Makhado

The area was the seat of the Ramabulana Venda kingdom in the early 19th century. Voortrekkers under Louis Tregardt arrived in 1836 and later founded Schoemansdal, a trading post that was abandoned in 1867 after attacks by Venda forces under Makhado. Trichardtsdorp was laid out in February 1899 and later became Louis Trichardt. The town was renamed Makhado in 2003, after the Venda king, but a court set the change aside and the name reverted to Louis Trichardt in 2014.

On the N1 about 437 km north of Johannesburg and about 110 km north of Polokwane, and 106 km south of the Beitbridge border post. The R522 runs west to Vivo, and the R524 runs east to Thohoyandou and the Kruger Park's Punda Maria gate.

Subtropical, with warm wet summers and mild dry winters. January days typically range from about 19 °C to 28 °C, with most rain falling in afternoon storms from November to March. Winter (June–August) is almost dry, with highs of about 21–24 °C and lows of about 8–11 °C. The mountain slopes above town are cooler and misty.