Information on Mpumulanga and Kruger Park - South Africa

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Mpumalanga is well loved by Southern Destinations for its scenic beauty and great activities. Here you visit the dramatic Blyde River Canyon or mine for gold at Pilgrims Rest. Or enjoy it all from above on a panoramic balloon safari!

Combine all the adventures of Mpumalanga with a visit to the Kruger National Park for your safari. The combination of activities and safari will keep kids occupied and parents happy.

Mpumalanga, which means "land of the rising sun" in the local SiSwati language, has it all -- from exhilarating wildlife, to secluded mountain retreats, ancient ruined cities, wild water sports, and some of South Africa's most diverse and vibrant African cultures.

The province's year-round sunny weather, soaring peaks, steamy jungles and expansive waterways have also made it home to a bewildering array of adventure sport, from expeditions down the world's oldest caves, to taking flight at the continent's largest paragliding festival.

Just next to the Highlands Meander is The Panorama, which abounds with breathtaking views from natural wonders along the eastern slopes of the escarpment. There is God's Window and the world's third largest canyon and biggest green canyon, the Blyde River Canyon. There are also the astonishing Bourke's Luck Potholes and three rondawels. The towns of Lydenburg and White River are gateways to the route, which takes visitors through the quaint towns of Pilgrim's Rest, a living museum dating back to the hey days of the gold rush, as well as Sabie, Graskop, Ohrigstad and Hazyview. 

Nature enthusiasts will discover cascading water falls while adrenaline junkies can get their next rush by bungee jumping, white water rafting or going on rigorous 4x4 trails. More gentler pursuits include hot air ballooning, walking trails and gold panning. 

 The Wild Frontier is a cradle of life with geological discoveries and some of the oldest forms of life discovered on earth, dating back more than three billion years. The imposing Mkonjwa mountains are said to be of the oldest in the world.

The region borders Mozambique, Swaziland and the southern tip of the Kruger National Park and takes visitors to the historic towns of Barberton, Komatipoort, Kaapmuiden and Badplaas. Barberton was the centre of the local gold rush and the faade of Africa's first stock exchange, which was built in 1887, still stands. The region holds enormous sentimental value for the people of Mozambique whose president, Samora Machel, died when his plane crashed south of Komatipoort at the height of apartheid atrocities in South Africa. A monument has been built in a small village to commemmorate his life and the lives of those who died in the crash with him.

The Wild Frontier's heritage trails, hiking and 4x4 trails certainly take visitors on a journey of discovery or one of pampering at hot springs and hydro spas at Badplaas.

Lowveld Legogote is home to the seat of the provincial administration in Nelspruit, wild horse town of Kaapsehoop, creative and eccentric White River, and vibey township KaNyamazane.

Here you will find the oldest dolomite caves the world - Sudwala Caves - a mesmerising butterfly garden

and a botanical garden with an enormous collection of cycads and African rainforest. There's also a mall with an eight-theatre cinema complex, casino and entertainment centre.

Indulge in quad and mountain biking, paragliding, microlighting, cultural tours to authentic villages and game viewing. 

The Cultural Heartland immerses visitors in colourful Ndebele culture and winds through the north western towns of Witbank, Middelburg, Siyabuswa, Groblersdal, Marble Hall and Roossenekal. The Ndebele people are world famous for their vibrant house painting, bead work and crafts, all of which are on display at cultural villages in the region. The Heartland also has a

Boer War route ideal for history buffs.

And, instead of the more traditional game viewing on offer further east,

the Heartland offers game viewing by boat at the Loskop Dam Nature Reserve. The The Witbank Dam is the largest municipal dam in the southern hemisphere, with a catchment area of 3 540 square kilometres. A large portion of the region is fantastic for water sports like skiing and windsurfing. The Heartland also offers parasailing, golfing and scenic hiking and 4x4 trails.

Visitors can also see the mining and farming industry as never before by going on industrial and agricultural tours to collieries and farms, while plant enthusiasts will find that the lanatus cycad is indigenous to the region and that a plethora of wild flowers like arum lilies transform the area into a magical garden during summer.

The Grass and Wetlands region is unequivocally a birding paradise that lures bird watchers in their droves. The route includes South Africa's largest freshwater lake at Chrissiesmeer. Chrissiesmeer also boasts a mysterious giant footprint in rock that matches one in Canada, and hosts an annual frog watching festival in summer and stargazing festival in winter. A fierce Anglo Boer War battle that was fought at Chrissiesmeer is also re-enacted annually.

The route borders Kwazulu-Natal and Free State, as well as the kingdom of Swaziland, which is the last absolute monarchy in sub-saharan Africa. It is also home to the 1 000-year-old ruins of the lost Legoya people and San paintings.

The route also includes the farming communities of Carolina, Hendrina, Ermelo, Volksrust, Piet Retief, Amsterdam, Breyten, Lothair and Morgenzon.

Blyde River Canyon

The Blyde River Canyon is the only true canyon in South Africa. It was formed by the Blyde River, "River of Joy" cutting its way more than 1000 metres through the quartzite and Dolomite Mountains of the eastern rim of the Drakensburg escarpment. The quartzite of the system was deposited before the dawn of life on earth in a depression in the primeval granite shield of Africa. The Blyde Canyon nature reserve, which covers an an area of approximately 27 000ha, is internationally renown for its natural splendor. It forms the largest canyon in the world

The Reserve is home to wildlife some species of are rare, such as Taita falcon found in only a few haunts in the world. It is also home to a bewildering variety of plants from orchids to lilies and tree ferns to cycads. It has the highest plant diversity within Mpumalanga.

Facilities

White water rafting, kloofing, Ab-sailing wilderness Trails and fly fishing are some of the adventures that are present at the Reserve. It incorporates such scenic attractions a The Pinnacle Rock which is 32m high, God's Window, The Natural Bridge, the headwaters of the Treur ( River of Sorrow) and Blyde (River of Joy) which converge at the awesome Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels 

Info kindly supplied by: Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks