Mpumalanga (a Zulu word meaning “the place where the sun rises”) is a province in eastern South Africa, bordering the nations of Swaziland and Mozambique. Just a one hour plane ride or four hour drive from Johannesburg, Mpumalanga is a nature lover’s dream with big game animals, a bounty of flora and fauna, mountains, canyons, caves, rivers, and waterfalls. Aptly known as “Paradise Country”, Mpumalanga will treat you to some of the most breathtaking scenery you’ve ever seen. Here are my top 8 things to do there:

1.       Kruger National Park 

Kruger National Park is South Africa’s premier safari destination. Covering more than 7,523 square miles and extending over two provinces, it’s one of the largest game reserves in Africa. All of the Big Five game animals are found at Kruger, as well as 336 species of trees, 49 species of fish, 34 species of amphibians, 114 species of reptiles, 507 species of birds and 147 species of mammals. Most visitors to Kruger self-drive, but park rangers also offer morning, sunset and evening game drives. Guided nature walks (with armed field guides) are also available. Kruger has numerous rest camps, private lodges, and several restaurants, allowing visitors with reservations to stay overnight inside the park. Park accommodations should be booked well in advance to ensure availability.

Kruger National Park, Malelane Entrance Gate

2.        Private Game Reserves

Set alongside Kruger’s unfenced western boundary, Kruger’s Private Game Reserves – Thornybush, Sabi Sand, Kapama, Timbavati, Manyeleti, Klaserie, and Balule – offer some of the most exclusive safari experiences in South Africa. These luxury accommodations don’t come cheap, but the expense is well worth it. Most offer morning and evening game drives with experienced rangers and trackers in private 4-wheel drive vehicles. Their ability to engage in safari activities not permitted in Kruger, such as off-road driving and spot lit night drives, increase the likelihood of closer and more frequent animal sightings. And after long mornings and evenings of game viewing, you’ll be treated to gourmet meals and other amenities, like private butler service, spa treatments and private suites with magnificent bush views. Everyone should have the experience at least once.

Infinity pool in the bush, Kirkman’s Kamp, Sabi Sand private reserve

3.       Blyde River Canyon/Panorama Route  

Blyde River Canyon is one of the largest canyons on Earth and considered by many to be the largest “green canyon” due to its lush sub-tropical foliage. Also known as Motlatse River Canyon, it is part of the Panorama Route, a scenic road covering nearly 240 miles and connecting several waterfalls, mountain passes and natural vantage points. Some of the popular natural landmarks include God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck potholes, the Pinnacle, the Three Rondavels, the Lisbon Falls, the Berlin Falls and the Mac Mac Falls. There also several historic and tourist towns along the route, including Pilgrim’s Rest, a restored gold mining town, and Graskop, reportedly home of the best pancakes in the southern hemisphere.

View from God’s Window, Blyde River Canyon

4.        Shangana Cultural Village  

Located midway between Kruger National Park and the Blyde River Canyon, the Shangana Village gives visitors a firsthand view of the way of life of the Shangaan people. The Village offers a variety of daytime and evening tours, some of which include traditional meals and/or performances by local dancers and drummers. The Marula Market allows craftspeople from all over the region to showcase and sell their traditional handcrafted art. The market is open daily from 9am to 5pm and entrance is free.

5.       The Sudwala Caves

The Sudwala Caves are said to be the oldest caves in the world, formed about 240 million years ago. The Caves are open daily for tours from 8:30am to 4:30pm and the standard tour lasts one hour. Visitors will observe a variety of interesting stalagmite and stalactite formations, as well as primitive plant fossils and stone age tools from early inhabitants. Visitors will also be surprised to see a functioning amphitheater inside the Caves. For the truly adventurous, the 4-hour Crystal Tour takes visitors more than 6,500 feet inside in the Caves, on an excursion that involves wading through water, climbing up and down rocks, and crawling through small tunnels to see the amazing array of aragonite crystals. The Crystal Tour is offered on the first Saturday of each month or by arrangement for groups of 5 or more. Advance booking is required.

Stalagmite formation inside Sudwala caves

6.       The Jane Goodall Institute South Africa Chimp Eden Sanctuary   

If you ever watched the Animal Planet television series “Escape to Chimp Eden”, then you’ve seen the amazing work of Chimp Eden, the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa. The sanctuary rescues chimps that have survived the bush meat trade, been orphaned, traded in the illegal pet market, or traumatized to provide entertainment in circuses, beach resorts or night clubs. Chimp Eden is open daily from 8:00am to 4:00pm and offers guided tours three times per day at 10:00am, 12:00pm and 2:00pm. The chimps are quite fascinating to watch in their semi-wild enclosures and their varied personalities and temperaments are readily seen. One chimp in particular, Cozi, is sure to entertain with his playful antics.

