Phalaborwa

Phalaborwa is a gateway to the Kruger National Park

Phalaborwa is known as the town of Two Summers and serves as a gateway to the Kruger National Park Phalaborwa is a town with a spectacular past. Around 2,000 million years ago a gigantic volcanic eruption took place in the area. A volcanic pipe some 10 km in diameter resulted, richly loaded with minerals and metals such as phosphate, copper, zirconium, vermiculite, iron, mica and gold.

Today Phalaborwa supports a vast mining industry, including one of the worlds largest open-cast mines supplying vital minerals to the country. The "Big Hole", the planets largest man-made hole and visible from space, can be viewed daily from a special lookout point. A guided tour of the mine takes place every Friday at 09h00 (booking is essential: (015) 789 2024).

Daily tours to the Kruger National Park are also departing from Phalaborwa. River cruises, micro-light flying and 4x4 game drives in private game reserves are also very popular. The vicinity of the Kruger National Park makes not unusual the sighting of wildlife, big five included, on the outskirt of town, particularly on the green of the well-known Hans Merensky golf club. Hunting big game in the Phalaborwa area is an affordable business, while the availability of reasonably priced accommodation of a very good standard is making Phalaborwa increasingly popular as the better alternative to the Kruger National Parks Rest Camps. The fact that there are some very good restaurants in Phalaborwa, a well stocked Shopping Mall represent an added bonus. If you decide to travel to the Kruger National Park it will make sense to look for accommodation in Phalaborwa or in a Game Lodge of the area.