How often do you get to go outdoors for a weekend and simply soak in the astounding beauty that surrounds those of us living in South Africa?
The answer is probably not as much as you’d like to. Mpumalanga is the dream local tourist destination. Drawing in visitors from the cities as well as many overseas guests looking for an adventure, the province has become the ideal hiking destination while also the place to enjoy safaris, camping, waterfalls and forests.
We have an abundance of fantastic hiking trails in Mpumalanga. Whether they are the well-maintained trails that are kept safe and often cleared of overgrowth, or should it be a short trail through untouched nature that ends with a spectacular waterfall, there is more to see in our province then you could manage in a weekend.
While Bermanzi offers guests a few trails, there are other places that you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the great Mpumalanga outdoors.
Blyderivierspoort Hiking Trail
The Blyde River Canyon is the pride of the province. As the only green canyon on the planet and the third largest in the world, one of the best ways to enjoy it is to hike it. The hiking trail is around 60 km, so you can choose to do bits and pieces of it if you are not keen on going the whole way. The trail is characterised by gorgeous natural beauty, stunning rock formations and even some wildlife. The trail begins at God’s Window and ends at Bourke’s Luck Potholes.
Queen Rose Hiking Trail
Barberton is one of the most overlooked hiking destinations but the views from the trail are designed in such a way that hikers get to enjoy magnificent landscapes, while also passing indigenous flora and fauna. Along the way, hikers will also get to see the Montrose and Queens Rivers, which define parts of the trail. The Montrose section takes hikers downhill for 13km, with the Alvin Falls being a striking part of the trail. The Queens River section is an uphill hike characterised by riverine forest and a suspension bridge which takes hikers safely over the river. It can take 3 days to complete the trail.
The Escarpment Trail
One of the defining features of Mpumalanga is the escarpment. There are various places in the province where hikers can stop to take a look at the unique landscape, where the mountains suddenly give way to a sheer drop. The Escarpment Trail is about 17 kilometres long and it not only gives hikers a chance to get close to various aloes gardens and sandstone rock formations while walking through gorges, but it also takes hikers to gorgeous lookout points. Hikers can expect to take around 3 or 5 days to complete the trail.