Chimp playing with tube, Chimp Eden Sanctuary

7.       Elephant Sanctuary – Hazyview   

The Elephant Sanctuary provides a safe haven for young African elephants in need of a temporary home. Visitors are able to touch, feed and get to know the animals while learning all aspects of elephants and elephant husbandry. The sanctuary offers a variety of elephant interaction programs, including hand-in-trunk walks, elephant brush downs, elephant rides and elephant keeper for a day.

8.       Extreme and Adventure Sports

Those hooked on extreme and adventure sports and activities can certainly get their fix in Mpumalanga. Mpumalanga provides both beautiful surroundings and a myriad of activities to spike your adrenalin levels. The gorge swing, white water rafting, tubing, hang gliding, sky diving, zip lining, hot air ballooning, quad biking, mountain biking, hiking, abseiling, and rock climbing are among the many activities offered in the region. And as an added plus, many tour operators focus on eco-adventure, which involves minimizing impact on the land and increasing environmental and cultural awareness.

What is your favorite thing to see or do in Mpumalanga? Share your comments below.

The post The Top 8 Things to do in Mpumalanga first appeared on The Travel Sista.

Many people self drive and stay at public rest camps inside the park, both to save money and to have a different experience. The rooms aren’t fancy, but frankly you won’t spend a lot time there anyway — the real action is in the bush. The bigger camps have restaurants and supermarkets, so you can eat on-site or bring food along with you on your drives. I recommend using a 2 x 4 or 4 x 4 vehicle, because the higher profile will allow for better wildlife sightings. Some of the camps even offer early morning and night drives conducted by Kruger Park staff in open trucks. It is quite easy to schedule yourself, but it may require more planning since rooms book up well in advance. Visit the SANParks website for information on amenities and facilities at each camp. Another option is to stay in lodging near the park and drive in each day, though that may be more time-consuming. There are several guest houses, hotels and B&Bs in the nearby vicinity. Visit sa-venues.com for more information and pricing.

If you prefer not to self drive, guided day safari drives or budget lodges are other affordable options (the word “budget” is relative, because most are still quite nice). Companies like Nhongo Safaris and Wild Wings Safaris offer guided, open-truck day drives and safari/accommodation packages. Although both offer camp lodging, Wild Wings Safaris also offers several budget lodges with rates as low as $200 USD per person, per night, including safari drives, food, and non-alcoholic drinks; rates may be even lower during low season. Their website is an excellent source of information for researching affordable game lodges and safari options (though you should compare prices with the direct lodge or camp website before booking).

For the more adventurous types, walking safaris or a meal in the bush might be a fun option. Companies like Wild Frontier Adventures offer morning bush walks  and night drives with three-course braais (BBQs) in the bush.  While the thought of walking through the bush or eating dinner at night surrounded by wild animals may seem scary at first, it really is a magical, once in a lifetime experience you shouldn’t miss. (If it’s any consolation, your expert guide will be trained to deal with wild animal encounters and will also carry a rifle for the rare emergency situation).  I look forward to going back on safari now that I know the ropes.  With current exchange rates at 1 U.S. Dollar to 10 South African Rand, there’s no better time to go.

Do you have any tips for finding affordable African safaris?  Please share below.

The post How to Safari in Africa on a Budget first appeared on The Travel Sista.

At the start of the tour, our tour guide shared a lot of history about the caves’ discovery and habitation by prehistoric man, and later by the Swazi people.  We saw some of their prehistoric tools near the cave entrance.  As we walked through the caves along lighted pathways, we saw beautiful formations of rocks, stalactites and stalagmites. There is even an amphitheater where concerts are periodically held.

A highlight of the tour was when our guide turned off the lights in one section to show us how dark the cave really is.  It was so dark I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face.  I had just enough time to start to freak out (and think what happens if the electricity really goes out) before the lights were back on and we were on our way through the caves too see more.  The tour lasted about an hour and was an amazing experience.

On the way out, I stopped at the newest attraction at the caves, the Garra Rufa Fish Spa (basically a fish pedicure).  I was skeptical, but since it was only 50 rand (about $5 USD at current exchange rates) I decided to give it a try.  The spa is outdoors with beautiful panoramic views of the lowveld.  After having my feet and lower legs scrubbed in an antiseptic wash, I stepped into the spa and let the fish go to work eating away at dead skin.  At first it felt weird to have numerous fish nibbling on my feet, but I quickly got used to it and it felt like a massage. After 45 minutes, I was done.  In case you’re curious, it works — my feet were silky smooth after they finished.

Click here for more photos of Nelspruit, South Africa

The post Sudwala Caves: Nelspruit, South Africa first appeared on The Travel Sista.