Vaalwater is a small town situated on the Mokolo River in the Limpopo province of South Africa.
The town, unlike other towns in the Limpopo province, is not located on a national road, of which the nearest one is at Nylstroom/Modimolle. It does however lie halfway on a road streching from Nylstroom/Modimolle to Ellisras/Lephalale. Nearby towns also include Hermanusdorings, Melkrivier, Palala and Naboomspruit.
It lies at the southern edge of the rugged Waterberg Massif, which is a biosphere that contains considerable biodiversity, including numerous large mammals (e.g. Giraffe, White Rhino, Blue Wildebeest). Waterberg is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The extensive rock formation was shaped by hundreds of millions of years of riverine erosion to yield diverse bluff and butte landform.
Vaalwater is a popular jumping-off point for travels to the Waterberg Massif and Botswana and is itself becoming a minor destination for tourism. There are a variety of craft, art, and gift shops, as well as cafes and restaurants.
In 2006, Vaalwater was officially renamed Mabatlane, but reverted back to Vaalwater in 2007 after it became evident that the proper renaming procedures had not been followed.
Vaalwater also hosts the very popular Waterberg Game Festival yearly.
References:
Michael Hogan, Mark L. Cooke and Helen Murray, The Waterberg Biosphere, Lumina Technologies, May 22, 2006.
