A guide to the Lowveld

As one of the top holiday destinations in South Africa, Mpumalanga’s Lowveld is home to a number of attractions. The first and most famous, Kruger National Park, might be the star of the show, but the Lowveld also offer a mild climate, stretched out savannahs, and a rich diversity of wildlife that includes the Big Five. Making it easy to see why so many do buy property in the Lowveld.

So where to even start?

Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit, is located on the Crocodile River and is a city that boasts subtropical vegetation, leafy hills, and valleys. Visitors will find a host of things to see and do in Mbombela, including music festivals, the Lowveld National Botanical Garden and even a waterpark.

Established during the 1880s gold rush, Barberton is situated in De Kaap Valley adjacent to the Makhonjwa Mountains. It’s well-known for being home to some of the oldest exposed rocks on earth. Activities are all outdoors, including 4×4 routes, hiking trails, biking routes, bird watching and an abundance of wildlife.

Best attractions in the Lowveld:

• Sudwala Caves: formed 240 million years ago
• Marvel at the geological wonder of the Bourke’s Luck Potholes
• Shangana Cultural Village near Graskop: to learn about the Shangaan people’s way of life
• The town of Kaapschehoop: known for its free-roaming wild horses and unique rock field formations
• Drive the Panorama Route, with scenic points such as God’s Window and Blyde River Canyon
• Jane Goodall Institute South Africa: a game reserve and animal sanctuary for rescued chimpanzees in the Umhloti Nature Reserve
• Test your nerve with a 68m free fall at The Big Swing in Graskop, or glide across the gorge on a “foefie slide” 135m above ground

Hike the well-known Jock of the Bushveld Trail in Graskop.