Here are the reasons:
 
One of the local legends goes that King Makgoba himself described the area where the town of Tzaneen is now situated as "Tzaneng - the happy land". Another explanation is that the name originated from the word "Tzana" (basket), describing Tzaneen's location: surrounded by hills and filled with an abundance of fresh produce!
 
Tzaneen is the second largest town in the Limpopo Province. The beautiful trees and gardens can be ascribed to the high rainfall and warmth of the Lowveld.
 
The region is ideally explored from here. If you are planning on visiting, here are 10 reasons why:
 
1. Scenic…with a capital S!
 
Opportunities for sightseeing (another capital S!) are plentiful and appeal particularly to nature lovers who enjoy hiking and bird watching.
 
Pristine rivers and dams offer excellent fishing opportunities. There are wonderful tea gardens to visit, local cheese to sample and rafts to cruise the waters of the beautiful Tzaneen and Ebenezer Dams.
 
The Magoebaskloof Mountain Pass between Haenertsburg and Tzaneen shows off stunning scenery and some of South Africa's finest indigenous forests with waterfalls, lakes and craggy kloofs. The pass leads from the highveld down the Drakensberg escarpment to the sub-tropical Lowveld, dropping about 600 meters over a distance of only six kilometers.
 
2. Excellent accommodation
Facilities include hotels, guest houses, lodges, bed and breakfasts, self-catering units, back packers and camping sites.
 
3. The great outdoors!
Challenging terrain for a vast number of sports like golfing, fishing, hiking, kayaking, sailing, cycling, running, mountaineering, motorbike riding, abseiling, kloofing etc.
 
4. Activities! Facilities!
A roaring range of restaurants, day spa's for unwinding, tours and excursions, adventure opportunities, game viewing, food and craft and markets – all tossed in here.
 
5. Diversity in nature and culture
Venture off on scenic routes, explore dams, rivers and indigenous forest, wildlife, unique and endangered fauna and flora, mountain ranges, fruitful valleys and local arts and crafts.
 
6. Fresh produce – home-grown and available!
7. Accommodating accessibility
Tzaneen is situated half way between Polokwane and Phalaborwa, only 115 km from the world-renowned Kruger National Park, close to most tourism attractions and easily accessible by car, train or plane!
 
Road transport enables tourists to enjoy the scenery. International tourists who arrive in South Africa by air make use of car rentals. Taxi transport is another tempting option.
 
Vast open spaces and long distances through scenic surroundings are synonymous with Limpopo Province. The main artery, the dual-lane N1 toll road, splits the Province in two and runs from Gauteng in the South right through to Zimbabwe in the North. It is one of the best stretches of the N1 in South Africa, offering free–flowing traffic and safe travelling.
 
Airports close to Tzaneen:
 
Polokwane International Airport
 
East Gate Airport
 
Hoedspruit Airport
 
Kruger National Airport
 
Gateway Airport and Tzaneen Municipal Airport for light aircraft and helicopters.
 
Most popular destinations from Tzaneen:
 
•    Tzaneen - Johannesburg 420 km
 
•    Tzaneen - Pretoria 362 km
 
•    Tzaneen - Polokwane 89 km
 
•    Tzaneen - Phalaborwa 115 km
 
•    Tzaneen - Hoedspruit 120 km
 
•    Tzaneen - Hazyview 206 km
 
•    Tzaneen - Dullstroom 245 km
 
8. Kind climate!
 
Mostly sunshine, long summer days with pleasant winters. Tzaneen's subtropical conditions provide more suited weather for dense forests (high summer rainfall) than the thorny bushveld above the escarpment.
 
The summer months, September – March, have an average temperature of 32°C (90 °F) and winter months around 25°C (77 °F). Rainfall averages from around 800 mm per year in town to over 1500 mm in the mountains.
 
Safe and secure
Situated a bit out of the way and not on the main route to and from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana (plus relatively far from Johannesburg), it is common believed that less criminal activities take place in this peaceful valley. Despite relatively few incidents, an effective security force assists local inhabitants and tourists alike.
 
Near to Northern tourism treats
From Tzaneen nearby Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa, The Kruger National Park, Blyde Valley, Graskop and Hazyview can be explored – all within two hours' drive from Tzaneen.
 
For any more information on the beautiful Tzaneen area contact us at 083 309 6901 or email: info@iinfo.co.za