Historical Towns

Pilgrim's Rest

Exploring South African history as a family is a rewarding experience and there is no better place to do this than the historical town of Pilgrim’s Rest, one of South Africa’s much-loved heritage sites and a major draw card for the Kruger Lowveld region.

Situated on the beautiful Panorama Route, Pilgrim’s Rest is a small village and a living monument to the feverish gold rush days of the late 1800s. For the outdoorsy family, there is fly-fishing on the Blyde River, golf at the nine-hole course and, of course, a visit to the diggings and panning for gold.

The town has seven museums that are open daily and offer insight into the great story of the town. There are several accommodation establishments, catering for most budgets, and cafés and restaurants, catering for all palates.

Kaapschehoop

Kaapschehoop, a historical mining town with its history deeply rooted in the first discovery of gold in South Africa in the late 1800s, is well-known for its breath-taking beauty, free-roaming wild horses and rock fields. It is a charming village, situated a mere 30km from Nelspruit/Mbombela, and lies at an altitude of 1712 meters.

It is a popular tourist village and a haven of peace and tranquillity. With its often misty mountains and high rainfall, Kaapschehoop offers a cosy ambience and is a nature lover's dream destination.

Herds of wild horses roam the rocky surface of the grasslands, where Blue Swallows come each year to nest, and eagles, hawks and numerous other birds celebrate their freedom in the crisp mountain air. You may also be lucky enough to see buck, baboons and other smaller animals.

The village is rich in history and local art and offers various leisure activities, such as horse riding, hiking and browsing in the quaint shops. Numerous restaurants and tons of accommodation establishments make Kaapschehoop an ideal stop-over between Gauteng and Nelspruit/Mbombela.

Barberton

In a glorious valley below majestic mountains, the lovely country town of Barberton is an old place in many respects. In the modern era, the settlement was home to the first stock exchange in the region during the gold rush of the late 1880s. In the more ancient sense, the mountains that surround the town are amongst the oldest rock formations in the world.