The Lowveld is aptly referred to as the adventure capital of South Africa! With so many attractions and things to do it is easy to see why this is a popular holiday destination for families, especially over winter school holidays due to the warmer climate!
Beyond the unforgettable experiences of the Kruger National Park and the Panorama Route, the Lowveld is home to an incredible variety of family friendly attractions and outdoor adventures. From wildlife encounters and scenic drives to cultural experiences and thrilling activities, there is something to keep visitors of all ages entertained. Add to that the region’s mild winter climate, offering a welcome escape from the colder temperatures of the Highveld, and it is easy to understand why so many families choose to spend their winter holidays in the Lowveld.
We’ve put together a few highlights of family-friendly activities to enjoy in the Lowveld:
Chimp Eden
Situated within the beautiful 1,000 hectare Umhloti Nature Reserve, 15 kilometres outside Nelspruit (Mbombela), the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) South Africa Chimpanzee Sanctuary is home to chimps that have been misplaced from their natural habitats in Africa. Chimp Eden was established in 2006 and is the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa. Visitors have a unique opportunity to see chimpanzees in semi-wild enclosures and witness their unique personalities whilst learning about the importance of how we can all work together to save these animals from extinction!
Activities offered:
- Chimpanzee Tours
Kaapsehoop
Located just a 30 km drive from Nelspruit (Mbombela), Kaapsehoop is situated in the heart of South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province in the Lowveld. While the region commonly serves as the main gateway to South Africa’s prestigious Kruger National Park, there’s much more to do and see.
Kaapsehoop, originally known as Kaapschehoop during the gold rush era, is a quaint little town that offers beautiful views and a rich history dating back to South Africa’s gold rush period. The town’s wild horses roam freely and if you are fortunate enough to see them, it will undoubtedly be the highlight of your visit to this quirky town.
Activities offered:
- Kaapsehoop Horse Trails
- Hiking trail and view points
- Waterfalls
- Kaapschehoop Klein Camino
Sudwala Caves
Located just 35 km from Nelspruit (Mbombela) in the breathtaking Drakensberg escarpment, Sudwala Caves offer a world of adventure, history and natural beauty. As the oldest known cave system on Earth, these magnificent formations take you on a journey through time with guided tours showcasing ancient stalactites, stalagmites and fossils.
Guided tours take you 600 meters deep and 150 meters underground, departing every 10 minutes for an immersive 60-minute journey. Witness stunning natural formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and ancient flow stones, along with fascinating pre-Cambrian fossils.
A highlight of the tour is the iconic Screaming Monster, a colossal 180-million-year-old column formed by the fusion of a stalactite and stalagmite. Experience history beneath the surface and uncover the secrets of this awe-inspiring subterranean wonder.
Activities offered:
- Cave Tours
- Crystal tours
- Zipline
- Nature Garden
- School Tours
Skyway Trails
Experience nature supercharged at Skyway Trails’ adventure park in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, home to the province’s longest Aerial Cable Trail and a world-class, tree-top Rope Park adventure. Both activities are ideal for outdoor family fun, corporate fun days and team-building events. Suitable for young and old alike. The Aerial Cable Trail is Mpumalanga’s longest aerial cable trail. The rope park consists of two courses and 35 exciting obstacles, including balancing beams, rope bridges, ‘spider webs’ and a 50-metre zipline.
Skyway Trails’ Aerial Cable Trail is set in one of the last remaining natural forested valleys along the Sabie River, adjacent to the Kruger National Park. Ideally situated on the northern side of the river, and predominantly south-facing, it is well protected from the northern sun. As a result, it remains relatively moist throughout the year. The valley forms a steep bowl that has preserved elements of true Afromontane forest and boasts a number of endangered plant species (Breonadia silcina, Pterocarpus anglolensis), including a rarely found orchid (Acampe praemorsa), which has now become the only second record of its existence in the Mpumalanga Province.
Activities offered:
- Aerial Cable Trail
- Rope Adventure Park
- Perry’s Zipline
- Tower Jump
Induna Adventures
Induna Adventures is a one stop adventure centre situated just outside Hazyview in the Sabie River Valley and forms part of the beautiful Panorama Route. All the adventures are guided by professional guides and depart daily from the Adventure Centre.
