The Ultimate Guide to Activities in Hoedspruit

A Key Summary of Activities

• Game drives or bush walks
• Running, cycling or horseback riding in Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate
• Public and private restaurants
• Spa treatments
• Animal rehabilitation centers
• Quad biking
• Pottery classes
• Blyde river boat cruise
• Helicopter flip
• Hot air balloon sunrise
• Panorama route
• Magoebaskloof
• Eco caves

Game Drives in Hoedspruit

Firstly we'll cover the game trips. Touring reserves with Big 5 game on them comes in two forms:

1. Game drives: game drives are cliche for a reason. They're awesome. You jump into a powerful rumbling vehicle and drive around through pristine bushveld for a few hours (normally 3) and hosts are quick to provide beverages and even snacks sometimes. The drivers are always highly competent guides with extraordinary knowledge about the animals and environment which at the end of the day is what you're paying for. If a guide can make marks in the sand and bird songs as fascinating as lions you've got a good one.
2. Bush walks: please note that these are not for the faint of heart. Bush walks are exactly as they sound, you on your two legs walking through the wilderness. The experience, should you steel yourself to go, is extraordinary. Two guides are standard both armed with heavy rifles for emergencies. You stalk through the bush like a primordial hunter, following tracks and using every sense to absorb what's going on around you. Experienced guides are basically behavior experts as far as animals are concerned and are to be obeyed at all times. You'll have come back after an hour or two of walking in dead silence feeling as though you've just finished jumping out of an airplane.

Always remember that this is a wild environment with wild animals. Any rules that you are informed of exist solely to keep you and your loved ones safe. After all there's nothing like watching a leopard stalk its prey, or crocodiles lurking in the shallows. birds building their nests and a herd of impala bolting for fear of something they can smell but you can't. The wilderness is what we preserve and protect in South Africa and it's majesty is exactly what we want you to experience, in such a way that neither our guests nor the animals are disturbed.

Activities in the Immediate Vicinity

1. Explore Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate, which is a plains game estate, on foot, by renting a bicycle or even on horseback! Most estates are heavily fenced due to dangerous game but HWE is as safe as the wild can get.
2. Try out some of the local cuisine! Some restaurants offer more exotic options like springbok sirloin steaks but for such a small town there are easily a dozen restaurants to look at. Try out gin, beer, wine and whiskey tastings at a special few.
3. Spa treatments are a delicacy in the bushveld. Surrounded by tranquility nothing tops it off quite like a few hours at our notable spas of which there are multiple techniques to choose from or even order one in to your accommodation.
4. The animal rehabilitation centers. Moholoholo as an example treats a huge range of species whilst the Cheetah Sanctuary or the Cape Culture Conservancy organizations specialize. All of them are extraordinary experiences that are phenomenally educational. (Two birds with one stone try the French Restaurant at the Reptile Centre).
5. Quad biking is a tourist favourite. The foothills of the Klein Drakensig Mountains provides some rugged riding for adventure enthusiasts. Of course if you want to enjoy the thrill but still want to enjoy the bush there are game viewing options on a nearby plains game estate.
6. Pottery classes are a lovely gentle activity that anyone of any age can engage in. At the Bosveld Village (the same center houses the Brewery restaurant where they do a delicious beer tasting) there is plenty of local art to inspire your inner artist.\
7. Cruising on the Blyderivierpoort Dam is a picturesque excursion. The area is protected and the game is abundant but the most wonderous aspect is of course seeing the canyon from inside it's heart. Bring a camera to capture some of the best views the canyon has to offer.
8. Take to the air with a helicopter flip or in a hot air balloon. Both are magnificent but each experience is unique. Hot air balloon rides occur at sunrise so you can watch the African sun catch the face of the mountains whilst helicopter flips are exhilarating and take you over Blyde River Canyon, the largest green canyon in the world.

The Surrounding Day Trips

First on the list is the Panorama Route. It encompasses a long drive that touches Pilgrims Rest (where visitors can go panning for gold) and Graskop where you can try the famous Big Swing or take a huge elevator down into the gorge. Views like God's Window are the most renowned stop off points but be sure to take a short detour to check out Lisbon and Berlin Falls. Bourke's Luck Potholes are also a phenomenal viewing and is full of mystery and legend. Take the day and spend it with the family making regular stops to heed the call to adventure of Blyde River Canyon.

If you'd like to take a guided tour of the Panorama Route click here.

Magoebaskloof, 'the land of the silver mist' is a day trip worth doing for locals a tourists combined. In the folds of the mountain there are some of the tallest trees in Africa, Zwakala brewery which is famous for it's high quality beer and live music and if you're adrenaline junkie the rapids and gorges carved by the 5 major rivers in the area provide phenomenal white water rafting, ziplining and even kloofing experiences. A day trip will leave your mind exhausted and your belly full.

If you'd like to learn more about Magoebaskloof click here.

Last but not least is Eco Caves. A geological marvel in which the Pedi people lived in perpetual darkness for years in order to hide from the Swazi raiders. Today the caves are beautifully lit and maintained. A guide will take you through and point out the interesting ways the Pedi ate, slept, moved and lit their living space. At the very end lies a dark cavern opens into the bowels of the Earth. No living being knows just how deep it goes and what lies at the bottom but technology isn't advanced enough for us to find out just yet.

Thank you for taking the time to read through the article. We hope that it's answered you questions regarding what Hoedspruit has to offer and we look forward to assisting you. If you have any additional questions don't hesitate to contact us or have a look below at our other articles written on related subjects.