Mpumalanga
Overview
The province of
Mpumalanga is one of
South Africa’s
top tourist destinations with magnificent scenery and a wealth of fauna and flora. It lies in the north-eastern region of South Africa, with Mozambique to the east and Swaziland to the south and east. Passports are required to visit these two countries. On its northern border lies Limpopo Province, with Gauteng on its western border, the Free State to the south-west and KwaZulu-Natal to the south-east.
Nelspruit
is Mpumalanga’s capital and one of the fastest growing cities in South Africa.
Mpumalanga offers the traveler a rich diversity of attractions, ranging from wildlife experiences in its game reserves and scenic drives across its varied landscape to visits to cultural and historic gold mining villages. With over one thousand service providers in the tourism accommodation industry in
Mpumalanga, travelers can enjoy a wide variety of accommodation in
luxury hotels,
holiday resorts,
camping and
caravan sites as well as
self-catering guest farm cottages.
Most towns and many farms also offer comfortable and inviting accommodation in
guest-houses where the touch is personal and friendly.
Regions and Towns
The Lowveld
The
Lowveld of
Mpumalanga is aptly known as “Paradise Country”. Its mountains, rivers, valleys, forests and many waterfalls make it a region of breath-taking beauty. Its wildlife and birds attract visitors from across the globe, mainly to the renowned
Kruger National Park, but also to the many private reserves in the area.
Accommodation in the
Kruger National Park suits all tastes and budgets. The camps offer serviced units with air-conditioning or fans, private bathrooms, some with private kitchens, all with braais and communal cooking facilities. There are also
private camps as well as
Bushveld camps
where no day visitors are allowed. At the
caravan and
camping
sites there are power points, except at the more remote camps where communal refrigeration is provided.
The many
private game reserves offer an exclusive wildlife experience. Packages are usually all inclusive and include accommodation, all meals and rinks, game drives and game walks under the supervision of experiences game rangers.
Nelspruit, the capital city, boasts tree-lined streets, gardens ablaze with flowering subtropical plants and a small but modern airport, the
Kruger Mpumalanga International, much used by visitors to the
Kruger
National Park. It provides scheduled flights to and from Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town and offers all modern facilities including car rental and ticket booking.
The provincial government assembly building in Nelspruit designed in the distinctive Swazi architectural style is well worth a visit.
With its good
hotels,
guest-houses,
restaurants
and
shopping malls, Nelspruit is the perfect place from which to explore the attractions the area offers: the Lowveld Botanical Gardens; the Croc River Reptile Park where visitors can get up close and personal to these primeval giants; the
Sudwala Caves that are accessible for 600 metres and where there is a chamber used as a theatre for live performances; the adjacent open-air Dinosaur Park; and the quaint town of
Waterval Boven with its historic railway tunnel.
Echoes of the historic gold rush are still to be experienced in
Barberton and
Pilgrim’s Rest, old mining towns, where the tourist is transported to a bygone age by way of living museums that have preserved and restored much of the gold mining history.
Other towns to visit include
Sabie and
White River.
The Escarpment
The mist-shrouded escarpment that divides
Mpumalanga in two holds an irresistible attraction for fishing enthusiasts. The scores of
trout farms
and
lodges in the
Dullstroom-Mashishing (Lydenburg)-Badplaas
area lure anglers to try their luck with rainbow and brown trout during the often bracing days and then to relax in front of cosy fires in the evenings. The accommodation ranges from
luxurious lodges to rustic
farm cottages
where the stressed businessperson can truly get away from it all.
Dullstroom is an enchanting village with trout waters, horse-riding, bird-watching and other nature-related activities on offer. It is home to three endangered crane species, especially the scarce wattled crane.
The Bird of Prey Rehabilitation Centre is not be missed, while
Verlorenvallei,
a RAMSAR site, hosts a wide variety of field orchids.
Accommodation ranges from family to executive style.
In the
Mashishing (Lydenburg) area the visitor can visit the
Echo Caves and enjoy the beauty of the
Blyde River Canyon
with its many attractions.
Badplaas is home to a resort that attracts visitors throughout the year with its hot water springs, outdoor swimming pools and fun-filled activities. Accommodation includes cottages, flats, hotel and caravan sites.
The Highveld
Although the Highveld of Mpumalanga was overlooked as a traveler’s destination for many years, it is coming into its own lately with many dedicated tourism operators introducing visitors to its unique attractions.
Visitors traveling from Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park will, among others, pass through
Middelburg where a visit to
Loskop Dam
and the
Botshabelo Museum and Cultural Village will be time well spent.
From
Ermelo, one of the Highveld’s main towns, the traveler can visit ancient
BaPedi corbelled huts that continue to intrigue archaeologists; the Mushroom Rock near
Breyten where human sacrifices are said to have been made in earlier times; Goliath’s Footprint, a huge and mystifying upright footprint in a rock; a spectacular natural stone bridge across a river; the lake district with the quaint town of
Chrissiesmeer offering frogging and star-gazing nights as well as re-enactments of
Anglo-Boer War
battles; San rock paintings, and many more.
Bird-lovers flock to
Wakkerstroom, a town of peace and tranquility, but offering robust activities, like walking and hiking trails, mountain biking, paragliding, fly-fishing, horse-riding and canoeing. The town is steeped in history, being the third oldest town in the old Transvaal. It has many historical monuments and boasts the distinction that author
H Rider Haggard lived in its Hoog Street.
The area is, however, mainly known as a premier birding destination with wetland, grassland and forest habitats sporting a great variety of species.
There are also San rock-painting sites in the area that tourists can visit accompanied by a qualified guide. Towns to visit in the vicinity include
Volksrust
and
Piet Retief. The scenic
Heyshope Dam lies between
Wakkerstroom and
Piet Retief.
Accommodation options include
hotels and
guest-houses,
bed and breakfast establishments,
self-catering accommodation
as well as
caravan and
camping sites.
Climate
Mpumalanga is hot to very hot in summer, especially in the lowveld areas. Mild in winter, but it can become very cold on the escarpment and in the highveld regions.
Health
Malaria occurs in
Mpumalanga in some of the lowveld regions and visitors are advised to take the necessary precautions and to carry an insect repellant.