Mpumalanga
One of South Africa's major tourist destinations is found in Mpumalanga, which means 'Place where the sun rises', and is bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland in the east, and Gauteng in the west. Mpumalanga is a sought after tourist destination, abounding in accommodation establishments, places to see, and things to do. Its many tourist attractions and places to see include the Kruger National Park, the Sudwala Caves, Bourke's Luck Potholes, Pilgrim's Rest and the Panorama Route - a place of great scenic beauty.
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
This major international tourist draw card offers a wilderness experience which ranks with the best in Africa. The sight of elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo is always a thrill, especially at close range on a conducted wilderness trail. After an exciting day in the bush, sunset heralds the crackle of campfire, sundowners and shared anecdotes.
The South is part of the original Sabie Game reserve that was proclaimed in 1898 by then president Paul Kruger. It is home to some of the most popular camps in the park as the wildlife is prolific. The hippo pool with nearby bushmen paintings is a major draw card. Granite outcrops among the seringa, Marula, tamboti and wild olive trees provide scrambling platforms for klipspringer (small antelope) and viewing platforms for lions. White rhino, wild dog and leopard are common to this area. The Acacia trees provide shelter and food to the larger herbivores such as giraffe and elephant, while the Crocodile River provides twilight viewing of elephants, waterbuck, impala and the elusive predators quenching their thirst.
PILGRIMS REST
There never was a more beautiful or romantic spot to have a gold rush than Pilgrim’s Rest. This town born during the excitement of an alluvial gold rush, is a most perfect example and as such, the entire place has been declared a National Monument.
Pilgrim's Rest has changed little and the entire village has been proclaimed a national monument and mining museum. Quaint shops, crafts and displays are a tourist delight and well worth a visit. Close to Pilgrim's Rest is the beautiful Mount Sheba Nature Reserve with its rich bird life, situated in a paradise of indigenous forest. The entire region abounds with clear beautiful streams, cascading waterfalls and crystal pools, ideal for trout fishing and a joy to hikers on trail in the area. North of Pilgrim's Rest is the scenic Blyde Riverspoort Nature Reserve with spectacular and stunning scenery and a 56 kilometer
GRASKOP
Graskop is a small forestry town perched on the edge of the Drakensberg escarpment, centrally situated in the Panorama tourist region of Mpumalanga, South Africa. Bursting with adventure, Graskop invites you, your 4x4, your MTB, your family and your sense of adventure!
Graskop is only a few minutes drive from a number of scenic wonders such as God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the world renown Blyde River Canyon and Three Rondawels, as well as spectacular waterfalls such as Lisbon Falls, Berlyn Falls and Mac Mac Falls.
Graskop is only a few minutes drive from a number of scenic wonders such as God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the world renown Blyde River Canyon and Three Rondawels, as well as spectacular waterfalls such as Lisbon Falls, Berlyn Falls and Mac Mac Falls
The historic mining town of Pilgrim's Rest as well as the quaint forestry town of Sabie are a mere ½ hour's drive away, with the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park less than an hours drive to the east.
Graskop, at an altitude of 1,400 m above sea level, has a temperate climate with a high rainfall and is often misty in the summer months. Graskop is a popular tourist destination and is renown for it's pancake bars and curio shops.
SABIE
Sabie originated as another gold rush town, all from a fortuitous discovery during a picnic in 1895, when bottle shooting practise revealed gold specs in the rock where the bullets had glanced off. From the summit of Long Tom pass the Sabi River flows through a handsome valley to a waterfall where the town has been built. The river’s name is from the Shangaan word meaning ‘fearful’ referring to the crocodiles and sudden floods that formerly made this river dangerous. Nowadays the trout fishermen are attracted to its fast flowing waters.
This lovely little town has some wonderful hotels and guest houses and excellent restaurants such as the Loggerhead and the Fig Tree, serving up fresh local trout as a speciality. The area is scenically stunning with so many outdoor activities it is hard to choose from mountain biking, horse trails, picnics at the top of a waterfall or hiking to the base for a cool dip in the crystal clear
HAZYVIEW
The Lowveld near the Kruger National Park is an ideal holiday destination, and offers a vast range of accommodation, activities, tours, safaris, history and culture in a subtropical setting which offers hot summer days and mild winters - come swimming in July! Hazyview is the area's tourism hub.
