MVisit Mpumalanga
Leopard resting on a tree branch in the South African bush
The Guide

Three Mpumalanga experiences worth planning your trip around

From the wildest wilderness in South Africa to a working coal city with football in its veins — here's what to know before you go.

01 · Safari

Kruger National Park

Founded in 1898 and stretching across nearly 20,000 km², Kruger is one of the largest game reserves on the continent — roughly the size of Wales. It shelters the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo) alongside cheetah, wild dog, hippo and more than 500 bird species.

Southern Kruger has the densest game and the biggest camps (Skukuza, Lower Sabie). Head north — past the Olifants River — for wilder, quieter landscapes of mopane woodland and baobabs. Enter through Numbi, Phabeni or Paul Kruger Gate from the Panorama side.

Best months
May – September (dry)
Gate hours
05:30 – 18:30
Malaria
Low-risk area
Self-drive?
Yes — tarred roads
Herd of elephants in KrugerSafari vehicle on a game drive at sunsetGiraffe in Kruger National ParkLion resting in the grass
Sunrise game drives

Predators are active before the heat. Book from your rest camp the night before.

Stay inside the park

SANParks rest camps are affordable and let you drive at first light.

Bring binoculars

You'll spot far more birds and distant cats than with a phone camera alone.

The Three Rondavels at Blyde River Canyon
02 · Panorama Route

Blyde River Canyon

At 26 km long and up to 800 metres deep, the Blyde is the third-largest canyon on Earth — and, uniquely, one of the greenest. Where Arizona is red and dry, the Blyde is a subtropical corridor of forest, rivers and fern-covered cliffs.

Its most famous view is the Three Rondavels: three round, grass-topped peaks that rise like traditional huts above the canyon. Just north lie Bourke's Luck Potholes, cylindrical rock formations carved by the swirling Treur and Blyde rivers.

  • ●God's Window — 900m drop into the Lowveld on clear days.
  • ●Lisbon & Berlin Falls — twin waterfalls with easy viewpoints.
  • ●Boat cruise from Swadini — see the Kadishi Tufa waterfall from below.
  • ●Graskop Gorge Lift — a glass elevator into the forest floor.
Waterfall on the Panorama RouteForest waterfall near SabieHistoric village of Pilgrim's Rest
Township football match in South AfricaYoung footballers training in South AfricaBoxing gym training sessionFootball boots and ball on a pitch
03 · Local Life

Local sport in Emalahleni

Formerly known as Witbank, Emalahleni ("the place of coal" in Zulu) sits on the Highveld, about two hours east of Johannesburg. It's a working city — mines, power stations, freight trains — but on weekends, it belongs to sport.

⚽ Football is king

Local ABC Motsepe League sides draw noisy crowds at Puma Rugby Stadium and township grounds around Kwa-Guqa and Lynnville. Youth academies feed into PSL giants like Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs.

🥊 A boxing tradition

Mpumalanga has produced champions — and Emalahleni's community gyms are where kids first lace up gloves. Tournament nights in local halls are electric and beginner-friendly for visitors.

🏉 Rugby & the Pumas

The Phakisa Pumas represent Mpumalanga in the Currie Cup. Matches in Mbombela and Emalahleni pull families in blue-and-gold — a great mid-winter day out.

🏃 Community runs

Saturday parkruns in Emalahleni are free, welcoming and one of the fastest ways to meet locals.

Suggested itinerary

A 5-day loop

  1. Day 1
    Arrive Emalahleni

    Coal-city dinner, catch a local league match.

  2. Day 2
    Drive to Graskop

    Panorama Route, God's Window, gorge lift.

  3. Day 3
    Blyde Canyon

    Three Rondavels, Bourke's Luck, boat cruise.

  4. Day 4
    Enter Kruger

    Afternoon game drive from Paul Kruger Gate.

  5. Day 5
    Sunrise safari

    Full morning drive, then back to OR Tambo.

Ask a local guide →