Spa Guide

Gauteng and Mpumalanga

In Sotho, "Gauteng" means "place of gold," which appears fitting for a province (the country's wealthiest) that encompasses many of South Africa's crucial industrial venues. Gauteng's commercial centers--among them some of the continent's best known cities--attract both full-time residents and vacationers from all corners of the globe and walks of life. The discovery of gold in the late 19th century spurred a massive influx of fortune-seekers to what would become Johannesburg. Today, the Johannesburg metropolitan area has a population of approximately eight million. This area includes the township of Soweto, a focal point of the anti-apartheid movement that now hosts a multitude of museums and memorials commemorating that struggle. Close to Johannesburg, Pretoria, one of South Africa's three capital cities, is filled with architectural landmarks and monuments reflecting the Afrikaaner culture.

The eastern province of Mpumalanga (the name means "land of the rising sun" in the local SiSwati tongue) is sometimes referred to as "Paradise Country" because of its magnificent mountain, valley, meadow, and forest scenery. The province is divided by the Drakensberg Escarpment into eastern and western halves composed of low- and high-altitude areas, respectively. Visitors can take advantage of a wide range of accommodations, from rustic country cottages to five-star colonial-style spa hotels. Dozens of wildlife sanctuaries are located here, providing a home for rare and diverse flora and fauna. Kruger National Park, the southern part of which is located in Mpumalanga, shelters hundreds of species of African lowveld wildlife within its 20,000 square kilometers, including elephants, giraffes, lions, and rhinos.