WATHABA NEXT WEEKEND?

Wathaba means “to be delighted” in isiZulu. What a great name for a hiking destination: Rambling along past waterfalls and trekking through forests also makes me happy! But what about Skurweberg, which means “rough mountains”? That one’s a bit of a misnomer: The hilly landscape in Mpumalanga between eManzana (Badplaas) and eNtokozweni (Machadodorp) is actually rather pleasant.

There are two circular day trails at Wathaba for moderately fit hikers: the 4 km Bosbok Route and the 10 km Lynx Loop. Accommodation consists of three rustic river “camps” next to the Schoonspruit, and two self-catering units a bit higher up the mountain that offer a little more luxury. A weekend backpack trail called the Bloutrein is also nearby, connected to a neighbouring farm.

The area has plenty of natural springs and streams, all of which feed the 480 km-long Komati River, which flows into Vygeboom Dam and ends up