The Lepokole hills are a group of granite kopjes and boulder fields east of Bobonong, considered by some accounts the last part of Botswana where San communities lived before moving west. Among the rocks are shelters with paintings, caves, and natural passages between the boulders. The hills are a spiritual site for local communities and are used for rainmaking, so visiting is done with a guide from the village rather than independently.

What you'll find

• The rock paintings - San images in sheltered overhangs among the boulders.
• The granite kopjes - piled boulder hills rising from flat bush country.
• The caves and passages - natural gaps and chambers through the rock piles.
• The views - open country running east towards the Limpopo.

When to go

April to September is the dry season and most comfortable. Morning light is best for the painted shelters. Summer heat on the bare granite is severe.

What to expect

The hills are a sacred site and visiting without a local guide is not acceptable. There are no marked paths and scrambling over boulders is involved. There are no facilities and no signage.

Nearby

Bobonong is west, and the Tuli block is southeast.

Key facts