Overview
Take a trip to Mpumalanga on your South Africa Vacation
Mpumalanga, “the place where the sun rises” is a province located in eastern South Africa, bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. Internal borders include Limpopo, Gauteng, the Free State and KwaZulu Natal. Prior to the election of 1994 and a reconfiguration of boundaries, Mpumalanga was part of Transvaal province which can be expereinced on South Africa tours.
The Drakensberg Escarpment which exceeds heights of 2,000 m (6,561 ft) divides the province in two. To the west is the high-altitude grassland known as the Highveld while the eastern half is the low altitude subtropical Lowveld/Bushveld. Nelspruit, the capital city, is the commercial and administrative hub of the Lowveld. It is also the centre of a vast citrus-growing region.
Once a gold rush region, towns like Barberton and Pilgrim’s Rest celebrate the history of the pioneers and fortune seekers who once called the area home. The streams and rivers that were used for panning gold now offer excellent fishing opportunities on South African vacations.
Encompassing nearly two million hectares and fourteen different ecosystems, part of Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa, is located in Mpumalanga. The park boasts “the Big Five”, the lion, the African elephant, the Cape buffalo, the leopard and the rhinoceros.
The term “Big Five” was coined by game hunters regarding the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. Kruger is world renowned and is considered the flagship of all South African National Parks.
Encompassing nearly two million hectares and fourteen different ecosystems, part of Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa, is located in Mpumalanga. The park boasts “the Big Five”, the lion, the African elephant, the Cape buffalo, the leopard and the rhinoceros.
The term “Big Five” was coined by game hunters regarding the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. Kruger is world renowned and is considered the flagship of all South African National Parks.
At a Glance
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Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, EnglishCurrency
South African Rand (ZAR)What do the experts say?
Skip the more commercial wineries and visit artisanal producers—you’ll find sparkling wines and small-batch reds that are absolutely world-class.
Djembe drumming at GOLD in Cape Town is an immersive African experience through their 14-dish food safari and unique live entertainment.
The game viewing in Kruger and Eastern Cape always draws me back—it’s truly superb.
South Africans are famously warm—when you’re new in town, you're often invited to a braai, our way of welcoming people through food.
South Africa is a wonderful starting point for Africa. It's got some of the top cities in the world, stunning food and wine, and exceptional value for money.
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ExcellentBased on 5,148 ReviewsWe were just back from an ambitious 42-day grand circle through seven of the ASEAN countries! An itinerary gestating over a period of time, carefully planned and pore over intently all the way through proved satisfying as expected, but the amazing "embarras de richesse" in six weeks such as we've never experienced before truly went beyond our imagination, both in terms of scenery and culture! Here we owe our destination specialist Taryn a profound gratitude for her insight and for her coordination efforts.
When our debit card was not retrievable in an airport ATM Taryn again went out of her way to approve a small loan through transfer to our local guide's bank account, who then withdrew cash from an ATM while we simply paid Goway Travel by credit card through an online payment link. This helped us tremendously through that difficult moment. We will always treasure this kindness on her part.Yuan LinAlice was most helpful - full of insider suggestions.
She was a good listener and able to provide tours, routes and guides tailored to our interests. She made our February trip to New Zealand entirely wonderful.
MarleneWe did a 19 day NZ Rail and Cruise Discovery Tour and then a 12 day Australian tour put together by out specialized travel operator Joanne Palanuik.
New Zealand- ABT Tours ran the actual tour and did a fabulous job. The Guide Sharon was great and worked very hard coordinating 32 people. Mostly all Australians and we has so much fun with them! Our driver Chris (a retired policeman) was especially great- he knew so many interesting things about NZ and shared them while driving throughout the trip. We loved him! So many highlights...overnight on a ship in the Milford Sound...cable car to a nature reserve then a Gold Class train ride back...Queenstown adventures..excellent meals along the way...all drivers and transfers were excellent too.
Oceana Tours in Melbourne were great as well. A morning city tour and afternoon tour were wonderful. Then the next day to Philips Island for the Penguin moonlit march was sooo special. And the Ocean road cruise too!! Sydney was gorgeous...Bondi Beach...Barrier Reef...Ayers Rock (Uluru)
Both Australians and New Zealanders were so helpful and friendly...