Hazyview is the ideal gateway to the Kruger National Park - situated close to 3 entry gates namely Numbi Gate, Paul Kruger Gate as well as Phabeni Gate are on our doorstep!
Hazyview is also the gateway to the rest of Big 5 Country - private game reserves such as Sabi Sands, Sabi Sabi and others where you will find world-famous lodges such as Mala Mala, Londolozi, Lion Sands, Leopard Hills, Singita and others.
DULLSTROOM
Situated at 25º 25' S 30º 06' E, high up on the eastern escarpment, on the Steenkampsberg mountain range, Dullstroom is only 2 hours from Johannesburg and Pretoria, en route to the well-known Kruger National Park. At 2097m above sea level, Dullstroom is one of the highest towns in South Africa. It has a sub-alpine climate, and is well known for its cool, often misty atmosphere, lending it an air of the Scottish Highlands.
The local building style of pointed-stone and wooden log homes, along with the many pubs, restaurants, lodges and quaint village shops have made this one of the most appealing tourist destinations in Mpumalanga.
With its moderate climate, crisp mountain air, and scenic beauty, Dullstroom lends itself perfectly to trout fishing. Trout were first introduced to the area in the early 1900’s, and today most dams in the area
LYDENBURG
Situated at the foothills of the Long Tom Pass on the Highveld escarpment of Mpumalanga, Lydenburg is a town of history and a town for all seasons.
The climate and magnificent surroundings make Lydenburg the ideal outdoor adventure paradise for the whole family. Activities encompass fly fishing and unspoilt nature with panoramic views. Visits to Mashishing Township and the Lydenburg Museum, with its display of prehistoric artefacts dating from 15 BC to present day, are well worthwhile.
Lydenburg, the town a buzz with new developments, is situated at the foothills of the famous Long Tom Pass and surrounded by the Steenkampsberg and Mauchsberg mountain ranges - the highest points in Mpumalanga. At 1,469m a.s.l the town
BARBERTON
Embark on a journey back in time to a quaint little town called BARBERTON, Mpumalanga, South Africa. situated in the hub of the Wild Frontier – one of the seven flagship tourism regions in the southern part of Mpumalanga, South Africa. Centrally located, only 65 km from the Kruger National Park, 70 km away from Nelspruit International Airport, 45 km from the Mountain Kingdom of Swaziland, 360 km from Johannesburg International Airport and 170 km from the warm tropical waters of the Mozambican coast.
Nestled between the mystical mountain rocks, you travel back in time. The Barberton Mountain lands form the core of a proposed World Heritage Site, as it is central to the Achaean Greenstone Belt in which some of the oldest and best preserved rocks and first life forms on earth are found. This makes the Barberton Mountain lands one of the oldest regions on our planet, it’s as if you enter a vast open air museum that displays more than 3,5 billion years of earth history and little researched archeological sites dating back from the stone- and iron ages.
Today it is a charming, atmospheric little place, with many of the old buildings still standing. Gold is still mined here and the town also boasts the oldest and richest gold and silver deposits in the world. The gold mined here is trademarked as “Ancient Precious Metals” (3million years old). Jewelry made here is sold as “the oldest gold on earth” with an accompanying certificate.
NELSPRUIT
Nelspruit has been called the gateway to Mpumalanga. With its sub-tropical climate and abundant sunshine and lush covered hills and valleys it forms the ideal base to explore Mpumalanga from
Nelspruit is the trading centre for the surrounding fruit growing area of Mpumalanga. Fertile soils and subtropical climate provide perfect conditions for the production of citrus and tropical fruits, mainly mango, banana, avocado, macadamia and pecan nuts.
The lowveld botanical gardens just outside of the town boasts a rare collection of plant species and the first man-made rain forests.
Nearby Sudwala caves, dinosaur park and cultural centre expose your senses to the primitive Africa. A short distance away above Nelspruit is the gold mining town of Kaapsehoop where the mist filled evenings and a herd of wild horses grazing in the town transport you into a world of yesterday.
Many beautiful nature and hiking trails are in the vicinity of Nelspruit and a 1-hour historical trail acquaints you with the architectural and cultural history of the town.
Visits to the crocodile farm, ostrich farm and Halls estate (one of the largest subtropical fruit production farms in the area) give some idea of the variety and beauty of this area.
There's also a mall with an eight-theatre cinema complex, casino and entertainment centre.
