Mpumalanga is considered to be one of the most geographically diverse and unbelievably beautiful places in South Africa. Visitors to this area will experience the world’s most famous game reserve, climb the world’s third-highest canyon, explore the world’s oldest cave and spend the night in some of the world’s best private game lodges.
Some of the 4 x 4 routes available in Mpumalanga :
The Alkmaar 4x4 Trail is a medium challenging course where one can do some birdwatching and game viewing. Participants can partake in the obstacle course before heading out on the 7 km trail. After the obstacle course is completed, drivers receive a certificate – great techniques are learned.
The 7 km trail takes approximately 2 to 3 hours and is graded between 2 and 3. This self-drive trail requires a 4x4, high clearance, low range vehicle. The route is open all year round.
Riverwild 4x4
This trail near Nelspruit is known as one of the best off-road experiences in the country. It is a little on the challenging side, but experienced marshals are available to guide you and your Hilux if necessary. And, while it’s best known for its tough obstacles, like river crossings, mud as well as its steep ups and downs, there are detours that will allow you to skip the obstacles if you want to.
Mac Mac
On the other end of the spectrum from the Riverwild trail, the Mac Mac summit route near Sabie is a good option if you want a more laid-back experience. It will take you through some breathtaking surrounds, including mountains, waterfalls and subtropical forests, and through the Blyde River Canyon. You can go for the day, or there are longer routes of up to five days. This is one of the easier trails available and will not put your Hilux at risk in any way.
Bushlane 4x4 Trail is a guided trail 23 km from Nelspruit. The trail is 14 km long and takes about 2 to 4 hours to complete. This trail can be done as a weekend adventure to reinforce skills learnt. The difficulty grading is 4 and passes around rocky outcrops. A high clearance 4x4 vehicle is required to go on this adventure. The exact coordinates are unknown so please phone to enquire.
Cross country drives and trips in the scenic surrounding forests are available for off-road vehicles without low range. For those that require a little training first, 4x4 driver training is presented on request and includes level 1, level 2 and level 3 courses covering the topics of environment, vehicle information, offroad techniques, recovery and practical training, driving through a number of obstacles. The trails boast scenery of lush indigenous lowveld forests, magnificent wildlife and several fascinating Indo-African ruins.