Activities offered:
- Quad Biking
- Archery
- Geckoing
- Paintball
- River Rafting
Elephant Whispers
Located in Hazyview, Elephant Whispers offers visitors an enlightening interactive elephant experience. Meet five magnificent African elephants and learn about their extraordinary behaviour and physiology, observing first hand how the elephants have developed trust in the kindness and care they receive from the team.
Visitors to the Centre experience life-changing moments when they encounter the elephants, the Elephant Whispers Team work hard to translate this into an understanding of the need for long-term, sustainable wildlife conservation, and elephant conservation in particular.
For those seeking an enjoyable meaningful experience, an elephant interaction at Elephant Whispers is a memorable and touching activity not to be missed. The mighty elephant is the world’s largest living land animal, the mere sight of these impressive tusked creatures inspires awe and respect.
Activities offered:
- Elephant Interaction
- Elephant Interaction & Walk
- Elephant Interaction & Ride
- Sunset Experience
Long Tom Toboggan at Misty Mountain
35km from Lydenburg
Located just 35 km from Lydenburg, Misty Mountain’s Long Tom Toboggan promises the ride of a lifetime. Feel the wind in your hair and the thrill in your belly as you twist and whoosh through the mountains of Long Tom Pass on Africa’s longest toboggan run, boasting an impressive 1.7 km track. Simply hop aboard your Long Tom Toboggan cart and prepare for speeds of up to 45 km/h during the exhilarating three minute ride through wildflowers, open grasslands and pine forests.
Activities offered:
- Long Tom Toboggan
- Long Tom Scootours
- Guided quad biking
- Walking Trail
- Mountain biking trails
- Birding
Graskop Gorge Lift Co.
The Graskop Gorge Lift Company is centrally located on the Panorama Route just outside of Graskop on the R533 towards Hazyview.
Discover a world of adventure at Graskop Gorge, featuring the scenic Cliff Walk, breathtaking Viewing Lift, and Forest Exploration. Experience the pulse-pounding Big Swing, exhilarating Zipline, and picturesque Suspension Bridge. Each activity offers a perfect blend of adrenaline and natural beauty, creating unforgettable memories.
The viewing lift takes visitors 51m down the face of the gorge into the indigenous forest below, where wooden walkways & suspension bridges make up a 600m trail.
The Big Swing is one of the world’s highest cable gorge swings and launches off the top of a waterfall. The experience is very different to a bungee-jump because participants freefall for 70m before the jump rope pulls them into a high-speed arch and they swing from one side of the gorge to the other.
Activities offered:
- The lift
- The forest
- The next-level walk
- Cliff Walk
- Zilpine
- Big swing
- Suspension bridge
The Panorama Route
The Panorama Route in Mpumalanga is one of the most scenic parts of South Africa and is a popular destination for visitors to the Lowveld.
The route runs along the geological extension of the Drakensberg and is centered around the Blyde River Canyon.
Highlights on the Panorama Route include:
- The Mac Mac Falls
- God’s window
- Lisbon and Berlin falls
- Bourke’s Luck Potholes
- Blyde River Canyon
- The three Rondawels
- Pinnacle Rock
Innibos
Innibos Laeveld Nasionale Kunstefees attracts thousands of people of every year. This award winning festival is back in full force after the break during Covid.
Innibos usually takes place from Thursday to Saturday at the end of June or the beginning of July, depending on how the school holiday dates fall. The programme includes a huge variety of music and theatre productions at venues across the city, spectacular performances by some of South Africa’s top artists on the main stage and other festival stages, a wide range of exhibitors, art and creative workshops, and, of course, all the amusement rides you can stomach!
It is easy to understand why so many families return to the Lowveld year after year. With its warm winter climate, spectacular scenery and endless variety of outdoor activities, it is a destination that appeals to every generation.
For Likweti residents, however, this is not just somewhere to visit during the holidays. Positioned in the heart of the Lowveld, the estate offers easy access to many of the region’s most celebrated attractions, while also being conveniently located close to a selection of excellent private and public schools. Whether raising young children, enjoying an active family lifestyle or simply looking for more space to appreciate everything the Lowveld has to offer, Likweti provides an environment where families can truly thrive in every season.
It is an opportunity to enjoy an exceptional lifestyle in a place that many people only experience for a few weeks each year.
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