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
