The Great Letaba River flows through Limpopo province in South Africa, originating in the Wolkberg Mountains region. It eventually joins the Little Letaba River to form the Letaba River, which continues eastward as a tributary of the Olifants River near the Lebombo Mountains at the Mozambique border. The name "Letaba" (also rendered as "Lehlaba") translates roughly as "sandy river."

The upper section of the Great Letaba, situated below Ebenezer Dam, runs through a pronounced gorge and offers a mix of calm, clear water and whitewater rapids. Commercial tubing operations in this area use this stretch as their primary run, with trips typically lasting around 2.5 hours. The gorge setting provides views of the Wolkberg Mountains and nearby waterfalls. Access to this upper gorge section is via the R528 road in Limpopo.

Paddlers should be aware that the broader Letaba river system passes through areas with significant wildlife, including elephant, Cape buffalo, hippopotamus, crocodile, and leopard. While these hazards are documented more specifically for the lower Letaba near Kruger National Park and Phalaborwa, the presence of dangerous wildlife is a general consideration for any paddling in this region. Swimming ability is considered a prerequisite for activities on this river, and participants under 10 years of age are excluded from at least some commercial water activities here.