ACTIVITIES

Most tourists visit The Kruger Park to view the big game in particular the big 5 of buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros. There is, definitely a great deal more to see and experience and one of the best ways to experience the diversity of the Kruger Park is by means of a game drive with trained guides.

Kruger Park Drives on offer:
Sunrise drives
Leave at around 04.30 in summer and 05.30 in winter. Clients are to confirm with reception the previous night when they book into their accommodation.

Mid-morning drives
Shorter 2-hour mid-morning drives are offered departing at 09:00

Sunset drives
Allows visitors to take part in the nocturnal activities of Kruger's secretive creatures. Experienced guides accompany the groups. The drive’s duration is 3-4 hours leaving the camp at about 16.00

Night drives
Shorter 2-hour drives are offered departing 2 hours after closing time. Only done at
specific venues Olifants, Mopani and Letaba Restcamps.

The concession set aside for these walking safaris is within the Kruger Park, covering 12 000 hectares of pristine bushveld untraversed by roads, except for access.

Approximately 20 km North East of the main Kruger rest camp at Skukuza, the concession shares a 15km boundary with Mala Mala in the Sabi Sands private reserve with the big game moving freely between the two reserves. This environmentally sensitive, big five game area is ideal for walking safaris offering a great diversity of fauna and flora.

Each safari, with no more than 8 guests accompanied by two expert and armed guides offers a new and exhilarating, yet timeless experience in an ever-changing environment. Qualified to the most stringent standards the guides will share their wealth of bush culture and knowledge.

Hot air Balloon flights takes place OUTSIDE of Kruger Park. It affords visitors a unique opportunity to get a view of the Mpumalanga escarpment and the Sabi River. Flights operate at sunrise when the air is crisp and clear.

Scenic balloon flights are seen as a beautiful and romantic way to look down on mother earth. Moving along at wind speed the hot air balloon is part of the climate of the day and the ride is calm; the view of things earthbound amazingly detailed. The view from above shows old structures and differences in terrain not visible while earth bound.

The wrap-around view of the earth and sky is one which can be experienced no other way. Wearing casual attire is the most comfortable. A warm jersey or jacket may be needed for the early morning when it's cooler. Binoculars and camera are defintely a must; this is a photographic opportunity not to be missed!

Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee while the hot air balloon is being inflated at Sabi River Valley. You will be afforded an opportunity to help supervise the inflation of the balloon under the pilot's supervision. When the hot air balloon is fully inflated and you are on board, the pilot will explain what to expect on launch, in flight and on landing.

While cruising you can relax and enjoy the flight and sip champagne. With no means of steering the balloon other than the pilot's skillful ability in using wind currents, a flight can take you as far as 35 km, or return you close to the launch site in Sabi River Valley. Either way the retrieve crew will follow the hot air balloon, staying in radio contact, and will collect you and pilot at the end of the flight to return by road to the launch site.

The Ndebele people of Mpumalanga with their colourful geometric art works contributed to the popularity of the area. The craft is well known around the world, from Cape Town to Cairo and New York to Paris. Locals and foreigners get to embrace the warm spirit of Africa through the Ndebele people and their indigenous knowledge and creativeness.

A visit to Colourful Ndebele arts and crafts centre, allow visitors to view and purchase a piece of this history. For more cultural enlightenment, visit colourful villages such as Kwaggafontein, Matibidi, Waterval and Twoline. Community tourism allows visitors to enjoy authentic South African rural life which leaves you enriched.

Mpumalanga and Gauteng is where most of the Northern Ndebele people can be found. Ndebele got its very own radio station, which is named “Ikhwekhwezi” which means “star” if translated into English. Many people say that the radio station has played a big role in keeping the Ndebele language alive and to keep the pronunciation and vocabulary the same.

The Mpumalanga Grass and Wetlands region is a birding paradise and will favour any bird lover. It is nestled in the south eastern part of Mpumalanga and shares borders with Swaziland a neighboring country, KwaZulu Natal and the Free State provinces.

The region is dotted with lakes and secluded hamlets, rock formations and impressive views of the commanding mountains. In the Grass and Wetlands region visitors can engage in extraordinary activities like "frogging expeditions" or stargazing.

