Magalies bush lodge nestled in the ancient mountains of North West

Thaba Phuti, a Magalies bush lodge, is nestled on a cliff of the more than 2 million year old Magaliesberg Mountain Range. This mass of rock formations is the second oldest mountain and cliff range on earth.

Guests at the Thaba Phuti, a Magalies bush lodge situated on a private game farm, known as Middleton, have an unsurpassed view of the African bushveld that lies at the foot of one of the mountains in the age old range.

The nearby town and village area of Magaliesburg can easily be reached from the elegant Magalies bush lodge. The little town is only about 80-90 minutes drive from Gauteng's major cities and provides the visitor with ample gift and craft shopping opportunities. Apart from this, holiday makers can also relax next to several small rivers.

Geography of the Magaliesberg area

The interior parts of this section of the country were subject to gigantic geological upheavals millions of years ago. As a result of this, the whole plain broke into two major pieces. The elevated land sloped to the north and formed a long row of two side by side mountain ranges, extending all the way from Pretoria to Pilanesberg. This was the start of this now famous and natural mountain type border between the northern bushveld and the southern highveld savannah. Several animal species came together at this range, including the famous South African Springbok and other antelope species.

Mining

The gold reef's northern edge reaches the outskirts of the Magaliesburg village. Gold mining started here at Blaauwbank around 1874. The discovery and subsequent mining of gold was only the beginning. Several other mining activities would follow in the years to come. Visitors to the area can still relive the past at the mining museum at Blaauwbank.

Cradle of Mankind

The discovery of some of the earliest remains of man at the Sterkfontein Caves close to the small town of Magaliesburg, placed the area on the map as part of the Cradle of Mankind.

According to anthropologists and historians, the descendants of the first human related species lived in the valley of Magaliesburg. They made stone tools, which were later replaced by iron tools. Wild animals, fish and food were in abundance.

Life would change forever for this primitive community in the latter part of the 1800's when large tribes from the northern parts of the country found their way to this area. The migration to the south by these tribes caused conflict between the groups. Once the tribes moved further south, the community could rebuild their lives, or so they thought. It wasn't long before peace was once again disrupted, this time through attacks from Mzilikazi's men. They plundered the homes of the primitive tribes and took their women and children as slaves. Young men would be trained to become part of Mzilikazi's combat group.

This was followed by the invasion of the area by white groups from the southern parts of the country, which clashed with the tribes in the area. Animals had no chance of survival against the guns of these men. This very soon, resulted in a tremendous drop in the number of animals in the region.

The Second Anglo-Boer War broke out in 1899 and two Boer republics came into being. Numerous men, women, children and livestock would loose their lives during the war. The battles fought in the mountains and valley areas are still remembered today. Little graveyards serve as reminders of that period.

Guests of the luxurious Magalies bush lodge, Thaba Phuti, only a short drive from the Magaliesburg village, can take a trip to these historical battlefields or partake in the sport of shooting with gunpowder rifles. The beautifully colonial furnished rooms and mouthwatering cuisine in the middle of the African bushveld also provide the tourist the opportunity to relive the past.

Guests at Thaba Phuti, thus not only have excellent facilities at the lodge, wonderful food, breathtaking views and comfort, but also have many historical places to explore in the vicinity of this magnificent Magalies bush lodge.