The Lowveld area around the Kruger Park is often overlooked by visitors focused on getting to their safari, however there are many interesting attractions including scenic drives, animal rehabiliation and welfare centres, and cultural attractions that make staying a few days in the area very worthwhile if your schedule allows time for it.
The small village of Hazyview is an ideal place to base yourself for a couple of days to explore the surrounding area, and nearby attractions include:
The Panarama Route Drive along the Drakensberg Escarpment which takes in a number of geological and scenic highlights including The Blyde River Canyon, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, The Three Rondavels, and God’s Window.
The Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, which specialises in raptors (vultures and eagles) but also has many other rescued animals, and the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Foundation (also known as the Hoesdpruit Cheetah Project) which specialises in cheetah but again also has a number of other interesting species. Both places will try and realease animals back into the wild where possible, and the animals which cannot be released for any reason are cared for and used as part of educational programs.
The traditional villages of Shangana – home to families who invite guests to experience their culture and way of life.
The Kruger Park…the Numbi gate into Kruger is only 15km away, and many people who stay at one of Kruger’s excellent safari lodges will also fancy visiting the areas of the park that are open to self-drive visitors. Staying in Hazyview is an alternative to staying at one of SANParks restcamps in the park.
There many other activities including quadbiking, white water rafting, and balloon flights, and a few days in this beautiful area is really well worth the time if you are interested in finding out a bit more about this part of South Africa.