Phalaborwa

Phalaborwa is a town (131,000 inhabitants) situated in the Mopani district, halfway up along the length of the Kruger National Park in the Limpopo province in South Africa. The Lowveld, also known as Valley of the Olifants, has the highest winter temperatures in South Africa. The winter sun attracts many tourists to the “Town of two summers” because rainfall is low and the average winter temperatures range from 10.9 to 25.2 °C. During summer the average temperatures vary from 20 to 35 °C with occasional heavy rainfall.

The average day temperatures make Phalaborwa, the cleanest town of South Africa in 2005, the ideal year-round holiday destination. Originally a mining town, it has developed over the years into one of the major tourist attractions in South Africa. Tourism and wildlife play a dominant role in the life of this town. The Big 5 in Kruger National Park are still the main attraction but surrounded by game farms and lodges, game sanctuaries and nature reserves, tourists are never more than half an hour's drive away from unforgettable destinations and memories. A full range of quality tourism facilities and services cater for every need and interest.

SA Airlink has several scheduled flights to Phalaborwa, making it the ideal start or finish of the Kruger to Beach, Kruger to Culture and Kruger to Blyde River Canyon Birding routes. It is the only town in South Africa that borders the Kruger National Park, the Mozambiquan border is only 2 hours away. Since 2006 Phalaborwa hosts the annual Marula Festival, the first tasting of the Marula beer in February / March. The Amarulu Lapa, home of Amarula Cream Liqueur is opened for the public. The world renowned [http://kokobela.com/golf.aspx Hans Merensky Golf Estate] is situated on the edge of town. Activities include golfing in the wild ( amidst impala, giraffe, hippo and crocodiles) , traditional village tours, hot-air ballooning, microlight flights, 4x4 trails, quad biking, birding, river safaris, bushwalks, astronomy evenings and game drives.

Blyde River Canyon, the Rondavels, God's Window and Bourke Luck’s Potholes, the Tzaneen and Hoedspruit attractions can be visited during the day, the members of the Phalaborwa Hospitality Association will cater for your needs during the evening and night.

The name "Ba-Phalaborwa", given to the area by the Sotho tribes who moved here from the south, means better than the south. The Sotho mined and smelted copper and iron ore here as far back as 400AD. Masorini, near Phalaborwa gate, is a reconstructed baPhalaborwa hill village, with huts, grain storage areas, and an iron, smelting site.

There are two townships, Namakgale and Lulekani where the Pedi and Tsonga reside, and rural areas such as Mashishimale, Makushane and Ga-Maseke.

External links

* [http://kokobela.com/golf.aspx Kokobela Lodge - Luxury self-catering - Hans Merensky - Phalaborwa]
* [http://www.phalaborwa-info.com/ Phalaborwa Information]
* [http://www.golimpopo.com/Index.php?Entity=Phalaborwa Limpopo Tourism & Parks]
* [http://www.phalaborwa.org.za/index.htm Phalaborwa Trade & Tourism]