The Wetlands is steeped in history numerous battles were fought here, most notable being the battle of Chrissiesmeer which is annually re-enacted. Interesting relics of the past is still preserved in the region, (the lost legoya nation's huts) as well as Bushmen paintings.

Wakkerstroom attracts birding enthusiasts from all over the world, and there are lakes and pans in the Mpumalanga wetlands where hundreds of flamingo can be seen. The whole of the wetlands region is host to any number of outdoor pastimes – fishing, sailing, boating, water-skiing are some of the more obvious pastimes associated with the water of the region, but there are other activities, some quite unusual, that one can indulge.

Mpumalanga is not only famed for its magnificent wildlife, panoramic mountain ranges, thriving forests and starry skies. Visitors to this province can experience nature in its undiluted form and interact with Africa on a different level. Numerous fantastic 4x4 trails, in this beautiful province provides such an opportunity.

The Mac Mac summit route near Sabie provides an easy-going range of trails meandering through panoramic mountains, shimmering waterfalls and subtropical forests ending at the base the spectacular Blyde River Canyon.

For the more adventures, Riverwild 4x4 in Nelspruit provides this opportunity. Owner driven vehicles, under the guidance of experienced marshals, participants will conquer different sections with a variety of challenging natural obstacles. Obstacles include river crossings, mud sections, steep ascents and descents and plenty of rocky areas. Cross country trails boast scenery of flourishing indigenous Lowveld forests, magnificent wildlife and numerous interesting Indo-African ruins.

Mpumalanga is beyond doubt outstanding and offers excellent 4x4 trails through a variety of terrain.

The Mpumalanga Province in South Africa boasts magnificent wild-life, panoramic mountain ranges, thriving forests and star filled night skies. Visiting the province allows one to experience Africa and nature at is best.

Several hiking trails, The Buffalo Gorge, Pafuri trail, Kranz trail, Hadeda falls trail, Ama Poot-Poot trail, Mountain Fern trail and Ammo trail affords visitors the opportunity too experience starry skies, cool crisp fresh air and the vastness of nature first hand.

The Buffalo Gorge hiking trail in Middelburg offers 4 trails namely the white, orange, yellow and blue trail. Along the trail more than 80 different species of prominent trees can be seen. The White trail covers a distance of 11-15 km and offers visitors a splendid opportunity to explore the different eco zones that exist on the farm.

The trail meanders through portions of the thriving indigenous forest, captivating rock formations and across numerous sparkling streams. The trail also leads to the periphery of a deep gorge - Adventure Valley through which the roaring Selon’s River races with its rapids and waterfalls.

The Mpumalanga Province in South Africa is absolutely exquisite and the trails allows one to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life toe experience true tranquility in nature.

The sequence of caverns, named the Sudwala Caves are one of South Africa's major attractions. They are located in particularly old Precambrian dolomite, are one of the oldest caves on Earth and have the biggest chamber known in dolomite rocks. This chamber, the Owen Hall is a natural amphitheatre of about 70m in diameter and 37m in height. Interconnected chambers with a floor surface of 14,000 m square over a distance of some 600m are open to the public.

The caves are understood to be about 2 000 million years old and include not only stalagmites and stalagtites, but the fossilised remains of 'collenia' a form of algae that it is believed life on earth evolved from. These 'stromatolites' were alive when the earth's atmosphere was composed of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The tallest stalagmite in the caves is about 11m high.

Rumour has it that there is no end to the Sudwala Caves and that they may extend for more than 40km under the mountains, as far as Lydenburg! Primitive man used the Sudwala Caves for shelter because it has a constant flow of fresh air.

There is a legend how the cave was discovered in the early 19th century by SOMQUBA, son of Swazi King SOBHUZA I. The king had a dispute with his brother MSWATI which involved substantial numbers of royal cattle. In fear they built a village next to the cave entrance hid in the cave every time Mswati and his punitive parties arrived. Mswati tried in vain to smoke them out by making huge fires in the entrance. But one day he struck unexpectedly and killed Sobhuza. The remains of Sobhuza's tribe had a new headman or Induna named SUDWALA, hence the name of the cave.

The Sudwala Dinosaur Park is a definite must for those visiting Mpumalanga Province which is located next to the spectacular Sudwala Caves. This beautiful park is an outstanding garden that is home to some of the most interesting displays about life on earth; prehistoric creatures, age-old debates about man's humble beginnings and fascinating creatures that roam nature's wilderness.

