Thathe Vondo Forest

Thathe Vondo lies on the southern slopes of the Soutpansberg, part indigenous forest and part plantation, and one section of it - the Thathe Holy Forest - is a burial ground of the Thathe Vhusiku clan and closed to outsiders. The traditions attached are specific: the forest is guarded by a white lion said to be the spirit of a chief, and by Ndadzi, a lightning bird that appears in storms. People do not enter, and the request is not decorative. What visitors do is drive the forest road, which passes through tall trees and past viewpoints over Lake Fundudzi, another sacred site in the same landscape, with a formal viewpoint above it. The area is mist-belt wet, the roads are gravel and steep, and the whole district is a place where visiting well means understanding what is not on offer.

What you actually see

• The closed holy forest - a clan burial ground that outsiders do not enter.
• The guardians - traditions of a white lion spirit and Ndadzi, the lightning bird.
• The forest drive - a gravel road through tall trees and plantation.
• The Fundudzi viewpoint - a formal overlook onto the sacred lake below.

When to go

April to September. Half a day, combined with the Fundudzi viewpoint.

Honest expectations

The sacred core is not open and should not be entered - this is the point of the place. Roads are steep, wet gravel and mist is frequent. There are no facilities or signage in English in places. Ask locally before wandering off the public road.

Nearby

Lake Fundudzi is below; Thohoyandou is the regional centre.