Mia Louwm Johannesburg to Mbombela (Nelspruit), you know you’ve said farewell to the Highveld as soon as you pass through the tunnel near Emgwenya (Waterval Boven). The tunnel is the passageway from the chilly escarpment down into the balmy Lowveld.
Or, swap the N4 for the R539 and enter the Slowveld (as it’s fondly known) via Schoemanskloof, where you are welcomed by mountains, rivers and citrus trees galore.
Most people think of Mbombela as the last city stop before hitting the Kruger Park or Mozambique, a place to do some grocery shopping, exchange currency, grab a takeaway meal or sit down for a cup of coffee.
But next time, rather make Mbombela and surrounds your end destination. There’s so much to do, from horse riding in Kaapsehoop and paddling on Da Gama Dam, to yoga in a bamboo forest.
Here are five great places to stay, all within 45 minutes of the city.
1 SCHOEMANSKLOOF RETREAT
Precious few travellers think of Schoemanskloof as a destination, and what a pity that is. Most people rush through the kloof, making a pit stop at the Joubert en Seuns Padstal if time allows. But 3,6 km before the farm stall (coming from Gauteng), there’s a turn-off to your left, over the Crocodile River, to Falls Fish Farm.
Schoemanskloof Retreat is based here, where Myron Cort and Dee Malcomess run a 40-year-old family business farming with ornamental fish (goldfish and koi) and tilapia. The operations are at the bottom of the 184 ha property, with the accommodation hidden high up in the mountains.
Esta historia es de la edición September 2020 de go! - South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 2020 de go! - South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
The wilder shore
The final leg of a 30-day trek across East Africa sees lan Tyrer and the Africa - Wild & Untamed crew explore both shores of Lake Malawi. Get ready for an overloaded ferry, a croc attack and being surrounded by elephants...
A river runs through it
Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.
TAKE A HIKE
Harkerville's mini Otter
Sweet & juicy!
This issue's recipes all include lush seasonal fruit like nectarines, plums and apricots. Enjoy!
Big mountain magic
On a clear day, as you approach the Cathedral Peak Hotel, it happens involuntarily: You start to grin. You'll be standing up there soon, gazing over this valley, and the scuttling of ground-level life will seem irrelevant. Join us on a five-day adventure into the heart of the high Drakensberg
Your next weekend away
A self-catering house in the Tankwa, a campsite next to the Orange River, a guest farm near the Drakensberg... Toast Coetzer travelled a lot last year: Here are six of his favourite places to stay if you're planning a road trip or weekend escape.
A life through binoculars
If the name Hugh Chittenden sounds familiar, it's probably because you see it every time you use your Roberts Bird Guide he's one of the co-authors. He lives in Mtunzini on the KZN coast and birding is as much part of his day as a cup of coffee.
Wanderlust in the park
All great cities have great parks, writes Dara Kell: spaces where you can exhale and slough off the stress and grime of urban life.
The Kalahari remembers
The Kalahari is a place of magic and heartache, where drought is an ever-present threat. Drive a loop from Upington to the Kuruman River and discover soulful landscapes, brilliant skies and resilient people who never give up.
Take a Hike
Hug a baobab in the Bushveld