The Sudwala Dinosaur Park provides a intriguing mixture of scientific facts that will jolt the curious mind. Various forms and models depict the development of life in different stages – be it the ancient amphibians, huge mammal-like reptiles, grand dinosaurs, extinct mammals or pre-historic man. On show is the fascinating forms of Mr and Mrs Pless, the most famous representatives of "Austrolopithicus africanus" – southern apes that lived millions of years ago which forms an integral part of the informative debates on mankind's ancestors.

View models of the majestic Cape Quagga and Cape Lion magnificent creatures that have roamed the earth for nearly a century.

On show are an impressive 3m long Nile Crocodile and the fossils of the Collenia found in caves – extremely old plant colonies that lived when the earth's air was blanketed in nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

A Visit to the Sudwala Caves and thus, a visit to the park will provide thought-provoking information on the wonders of the not so ancient world we inhabit.

The Bourkes Luck Potholes are a natural water feature carved out by the elements and marks the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon. The Bourkes Luck Potholes are located 35km north of Graskop town on the R532 road.

Through centuries the whirlpools which occur as the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River caused sand and rock to mill huge, cylindrical potholes into the solid rock of the river.

These silky rocks, splashed in white and yellow, frame dark pools of water under which concealed fish swim, their colour hidden by the shiny indigo surface.

The Potholes were named after a gold digger, Tom Burke, who staked a claim in close proximity, correctly predicted that large gold deposits would be found in the Bourkes Luck area.

The Long Tom Pass is named after the Long Tom cannons used during the Anglo-Boer war. The rather mystical area of Long Tom Pass is surrounded with striking mountain ranges - each with a story to tell, exciting outdoor activities that will keep the visitors entertained and captivated.

The original Long Tom Pass was a treacherous one, steep gradients hairpin bends and vertical drops. It was initially the route followed by pioneer wagon drivers carting goods from Mozambique to Lyndeburg. The road meandered over the so called Devil's Knuckles, where numerous wagons were lost to this treacherous area.

The road snaked down to Spitskop and then across the Lowveld, which in days gone by were home to wild animals, and relentless mosquitoes adding to the difficult journey. Today the old road is replaced by a tarred road and serves as a grim reminder of its dangerous past.

Misty Mountain a Heritage Site is distinctively set in the countryside with magnificent views across the escarpment and forms an ideal base from which to explore the Mphumalanga escarpment and the favored Kruger Park.

Trout fishing, guided quad biking excursions and a variety of activities can be done by visitors in the Long Tom Pass area. Long Tom Pass is without a doubt an amazing travel destination for the entire family.

The ‘Three Rondavels' ('Three Sisters’) are three giant spirals of dolomite rock rising out of the far wall of the canyon. Their domed heads are covered in vegetation while their sides are stained with flaming orange lichen. From the vantage point of the 'Three Rondavels' one can see the far-reaching Swadini Dam in the distance, which demarcates border of the reserve.

Before written history the indigenous peoples had their own names for these features. The THREE RONDAWELS were known as 'The Chief and his three wives'. The flat-topped peak to the right is named MAPJANENG - the 'Chief' (named in honor of a Mapulana chief named Maripe Mashile who routed invading Swazis at a great battle. Behind them all towering in isolated and massive splendor is the 1944m high peak named MARIEPSKOP. This attraction is located approximately 30km north of Graskop

The Falls is Located 13 km from Sabie, on route R532 towards Graskop. A steep walk along a pathway (with many steps) takes visitors to the viewing platform above the falls. The platform overlooks the Mac Mac Falls and visitors can also walk for 2 km along part of the Fanie Botha Hiking Trail to the Mac-Mac pools for a refreshing swim.

The 65 m high Mac Mac Falls in the Mac Mac River is a declared National Monument.
The waterfall was originally a single stream, but gold miners grip by gold fever blasted it with dynamite to divert the river in an attempt to work the rich gold-bearing reef over which it plunges. The explosion split the 64-metre-high waterfall into two impressive streams which plunge into the forested gorge below.

Many of the miners were of Scottish nationality, from where the camp derived its name Mac-Mac.