LOCATIONS

The diversity of the South African Lowveld and the adjoining escarpment offers an exceptionally diverse range of location types available to both the national and international filming market.  From thick indigenous forests and commercial pine forests through to open bushveld and savannah regions.  The Northern Drakensberg escarpment and the Blyde River Canyon have some of the most scenically beautiful regions available together with the wide range of national, provincial and private game reserves bordering the internationally renown Kruger National Park, offering 

Within the region offered by Bushveld Connections, there are a number of gradients, which contribute to a diversity of landscapes and eco-systems available. For example the altitudinal range is from 200 to 2 050m above sea level.   The precipitation ranges from an average of 400mm per annum in the savanna areas in the north to up to 3 000mm per anumm in some areas in the south and west  

South Africa is the third most biologically diverse country in the world.  In Southern Africa there are seven biomes, (namely Fynbos, Savanna, Grassland, Nama-karoo, Succulent Karoo, Desert and Forest).  Each of these biomes has been classified according to the rainfall, dominant life forms and the structural characteristics.  Bushveld Connections has access to three of these biomes within our specialized areas.  The escarpment is comprised of grasslands and forest, while the Lowveld region is characterized by the savanna biome.

The Forest Biome is known as The Transvaal Drakensberg Escarpment Forest. The combination of plants found in this forest is not encountered anywhere else in South Africa. 

The Savannah Biome of  Southern Africa has a considerably higher level of biodiversity than Savannas in other African countries.  It is in the Savannah Biome that most of the large mammals and birds, which are special attractions for both national and international visitors can be found. 

 Within the region there are a few unique features namely the Blyde River Canyon, Three Rondawels, Mariepskop Mountain and the Kadishi Tufa Waterfall.

The Three Rondawels are three peaks isolated through geological weathering from the surrounding land. As a result they are natural islands.

Mariepskop is unique in its floral diversity. The foothills are in the savanna, represented by typical species. On the slopes, and in the kloofs and crags, montane forest species can be found. 

The Tufa waterfall is the third largest living tufa waterfall in the world. While tufa formations (a calcium carbonate precipitation) are quite common within the region, the Kadishi Tufa is special because of its size.

The region offers the largest area of privately owned conservation land in the world in which any number of wild species and bushveld scenery can be found.  Larger, more common animals include, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Cheetah, Impala, Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest etc. while the smaller, lesser known animals include, genets, civet cats, aardvarks, antbears, Galago's, etc.  71% of South Africa's terrestrial birds and 80% of South Africa's raptors are found in the region.  

Apart from the Savannah and wildlife options, the region is surrounded by rural and semi rural communities and traditional native dwellings.  These offer a wide range of alternative location options.