Barberton Verblyf

Barberton is best known as the little Mpumalanga town where thousands of hopefuls flocked to in the 1880's, looking to strike it rich on Barber's Reef, an area so laden with gold that it sparkled! It was around this frantic gold rush that Barberton flourished, with hotels, saloons and music halls springing up, enabling entrepreneurs, speculators, miners and stockbrokers to fill their pockets with huge profits while Barberton was at its height.

Lying in the beautiful Mpumalanga, De Kaap Valley surrounded by the Makhonjwa Mountains, Barberton is known as the 'Genesis of Life', as this is where some of the most ancient rocks in the world are found. It is to this proposed World Heritage Site where geologists from all over the world come to study the origins of life in Barberton's rare green rocks, which only occur in two places in the world, and show evidence of the very first life forms, and how the Earth looked around 3.5 billion years ago. The discovery of these extraordinary rocks have put Barberton on the map as the Mpumalanga town where 'the history of our planet is cast in stone'.

Bearing witness to Barberton's gold rush days are architectural relics of the past on display in the form of beautifully preserved homes on Barberton’s Heritage Walk. One of Barberton's oldest buildings is the Belhaven Museum, restored and furnished to its original form as an elegant Edwardian home. Another perfectly preserved Barberton house is the iron and wood Stopforth House, built in 1886 by baker and general dealer James Stopforth, whose descendants continued to occupy and maintain the Stopforth family home until 1983.

When looking WhereToStay in Barberton, look no further than homely Barberton Self Catering accommodation tucked away amongst the trees with beautiful surrounding gardens.
Eat out in nearby Barberton restaurants, offering visitors a huge variety of eateries such as Digger's Retreat, The Gold Mine, African Pioneer Mining, Old Rock Cafe, Umjindi Gallery and many more.

For the outdoor adventurer, Barberton offers incredible Barberton activities such as 4x4 mountain routes, cycle trails, hiking, paragliding, horse riding and golf, or visit the half dozen wildlife reserves within a 12km radius of Barberton, with the Kruger National Park only an hour away.
For the less adventurous, golf lovers can swing their clubs at the Barberton Golf Club, one of the oldest clubs in the country. This uphill course advises golfers to stay out of the buffalo grass which represents the rough.
Then for a gentler activity, walk the Heritage Walk through Barberton City Center, starting at the Barberton Museum and ending at the Steam Locomotive. Afterwards, reward yourself with an English Tea at the Victorian Tea Garden in the historic Market Square.

49.4km north-west of Barberton accommodation lies another Mpumalanga gold rush town - Kaapsche Hoop, now more famous for the magnificent wild horses which roam the southern slopes of Kaapsche Hoop, and ramble freely through the village.
While in Kaapsche Hoop, Mpumalanga, take the Kaapsehoop Escarpment Walk, and hike through a maze of unusual rock formations, and you'll find yourself rewarded with breathtaking views at the edge of the Kruger National Park & Lowveld Mpumalanga Escarpment.
With its misty mountains, this old gold mining town is a popular tourist destination - offering fabulous local restaurants, quaint shops and loads of Kaapsche Hoop accommodation (Kaapse Hoop), making for the perfect holiday. Nestled on the edge of the Mpumalanga escarpment, you'll find Star Graded Kaapsche Hoop Bed & Breakfast accommodation at Kaapsche Hoop, and Kaapsche Hoop Self Catering Cottage accommodation on an avocado and pecan nut farm. For more info on these superb establishments, see the WhereToStay Kaapsche Hoop accommodation (Kaapse Hoop) page.

From Kaapsche Hoopdrive 30.7km north to nearby Mbombela (formally known as Nelspruit), which is known as the gateway to Mpumalanga and the Kruger National Park. With an international airport with regularly scheduled flights to the larger cities of South Africa, Mbombela / Nelspruit, Mpumalanga is the perfect overnight stop before venturing into the Kruger National Park, which is about 53 minutes from Nelspruit / Mbombela accommodation.
Mbombela offers unique adventures for the whole family:
- Sudwala Caves, (35.2km from Mbombela / Nelspruit accommodation), considered to be the oldest caves in the world, guarantee a once in a lifetime experience.
- PR Owen Dinosaur Park located near the Sudwala Caves in Mpumalanga is the largest and most scientifically accurate park of its kind in the world.
-Nelspruit Golf Course, an 18 hole par 71 golf course with lush year-round fairways lined exclusively by indigenous trees.
- Nelspruit Riverside Mall, one of Mpumalanga's largest shopping centres and cinema complexes.
- Emnotweni Casino, where guests could strike it lucky on slot machines, blackjack and roulette tables.
- Nelspruit Riverwild off-road quad and 4x4 trails, offers expert guidance over challenging terrain.

When looking for accommodation in Mbombela / Nelspruit, stay in Mbombela Self Catering accommodationconveniently located within easy reach of restaurants, shopping malls and the airport. Guests can also findthe very best upmarket Nelspruit Bed & Breakfast accommodation adjoining the Nelspruit Nature Reserve, as well as Nelspruit B&B accommodation in the heart of Mbombela City Centre. For those with more specific needs, Mbombela / Nelspruit accommodation (Special Category) caters for fisherman, weddings, pets, conferences and larger families. See the Mbombela / Nelspruit accommodation page for more info.