| The hamlet of Groot Marico lies north-west of Johannesburg,
past Swartruggens and Koster, three hours by car, several lifetimes in the
imagination.
The Marico region stretches northwards, following the green valley of
the Marico River, a tributary of the Limpopo. It stretches up over Zeerust,
past Nietverdiend, Zwingli, over the crocodile-spine of the Dwarsberge
to the Botswana border.
The town Groot Marico (it means Big Marico) is named after the Groot
Marico River, one of the few perennial rivers in this area. The name has
got nothing to do with the size of the town, which is very small. Groot
Marico is well-known for its beautiful African bushveld surroundings and
the special kind of hospitality of its people. It is the ideal place when
you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city life.
Groot Marico was made famous by the stories of Herman Charles Bosman
who captured the spirit of the Afrikaans farmers of this region in his
world-famous books such as Mafeking Road and A Sip of Jerepigo. He came
to the Marico in 1926 and left six months later, but carried away enough
of the stuff of life to sustain nearly 150 precisely crafted stories of
high humour, high tragedy and the achingly beautiful poetry of the bushveld.
Activities
Visitors on their way to the Madikwe Game Reserve enjoy a short stopover
at the Information Centre. Such a visit, if pre-arranged, can include
a visit to a mampoer farm with demonstration, a lunch at an old boere
farm, and refreshments and a honey mampoer liqueur tasting at the Information
Centre/Art Factory.
Mampoer Tours in the Groot Marico area can also be organised through
the Tourist Office.
There are a number of Game and Hunting farms in the district the Information
Centre also offers a selection of hiking routes where hikers are accompanied
by a knowledgeable guide - giving a cultural and historical background
to the experience
The Art Factory is a small shop situated in the Information Centre in
the main street of Groot Marico. Local artists are given the opportunity
to present and sell their wares. All items are handmade. Egbert, the shop
manager with a very long beard, is a mine of information on anything in
the Marico.
Accommodation
Depending on your requirements, when you are looking for accommodation
in Groot Marico you can choose between self-catering chalets, guest houses,
caravan and camping sites and guest farms. Most bookings can be made at
the Information Centre in Groot Marico.
Contact
The Information Centre can be found in the main street of Groot-Marico
- next to First National Bank behind big stone walls which was build by
the Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War.
Phone number: 014-503-0085
Fax number: 014-503-0085
Mobile No 083 2722 958
P.O. Box 28, Groot-Marico, South-Africa, 2850
|
Newsletter:
3 February 2012 to 10 February 2012 - Krugersdorp, Gauteng, South Africa
