A hop, skip and a jump to Pilgrim’s Rest

Getting to Pilgrim’s Rest from Johannesburg takes longer than you think it will. It shouldn’t, as the obvious route along the N4 is pretty straight forward – Witbank, Belfast, Waterval Boven – but this is where it starts getting fuzzy, because by this stage not only were we tired, having only left work at around 3pm, but by the time we hit Sabie there was also a not-so-fine mist to contend with.

Oncoming traffic became somewhat indistinct, the world took on the ambiance of Narnia (I kept waiting for Mr Tumnus to come trotting out from under a lamppost) and my stomach took the opportunity to inform me that it was more than a little hungry – ravenous probably comes closer! Continued

Self-drive the Mpumalanga Escarpment Route

Take a little escape on the Escarpment Route in Mpumalanga, a specific section of the greater Panorama Route. Buckle up and head out on the road of the ‘land of the rising sun’ with a journey departure timed with the sunrise.

An early start ensures that all of the thirty plus points of interest that fall on this stretch of tar and occasional dirt road, can be ticked off your “to-see” list by the time the colours of dusk take hold of the heavens and the sight in the rear-view mirror takes hold of your contentment. Mother Nature makes grand gestures of rock and water amongst pockets of plains and indigenous plant life all along the drive … Continued

Leopard by Greg Lumley

SA-Venues.com are proud to present a series of photographs by well know Cape Town photographer, Greg Lumley. Greg is a freelance photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa who shoots most anything such as  Lifestyle / Editorial, Portraits and Events and Greg is also as a very popular wedding photographer in Cape Town. Greg shares some of his beautiful photographs of South Africa with us … Continued

Sabie Waterfall – Photograph

Submitted by Suzaan Minnaar is this beautiful photograph of a waterfall on the famous Panorama Route in Mpumalanga. Highlights of the Panorama Route include the exquisite waterfalls in Graskop and Sabie, the Echo Caves and of course the Blyde River Canyon Reserve, home to spectacular wildlife and birdlife and some of the best views in all South Africa … Continued

Zebra Mother and Foal

Taken in the Kruger National Park, this photograph taken by Franciska Pile of a Zebra mother and foal really stands out as a special one!

One of nature’s great mysteries is why the Zebra has stripes. One theory is that the stripes help the zebra cool down. The stripes are also used as camouflage to confuse predators when zebras huddle in great numbers or mingle with herds of antelopes … Continued

Photo of Bourkes Luck Potholes

More thanks for all the photographs – they keep coming and you can view selected photos at South Africa Photographs, July 2009. Just a note to anyone planning to submit photos – please remember that we need then to be BIG! Some people have submitted lovely photos that are too small. They need to be at least 800 pixels in width.

Here’s a fabulous photo received yesterday of the Bourkes’ Luck Potholes (for those who don’t know what they are see note below) … Continued

Discovering Mpumalanga

Game Viewing in Kruger

The province of Mpumalanga, which straddles the Drakensberg mountain range, combines the best of both the Lowveld and the Highveld, with humid grasslands below, and cool, quiet forests blanketing the peaks above.

On the Lowveld there are many excellent game viewing opportunities with all kinds of animals populating many game reserves, including a portion of the famous Kruger National Park. Continued

Raw. Untamed. Magnificent. The Kruger National Park

Kruger Park

Possibly one of the most famous attractions in South Africa, for locals and tourists alike, the Kruger National Park offers world class facilities as well as endless opportunities to view and interact with African wildlife, particularly the famous Big Five.

The Kruger park itself was established in 1898, following a twelve year crusade to conserve the Lowveld wildlife by Paul Kruger, from whom the park takes its name.

The Kruger National park spans an impressive 2 million hectares of unspoiled bushveld, archeological and historical sites where early settlers as well as Khoi San peoples camped, their faint traces still evident today.

Activities within this National  Park centre around providing the visitor with as up close and personal an experience of the African bushveld as possible with biking, hiking, walking or 4×4 safaris available, all accompanied by armed and trained guides to ensure your safety while you marvel at the diversity of species. Continued

Introducing Little Jock

Little Jock

Little Jock (at Jock Safari Lodge in the Kruger National Park), overlooking the banks of the Biyamiti River is situated one kilometer from Main Camp and offers sweeping views over the unspoiled Kruger Park Bushveld. Three luxurious suites offer all the comforts and amenities one can expect from a 5-star private lodge.

Guests can relax in the comfort of the central lounge designed with large bay windows and enjoy both al fresco and indoor dining facilities, while your chef conjures up traditional dishes inspired by the natural surrounds.

Your personal game ranger takes care of all your game drives and bush encounters. Whilst not on game drives you can relax next to the scenic pool soaking up the sun watching the wild animals frequent the surrounding bush. Continued

The Breathtaking Panorama Route

Blyde River Canyon

The Panorama Route runs along the spectacular Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga and is arguably one of the most beautiful and popular travel destinations in South Africa. The Panorama Route is best known for its cultural heritage and its dramatic landscapes. It leads through the rocky mountain range of the northern Drakensberg. It is here where the inland plateau declines abruptly and steeply and opens up fantastic views of the plains of the Lowveld up to a 1000m below. It is probably the most photographed, painted and admired area in the country.

The Panorama Route boasts many exciting attractions, waterfalls, lovely towns and historical sites all well worth a visit. Ohrigstad, Hazyview and Pilgrims Rest to mention a few, provide numerous scenic attractions as well as an insight as to how the settlers lived many years ago. Continued

Horseback Safaris now in Badplaas

Dawsons

Dawsons Game and Trout Lodge in Badplaas, Mpumalanga now offers their guests the chance to experience unique morning and afternoon horseback safaris on the 2,000 ha private estate, all under the expert guidance of highly qualified game rangers.

These 2-hour outrides take place in some of the region’s most scenic grasslands and bushveld, teeming up with herds of plains game, including dazzling zebra. Dawsons can accommodate between 8 and 10 guests on an outride at one time, and it is recommended that guests have horse riding experience due to the level of the activity. Continued