The Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Formerly known as the Eastern Transvaal, Mpumalanga is one of South Africa's top tourist destinations. People are drawn to Mpumalanga by the magnificent scenery, by the fauna and flora and by the saga of the 1870s gold rush era and a wealth of fascinating tribal legends.

Did you know? Once you've booked your hotels or accommodation in Mpumalanga, explore the destination pages for info on attractions, activities and things to do when you visit the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa.

Aptly know as "Paradise Country", few regions in the world can match the extraordinary beauty of the Mpumalanga Lowveld and escarpment. Mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls and forests characterise the landscape. This is also Big Game Country, the setting for dozens of sanctuaries teeming with wildlife and birds. Among them, the Kruger National Park is world renowned, as are several of the luxurious private reserves on its western boundary.

The entire Mpumalanga area offers exceptional opportunities for bird-watching, hiking, horse-riding and fishing. Streams once panned for gold have become the haunts of eager anglers and lazy trout. Steeped in the history of pioneers, hunters and fortune seekers, fascinating gold rush towns abound. Barberton and Pilgrim's Rest are among the most famous. A special, additional dimension occurs in the Middleveld region which is inhabited by Ndebele people, notable for their traditional costumes and attractively decorated houses.

Did you know? The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this national park of nearly 2 million hectares, is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms.

En route to the Kruger National Park through Mpumalanga, you have the advantage of some stunning scenery. Turn off the N4 to the village of Dullstroom, travel over the Long Tom Pass and its splendid panoramic views to Lone Creek Falls and the charming forestry town of Sabie.

Just beyond Sabie, the Mac Mac Falls are worth stopping for; and you can treat yourself to a swim in the crystal-clear pools. A small detour leads to Pilgrim's Rest; a fascinating historic town, well worth exploring before continuing to Blyderivierspoort Nature Reserve. In the reserve, you can feast your eyes on the Blyde River Canyon and the rich bird life. At the southern tip of the reserve, the view from God's Window stretches to eternity across the Lowveld. From there, it's a short and easy drive to some of the finest private game reserves in the country and Orpen Gate to the Kruger National Park.

Fruit put the City of Nelspruit on the map in the 1890s, and fruit has always played a vital role in the town's development. The fertile Crocodile River Valley, in which the town lies, is also notable for its tobacco and timber industries.

Nelspruit today is the capital of Mpumalanga, the commercial and administrative hub of the Lowveld, and the centre of a vast citrus-growing region. The streets of this large, modern town are lined with jacaranda and flamboyant trees and impeccably tended suburban gardens abound, flaunting flowering subtropical plants and shrubs.

From Nelspruit, good roads radiate to many of the most beautiful and interesting parts of the Lowveld, including game sanctuaries, mountains and historic towns. Curio shops and wayside stalls offer excellent hand-woven rugs, carvings, leather goods and fresh farm produce. Hotels in Nelspruit and caravan parks in the vicinity are convenient for stopovers, and several days can be profitably spent exploring the surrounding countryside. Hiking trails criss-cross this scenic area in every direction.

Mpumalanga as a destination

Must See in Mpumalanga

Game Reserves / National Parks

Kruger National Park

The largest game reserve in South Africa, the Kruger National Park is larger than Israel. Nearly 2 million hectares of land that stretch for 352 kilometres (20 000 square kilometres) from north to south along the Mozambique border, is given over to an ...

Game Reserves

Sabi Sands Game Reserve

The Sabi Sands Game Reserve is undoubtedly the most exclusive private game reserve in South Africa. The 65,000-hectare Sabi Sands Game Reserve is located on the south-western corner of the Kruger National Park. There are no restricting fences between the ...

Nature Reserves

Blyde River Canyon

The fresh mountain scenery and panoramic views over the Klein Drakensberg escarpment are quite spectacular and give the area its name of 'Panorama Route'. Viewpoints are named for the spectacle they offer, and God's Window and Wonder View hint at the ...

Landmarks / Miscellaneous

God's Window

With magnificent views, canyons, rock formations and waterfalls, God's Window is an area of breathtaking scenic splendour. It is no wonder that Mpumalanga is known as Paradise Country! Gods Window is so called for the panoramic view of the Lowveld more ...

Landmarks / Natural Wonders

Bourke's Luck Potholes

Bourke's Luck Potholes are without doubt a major icon, but when thrown in together with the likes of the Three Rondawels, God's Window, the Blyde River Canyon and numerous magnificent waterfalls, one can become immune after a while. If you can, begin ...

Landmarks / Miscellaneous

Echo Caves

Situated just outside Ohrigstad are the spectacular Echo Caves. These mysterious caves were discovered in the 1920's by the owner of the farm. After his cattle mysteriously disappeared on the farm he started looking for answers. That is when he ...

Landmarks

Mac Mac Falls

Mpumalanga might be the land of the rising sun, but it's also most definitely a place of waterfalls. The Sabie Waterfalls Route – Cinderella to the Blyde River Canyon and its incredible cliffs and views - is well worth taking time to do. And Mac Mac ...

Natural Wonders / Landmarks

Three Rondavels

Exactly as they sound, the Three Rondavels are three round mountain tops with slightly pointed tops, very similar to the traditional round or oval African homesteads made with local materials called rondavels. They are sometimes also called the Three ...

Landmarks / Miscellaneous

Horse Shoe Falls

The exquisite Horseshoe Falls are found along the Sabie River in Mpumalanga. These falls are found 4kms off the Old Lydenburg Road, signposted on the left side. A short walk through the beautiful terrains affords one the opportunity to spot magnificent ...

Outdoor Activities

4x4 Trails in Mpumalanga

The Mpumalanga Province boasts magnificent wildlife, magical mountain ranges, lush forests and starry skies. Visitors to this province are brought closer to nature and experience Africa as it once was. There are numerous fantastic 4x4 trails in this ...

Outdoor Activities

Hiking in Mpumalanga

The Mpumalanga Province in South Africa boasts magnificent wild-life, magical mountain ranges, lush forests and starry skies. Visitors to this province are brought closer to nature and experience Africa as it once ...

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