Welcome to Mpumalanga

The Place of the Rising Sun

Mpumalanga is a captivating province in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini (Swaziland) and Mozambique. Famous for its dramatic natural landscapes and deep historical roots, it serves as a premier destination for nature lovers and history enthusiasts alike.

Major Attractions

Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains & GeoTrail: A UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving the Barberton Greenstone Belt—some of the oldest, best-preserved volcanic and sedimentary rocks on Earth, dating back 3.2 to 3.6 billion years. Visitors can drive a 38-kilometre scenic pass featuring 12 interactive lay-bys displaying ancient tidal deposits, volcanic “pillows”, and fossilized evidence of our planet’s earliest single-celled life.

Blyde River Canyon
 The world’s largest green canyon, celebrated for its subtropical foliage and striking rock formations like the Three Rondavels and Bourke’s Luck Potholes.

Wildlife Safaris
 The gateway to the southern half of the world-famous Kruger National Park, offering unparalleled opportunities to view the Big Five.

Scenic Landmarks
 Breathtaking vistas along the Escarpment, including the famous God’s Window and numerous majestic waterfalls.

History & Culture
 Home to the ancient Sudwala Caves and the preserved 1870s gold-rush mining town of Pilgrim’s Rest.

Rich Precolonial History

Mpumalanga boasts a legacy of human habitation stretching back 1.7 million years.

Ancient Mining
The Lion Cavern on the Eswatini border shows evidence of iron ore mining dating back 28,000 years, alongside thriving historic trades in gold, copper, and bronze.

The Lydenburg Heads
 Discovered in the region and dating to around 500 CE, these artifacts represent Africa’s oldest Iron Age artworks south of the equator.

Thriving Societies
Between the 6th and 17th centuries, advanced agricultural and stone-walled agropastoral societies (like the Mbayi) flourished, eventually becoming major trading hubs connected to the Portuguese in Maputo Bay. Traditional Swazi kingdoms built deep roots here, acting as long-term guardians of the sacred Makhonjwa hills.

The Colonial Era & The Barberton Gold Rush

The arrival of Dutch-speaking settlers during the Great Trek in 1845 transformed the region into the eastern Transvaal, quickly setting off an era of rapid expansion.

Resistance & Conflict

Well-established local kingdoms, including the Pedi, Swazi, and Zulu, fiercely resisted colonial expansion, leading to major historical conflicts like the Sekhukhune and Anglo-Zulu wars.

The Roaring Birth of Barberton

 In 1883, Auguste Roberts discovered a massive gold reef in Concession Creek. Declared a town in 1884 and named after Graham Barber, the settlement exploded into a wild economic powerhouse. It grew so fast it opened South Africa’s very first stock exchange in 1887, long before Johannesburg rose to prominence.

An Enduring Legacy

 While the surface gold rush was short-lived, deep-level mines like Sheba and Fairview have been operating for over a century, yielding some of the world’s purest gold. In later history, the town’s local prison served a poignant political role during Apartheid, housing prominent female political prisoners before closing its high-security site in 1995.