About Hazyview
Hazyview is a small farming town in Mpumalanga, deriving its name from the haze that envelops the town in the midst of the summer heat. Renowned for having the best climate in the world for growing bananas, the area is dominated by plantation after plantation of the world’s finest specimens of the fruit.
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Hazyview also forms part of a broader geographical area called the Lowveld, more casually known by the locals as the “slowveld”. The Lowveld encompasses the areas of Nelspruit, White River, Barberton, Hazyview, Graskop, Sabie, Pilgrims Rest, Malelane, Lydenburg and the Kruger National Park. Due to its location within the Lowveld, Hazyview is within a 30km reach of most important Panorama Route destinations and a sure Tourist “Hot-Spot”!
Hazyview offers the visitor a wide range of accommodation options from 5 star to self catering, camping and backpacking.
Getting Here
You can get to Hazyview by car or by plane. The main road used to access Hazyview is the R40 from Nelspruit (Mbombela) or Hoedspruit but can also be reached on the R536 from Sabie or the famous Kruger National Park (KNP). From Gauteng to Hazyview takes about 4 hours to drive. One can also access Hazyview via the N2, N11 or N17 from Kwazulu Natal and through Nelspruit on the R40. Nelspruit has an international airport, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) where South African Airways and Kulula Airways currently touch-down and has many transport and tour options to take the short trip to Hazyview.
Climate
Hazyview has a sub-tropical climate with pleasant winter temperatures ranging from 9°C to 23°C and warming up to between 25°C and 35°C during summer. Hazyview receives summer rains (late October to mid-February) and the winter is cool and dry. Winter clothes would be required for early mornings and evenings from June to August and light summer clothes for all other times with the occasional cold breeze or African Thunder Storm pulling through.
What to do and see
There is an abundance of things to do and see in Hazyview and its surrounds. Agriculture in Hazyview is massive and an integral part of the local economy with local farmers producing big tasty mangoes, bananas, avocados, oranges, macadamia nuts and pecan nuts. The freshness cannot be beaten anywhere else in South Africa and these make the perfect “padkos” for the healthy traveler. Most of this fruit can be bought from the colourful vendors just outside town along the R40 or R536.
Game reserves, adventure sports, fishing, birding, mountain biking, white water rafting, elephant rides, zip-lining, shopping, safaris and hiking…Hazyview has it all!
From Hazyview, you have access to some of South Africa’s most beautiful scenery and natural wonders – “must see” splendours of nature. Take your pick from God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon, Mac Mac Falls, the Lowveld Botanical Gardens, Legogote (“Lion”) Mountain, Sudwala Caves or Barbeton daisies in all the bright colours of the rainbow.
If you favourite something a little more energetic, Hazyview and its surrounds have a wide selection of fun activities to keep you busy. The list below is bound to have something to suit your likes and budget.
- Pack some biltong (beef jerky) and your camera and go to the Kruger National Park for the day or stay a while longer at one of the many camps in the park. The Kruger National Park is home to the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo & Rhino) – see if you can spot them all! There are also many other activities on offer in the park including walking safari’s, open vehicle safari’s and bird hides.
- Go walk with or ride on the large African Elephant at Elephant Whispers or go ride through the scenic rolling hills on horseback with Horse Whispers.
- Take a flip in a Helicopter over the Blyde River Canyon with Seasons in Africa or glide elegantly on the wind over the African bush for a Champagne Breakfast or nightcap in a Hot Air Balloon with Sun Catchers
- Do some shopping and eating at Perrys Bridge Trading Outpost – there is a wide variety of specialty stores including galleries, deli’s, antiques, furniture, outdoor gear, clothing and a selection of coffee shops and restaurants. There is also a Tourism Centre where you can book and find all tourist hot spots.
- If Adventure is your thing then welcome to the Mecca of Adventure Sports! Induna Adventures has been around for many years and offer anything from Zip-Lining, quad biking, white water rafting, paintball games, hiking, MTB routes, enduro outrides, geckoing (white water tubing) and even fishing. They also offer great team building experiences so be sure to check them out for a “1 stop adventure shop“!
- Another once in a lifetime experience would be to trail the tree tops with Skyway Trails and their unmistakable and unforgettable scenic adventure through the Hazyview canyons.
- Take a drive to Graskop and eat a pancake at the famous Harry’s Pancakes then take a stroll to the Sunshine Art Gallery.
- Pay a visit to humans closest relative, the playful Chimps at the Jane Goodall Institute Chimpanzee Eden – about 12km past Nelspruit on the R40 towards Barbeton.
- Try your hand at some fly-fishing in the little fishing village of Dullstroom for a relaxed weekend getaway – the Mavungana Fly-fishing centre will be able to meet all your equipment and training needs.
- Watch a rugby or soccer match at the 40 000 seater Mbombela Stadium just off the N4 outside of Nelspruit.
- Go tubing down the Sabie river or take part in a number of other adventure activities in the Sabie River Valley on the R536 near Hazyview.
- Take a drive to Swaziland or Maputo for the day – indulge in some fresh and tasty seafood at the famous Costa do Sol restaurant on Maputo’s beach front and enjoy the exquisite views of the palm dotted beach and open sea.
