eMalahleni is the place to be this festive season

The festive season has rolled in and eMalahleni (Witbank) has come out to celebrate with all the bells and whistles needed to make this time of year memorable and magical. This beautiful city is located in the Highveld of Mpumalanga where mountainous backdrops and rolling green hills meet to create breathtaking scenic views.

eMalahleni is a hive of activity as soon as December 1st arrives as thousands of holidaymakers flock here to celebrate the holiday and enjoy Christmas and New Year's Eve festivities. This city is also the perfect place to stop over for a few days when travelling to or from the Kruger National Park or further into the country of Mozambique. Yes, eMalahleni places visitors in the centre of fun, activity and unique experiences that are hard to find anywhere else in the world. 

Known as the Cultural Heartland of Mpumalanga, the eMalahleni experience is made up of fascinating cultural villages; charming coffee shops; exhilarating watersports; fun hiking, 4x4 and bike trails; relaxing dams to fish; and inviting nature reserves for picnics. It also places visitors close to a number of other attractions that make for memorable road trip adventures. 

With this in mind, let's take a look at the best attractions to experience as we close off 2019!

The Witbank Nature Reserve

The Witbank Nature Reserve is the ideal place for family-get-togethers, sunlit picnics enjoying sundowners, or hiking in one of the many trails located here. The reserve spans 900 hectares and is situated on the outskirts of the city, bordering the 3 540sqm Witbank Dam. Visitors get a front-row seat to exquisite wildlife including wildebeest, kudu, waterbuck, impala, springbuck, zebra, hyena, otters, and there is even the opportunity to spot leopard. Many visitors choose to relax in the reserve, while others prefer to head over to the Witbank Dam where they can enjoy watersports such as fishing, windsurfing, or game viewing from a sailboat. 

Skydive Witbank

Keeping adrenalin junkies on the edge of their seats from the 1980's, Skydive Witbank offers bird's eye views of eMalahleni as they freefall from a heart-stopping, 10 000 feet. There are a variety of options for skydiving available from the static line and accelerated free fall to tandem. The experience lasts about 40 seconds and at the end, you will receive a recording and pictures of your time in the sky. 

The Ridge Casino and Entertainment World

The Ridge Casino and Entertainment World is part of the premium Tsogo Sun group which is synonymous with state-of-the-art casinos and hotels that make guests feel like royalty. The Ridge Casino offers 426 slot machines and 18 tables where those who are feeling lucky can try their hand at Blackjack, Roulette or Poker. For those with children, there is the Magic Company games room as well as Ten Pin Bowling where families or friends can have hours of fun competing with each other. 

Other offerings include a creche, six cinemas, the Highveld Mall, and eateries such as Baxters Lounge Bar, Billy G Buffet Restaurant and Hotdog Harry. There are two hotels located on this precinct, including Southern Sun The Ridge and StayEasy Emalahleni- both hotels are buzzing with holidaymakers during the festive season, many including international tourists. 

Road Trips 

There is so much to do around eMalahleni which makes the city a favourite spot for a road trip around Mpumalanga. For example; if you travel north for about 1 hour 20 minutes, you will come to the small town of Emnotweni (Dullstroom), where holidaymakers can go horse riding or fly fishing. Travelling further for 2 hours 17 minutes will bring you to Mbombela (Nelspruit) which is home to the Chimpanzee Den and the Lowveld Botanical Garden. And travelling further, for about 3 hours, will bring you to the farming town of Hazyview where holidaymakers can ride on the back of an elephant, visit the Shangana Cultural Village, jump on a hot air balloon, or get immersed in the excitement of quad biking. 

Of course, most holidaymakers make the trip to the Kruger National Park which is home to the Big Five and only 3 hours 4 minutes away from eMalahleni. While travelling a little further will bring you to Mozambique where blue beaches and white sands make for the perfect island getaway this festive season. To access these tourist hotspots, most people are making use of the newly built Maputo Corridor as it allows for quicker travel time and less congestion. 

Celebrate the year-end in the best way possible by experiencing the great outdoors, going on unique adventures and making memories that will last a lifetime. eMalahleni is the place to be this festive season!