Royal Gardens is situated at the Nandoni Dam - Nandoni meaning "the iron smelting ovens" in the Venda language, inspired by the high temperatures the area is renowned for. The dam was previously known as the Mutoti Dam and is located along the Luvuvhu River near the village of ha-Mutoti and ha-Budeli, a few kilometres from Thohoyandou in the Vhembe District. The Luvuvhu River follows a course along the southern edge of the Zoutpansberg and joins the Limpopo River in the far northern corner of the Kruger National Park on the border between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Nandoni Dam supplies water to several places in the region and in the past, fishing in the dam has attracted tourists, with the main species being Largemouth bass and Kurper.