Discover Eastvaal District Council

If you are looking for hotels in Eastvaal District Council, you can plan your trip around the interests that matter to you. Bethal offers a specific cultural point of reference; the wider destination of Mpumalanga adds themes such as geological history, mining, nature and wildlife watching. The places and experiences below offer a range of ideas for planning.

Culture and remembrance in Bethal

The Nomoya Masilela Museum in Bethal honours Richard “Gert” Sibande, Nokuthula Simelane, Ruth First and Henry “Mr Drum” Nxumalo. Admission is free. Check the entry information again before your trip. The people honoured give the museum a clear cultural and historical focus.

Bethal’s cultural district also commemorates Richard “Gert” Sibande and Nokuthula Simelane: it features a bronze statue of Sibande and a statue of Simelane. The Mpumalanga Liberation Heritage Route includes Bethal, as well as Daggakraal, Ermelo, Saul Mkhizeville, Secunda and Volksrust. This extends the historical context beyond individual memorial sites to include several named towns.

Travel ideas in the wider destination of Mpumalanga

Geological history is a particular focus. The Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains encompass 40 percent of the Barberton Greenstone Belt. Their volcanic and sedimentary rocks are between 3.6 and 3.25 billion years old; the mountain range is a World Heritage Site. Barberton lies in the De Kaap Valley in the heart of Mpumalanga and is surrounded by the Makhonjwa Mountain Range. The Heritage Walk is one of the town’s main attractions. The Geotrail gives visitors the opportunity to discover clues to the earliest life forms visible to the naked eye in the rocks. Those interested in geological history will find several distinct ways to explore it here: the landscape, a walk through the town’s cultural heritage and the geological traces along the trail.

Mining history is also part of Mpumalanga’s story. Pilgrim’s Rest is a historic mining town on the Panorama Route. During the Second Boer War, it was home to an emergency mint that struck the famous and rare Veld Pond using handmade dies. The 220-kilometre Genesis Route offers a different way to explore the landscape. It passes through Mpumalanga’s Makhonjwa Mountain Range and is a scenic alternative to the N4 between Gauteng and the Kruger Lowveld.

Nature, landscapes and wildlife watching

Kruger National Park covers almost two million hectares and offers a wildlife experience. The park’s cultural heritage includes San rock paintings and archaeological sites such as Masorini and Thulamela. Flights from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park serve Skukuza, Phalaborwa, Hoedspruit and Kruger/Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) daily. KMIA is located between Nelspruit and White River. As flight schedules can vary, check current connections before travelling.

Those particularly interested in landscapes will find several well-known natural features in the Blyde River Canyon Reserve: Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels, Pinnacle Rock and God’s Window. The Blyde River Canyon is considered the world’s third-largest canyon and the largest “green canyon”. Verloren Vallei Nature Reserve offers a different kind of natural environment: it is an internationally recognised wetland with high biodiversity, a rich birdlife and rare and distinctive plant species. More than 350 bird species can be observed along birdwatching routes, hiking trails and in nature reserves in the Barberton region.

Cave tours and planning your time

The Sudwala Caves are considered to be the site of some of the earliest evidence of human habitation anywhere in the world. Visitors can choose one of two cave tours, including the four-hour Crystal Tour. Its duration makes it a separate time commitment to consider when planning. Check current tour times before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Evander, Amsterdam, Brendan Village, Trichardt, Carolina, Nkangala, Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande.

View the wider travel guide: Mpumalanga.