Things to do near
Machadodorp
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Waterfall
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Waterval Boven (9.2 km from Machadodorp) The Elands River Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in Mpumalanga and is situated at one of South Africa's top rock climbing destinations.
With a unique split and a plummet of 70 m, Elands River Falls is just as dramatic and scenic as South Africa's highest waterfall, the 90 m Lisbon Falls.
Access to the observation platform is through the old ZAZM tunnel built in the late 1800s for the rail track between the towns Waterval Onder and Waterval Boven (meaning 'above the waterfall'), now named Emgwenya (Zulu for 'place of the crocodile').
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Popular Attractions
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Sudwala Valley (58.2 km from Machadodorp) The Sudwala Caves are an incredibly deep system of caverns lying in the Mpumalanga region of the Drakensberg escarpment. Considered the oldest known caves in the world, this astonishing unplumbed complex of passages and giant chambers extend into the mysterious Mankelexele massif.
The caves are situated in the Precambrian dolomite rocks of the Malmani Group, formed over a period of some 3 000 million years, capturing in stone an era when this place was a shallow inland sea.
The very earliest known life forms are preserved in fossil form in these rocks. In the cave are fossils of the first oxygen producing plants on the earth called collenia – fossilised bacterial colonies that date back 2.2 billion years! And there's a Dinosaur Park too. Kids will love the life-size monsters guarding the cave entrance.
Keen for adventure? Time your visit on the last Saturday of the month and join one of the popular Crystal Tours inside the deeper chambers. You will be required to crawl through some sections be prepared to get wet. It lasts for six hours and bookings are essential.
+27 (0) 13 733 4152
www.sudwalacaves.co.za
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Sports Stadiums Clubs
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Nelspruit (67 km from Machadodorp) Alkmaar Raceway is a world class Motocross venue hosting national and international events. The 2008 World Motocross Grand Prix took place here.
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Sports Stadiums Clubs
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Nelspruit (77 km from Machadodorp) The Mbombela Stadium is one of the new stadiums constructed for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The elevated stadium can comfortably seat 40,000 people and has excellent views from all positions. Situated eight kilometres north of Nelspruit, it is the closest venue to the hugely popular Kruger National Park.
The bustling boom town of Nelspruit is the gateway to Kruger National Park. This busy commercial centre has excellent facilities, shopping malls and air links with Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Maputo.
Nelspruit is also a major stopover for motorists travelling on the N4 en route to Kruger National Park, Swaziland and Mozambique. It is situated really close to Malelane Gate and Crocodile Bridge Gate, entrances to the Kruger National Park.
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Golf Courses
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Barberton (87.1 km from Machadodorp) One of the oldest clubs in the country, Barberton Golf Club hosts the popular "Barberton Daisy" Golf Tournament every year. This is an uphill course where one should try to stay out of the buffalo grass which represents the rough.Facilities include a, driving range, bar, halfway house and putting green.Need to know? Barberton Golf ClubHoles: 9Par: M 70, W 70Cost: Non-affiliated R95.00, affiliated R55.00 Caddies: 18 holes R 30.00 9 holes R 20.00
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Big Event Venues
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Nelspruit (87.8 km from Machadodorp) This legendary bushveld concert and party venue is nestled in the hills just 10km south of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga. Blue Moon is a unique, custom-built, multi-purpose function venue with stunning views of the surrounding countryside.As a music venue, Blue Moon is not genre specific. Local and international highlights include Seether, Dana Winner, Freshly Ground, Prime Circle, The Parlotones, Malaika, Mafikizolo and Steve Hofmeyr.As a functions venue, Blue Moon is unique and versatile, suitable for hosting corporate end-of-year functions, launches, award dinners, weddings and birthday parties. Blue Moon's multiple stages, decks, bars, kitchen, amphitheatre, chalets, bunkhouse, trees and creative lighting can be adapted to suit just about every need. The small team of three owner-operators is always keen to accommodate exciting and challenging ideas.
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Popular Attractions
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Barberton (87.9 km from Machadodorp) Take a slow stroll along the Heritage Walk from Barberton Museum to see a relic from yesteryear. This lovely old locomotive was brought to Barberton on its own steam in 1971, having served on the railway line between Barberton and Kaapmuiden from 1899.
The Barberton Steam Locomotive was manufactured in 1898 by Nielson & Co. for the Cape Government Railways. The Kaapmuiden-Barberton railway line was opened on 1 April 1896 and similar locomotives were used on it.
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Galleries and Museums
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Barberton (88.9 km from Machadodorp) Get bunged up with local knowledge at the Barberton Museum where the geology, mining, Swazi history and general history of Barberton are displayed, as well as Belhaven and Stopforth House Museums, Fernlea Museum and the Block House.Find out about the history of the area dating back 3,500 million yeas before man was able to survive on earth. The Barberton Mountainland is internationally acclaimed as the best developed and exposed remnant of primitive crust. The oldest form of life on earth developed in this hostile environment. The earliest inhabitats of the area were the Stone Age people. Barberton is also known for it's earliest mining activities and prospectors found remains of Iron Age mining in this area.
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Popular Attractions
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Barberton (89.9 km from Machadodorp) The Makhonjwa Mountains around Barberton are renowned for their ancient green rocks with their unique scientific record of the pre-history of the earth and for the human stories in pursuit of hidden gold.Also referred to as the ‘Genesis of Life’, its geology includes the best preserved truly ancient rocks on earth. Despite the rocks being 3.5 billion years old they are so well preserved that their fossils faithfully record the earliest life forms on the planet as well as evidence of the first recorded massive meteorite impact.Come to Barberton for the most spectacular sceneries, over the mountain for picnic, and if the beauty does not hold you back too long, a trip to Songimvelo Nature Reserve."The oldest well preserved sedimentary and volcanic rocks on Earth. ... These rock layers are like the pages of a book that we can read and translate in terms of early Earth's history. Here in Barberton is the Rosetta Stone for this period of time." Prof Don Lowe, Stanford University"The rocks of the Barberton region represent the best-preserved example of the Earth's ancient oceanic and continental crust." Profs Terence McCarthy and Bruce Rubidge, University of the Witwatersrand
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Golf Courses
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White River (93.1 km from Machadodorp) White River Country Estate is a scenic golf course situated on the outskirts of White River and not far from Kruger National Park. The 18-hole course offers a good mental and physical challenge for golfers of all skill levels.
With Gary Player behind the design of the course, White River Country Estate is considered a world-class facility. The estate also offers a swimming pool, tennis courts, squash courts, and plenty of entertainment for the whole family.
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Shopping Malls
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White River (93.7 km from Machadodorp) Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre is perfect for the whole family to enjoy a day out. The variety of shops range from galleries housing African art to boutique clothing stores. Entertainment is on offer at The Barnyard Theatre, cinema and live music at Magnolia Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge.
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 09:00 - 16:30
Sunday 09:00 - 16:00
www.casterbridge.co.za
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