In short I wish I could do it all over again..highly recommend. Every day was a new adventure :)
Kathleen Reardon
customerKatie was a dream to work with. We made many changes to the standard itinerary to customize our trip and she never missed a beat. Her responsiveness and humor made working together a joy and her most common response to our very packed activities was, “can I help with that?” Hotels, car rental all went smoothly and were very much to our liking. The super long flights were laid out to minimize travel time and maximize comfort. Katie and GoWay made this dream trip happen. FayeIts all about the journey, isn't it? And our journey through Kenya, Africa was amazing and we have Bijal Kana of Goway Travel to thank for it.
From the start when we first discussed a true Safari adventure, Bijal was being helpful. Her suggestions were helpful in where to go and how we could save a few dollars when possible. Never trying to be cheap but simply, cost conscious. This was the beginning of what will continue as a forever working relationship in travel. Bijal gained our confidence and trust. And that is a rare commodity these days.
Then too there was the staff from Goway and Sense of Africa like Ruth, Wilson and Francis who allowed us to see the non tourist side of Nairobi and became fast friends. The wonderful selections made by Bijal as to where we would stay and all the Serena locations were marvelous. And at the last minute, when a bridge got washed out and we could not get to the last lodge camp, Bijal responded to our whatsapp call immediately and we were placed in the Sorova lodge. True not the same, but in the middle of a game area, who complains? It was great and we had so much fun.
The tour selection took us through parks, reserves and conservancy locales. We saw the big 5 and much more. Lions fighting, Hyenas making a chase and ultimate dinner selection, A leopard resting on tree branches, A cheetah stalking and then at rest. Hyena pups and Honbeast babes being birthed. Hippopotamus in the water, Zebra grazing, Elephants crossing rivers en mass. You'd think we hit the National Geographic channel.
Great job Bijal. Good deal Goway.customerBram L. BottfeldGoway Travel helped us set up a Venice to Athens cruise on Viking and it was fantastic! Our agent (Kimberly) was responsive to all our questions and helpful navigating all the options for excursions, etc. She also gave us a cruise credit we could use while on the ship to help pay for extras. Overall great experience would use Goway again.StanleyFor the past four years, we have travelled to Perth, Australia to visit family. As part of our travels to Perth, we have had stays in Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland. This year, as part of our trip, we are staying in Melbourne and Adelaide. Each year, we have contacted Joanne at Goway to arrange our trip. She has booked all our flights and accommodations. She has been a wonderful source of travel locations within Australia and New Zealand. Joanne has always been very helpful. She checks on the best flights, give us ideas on airplane seat selection and locates great places to stay. She also provides ideas about what we might want to see or do at each location. Every time we contact her she is willing to provide information and answers any questions we may have. She listens to our requests, explains reasons for her suggestions, and answers any concerns we have with patience and understanding. We are so fortunate to have such a helpful, friendly individual as our travel advisor!Bob and SuePaul at GoWay made this first GoWay trip a breeze from start to finish! He was very quick to respond and created an incredible itinerary that my clients absolutely loved. From the incredible hotel location to the private tours led by knowledgeable tour guides who show that they love their jobs, it couldn't have gone better. Can't wait to Yesenia RodriguezOnce again, Goway Travel has provided us with an amazing travel experience, and the customized itinerary prepared by Joanne Palanuik was second to none. She was the main reason that Australia is a "trip of a lifetime" for us. Her attention to detail and recognizing what would make this a special trip for us is noteworthy and much appreciated.WallyI would recommend GoWay for travel anytime. I had a private tour of India built for me, after I was invited to my friend's wedding. I travelled around northern India with my driver for 10 days. I had a new guide most every day, for the trip, as we went from location to location. Absolutely everything was amazing!! I honestly can't say there was a negative moment in any of it. I felt 100% safe travelling alone with GoWay's experts. My lodgings were excellent and someone was always available for support, if need be. This was one of the best experiences of my life!!! Thank you so much GoWay!!Trudy Buelow
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