The Route of Lost Kingdoms, the latest in the Open Africa network of tourist routes, is about to be launched as a brand new tourist experience. De Beer’s sponsored the development of The Route of Lost Kingdoms in the Soutpansberg region of the Limpopo Province last year and the launch function will take place at the Mapungubwe National Park on Friday, 3 March, 2006.

Francois Viljoen, Route Developer for Open Africa, explains that the theme of the route is based on the ancient kingdoms of Great Zimbabwe and includes sites like Thulamela and Mapungubwe Hill. The route stretches from Thulamela, inside the gates of the Kruger National Park, and meanders through Pafuri and Musina before heading to one of South Africa’s newest parks – Mapungubwe National Park, which recently also received World Heritage status. From here, the route takes you to Alldays to visit interesting community and conservation projects.

By linking the smaller projects and communities to the more established tourism products, they all gain equal access into the mainstream tourist market, to which some might not otherwise have had entry. The route creates a starting point from which to take tourism forward in the entire area and also provides a platform from which to build local partnerships and invest in local linkages, the underlying principles of responsible tourism.

The route covers a distance of approximately 275km, making it ideal for a weekend getaway. There is a good mix of upmarket lodges and more affordable accommodation as well as a variety of activities, from tracking wild dogs or working with researchers on cheetah rehabilitation, to visiting cultural sites of kingdoms that have long been forgotten.

Other themes included in The Route of Lost Kingdoms focus on the combination of cultural and natural attractions, of which the area boasts an abundance of resources. The route is divided into sub-routes that can easily be covered in a day trip. The sub-routes are the Thulamela Route, from Pafuri to Musina, the Mapungubwe Route from Musina to Pontdrif and the Alldays Route from Pontdrif to Alldays.

De Beer’s is as serious about promoting our beautiful country to tourists as it is about conserving the environment, and their commitment is illustrated through sponsorship of other conservation projects in the region as well as this route.

Open Africa, a not-for-gain organisation under the patronage of Nelson Mandela, is linking the splendours of Africa in a continuous network of tourist routes from the Cape to Cairo. The achievement of this vision for Africa has been enabled by the integration of leading edge GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology with the Internet. The result is a website and route maps that can be accessed so that viewers can interrogate the maps down to the finest details, while suppliers of facilities and providers of services can market their wares in the most cost-efficient and effective manner. More information about the Open Africa network and the Route of Lost Kingdoms can be found at www.africandream.org