Mpumalanga

Nothing like a summertime road trip on the smooth South African national roads, so Refiloe Kobeli aka @Refiloe_Thee_Tourist ( my travel partner) and I seized the moment and planned an Mpumalanga Girls Trip.

Mpumalanga was an obvious choice, because we wanted a destination that wasn’t too far, yet offered lush mountainous vibes. It took us a total of 3 hours to reach Nelspruit and an additional hour to reach Sabie, a forestry town which served as our base.

Sabie was located right at the centre of things, as you could drive towards one end and be headed towards the Panorama Route or choose the opposite direction where one would find The Kruger National Park. 

On that note, here are a few cool things to do in Mpumalanga:

THE BIG SWING
This activity is for adrenaline junkies and involves jumping off a 135m platform, experiencing a 3 second free fall followed by a relaxing swinging motion while admiring waterfall views. Costs R300/person, for bookings contact Tours  and Tickets.

BOURKE'S LUCK POTHOLES
Visited this natural water feature made up of a series of huge cylindrical potholes in the bedrock of the river that mark the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon. Entrance fees R55/adult, R20/child/pensioner.

GOD'S WINDOW
Also went to God’s Window where we hiked up to an altitude of 900m, to take in panoramic views of the lowveld and see as far as Mozambique. Entrance fees R15/adult, R10/child/pensioner.

THREE RONDAVELS
Another special stop was at The Three Rondawels, also known as the  three  sisters, which are gigantic peaks of quartzite shale that resemble South African  round hut-like dwellings with their sheer rock walls tower that is more than 700 m above the surrounding landscape. Entrance fees R25/adult, R15/child/pensioner (includes Blyde River Canyon viewpoint.)

LONE CREEK FALLS
We took a short walk through the forest to discover this 68m high National Monument. The bottom of the falls offered the perfect opportunity for a quick splash and there were also toilets and picnic facilities available. Entrance fees  R20/person, or R200/bus.

THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
This is a place where we enjoyed a morning safari which lasted about 6 hours, the open air vehicle allowed us to spot The Big Five (Lions, Rhinos, Buffalos, Leopards and Elephants)  all in one day. Costs R790/ person, for bookings contact Tours and Tickets.

WHITE RIVER RAFTING
Our last activity in this province was white river rafting. Learned how to paddle through rapids and shallow waters for 3km. Twas quite a relaxing experience. An important thing to note is that there are Hippos and Crocodiles in the river, but it’s a safe exercise for the most part. Costs R280/person, for bookings contact Tours and Tickets.

Really enjoyed our time in the Place of the Rising Sun!