Lydenburg

Lydenburg (Place of Suffering) is a town of 37,000 people (2011) in Mpumalanga. Lydenburg has become the centre of the South African fly-fishing industry and is an agricultural and mining hub.

Get in

By car

Winter in the Kwena Basin outside Lydenburg

• From Johannesburg and Pretoria, follow the N4 via Schoemanskloof and take the R36 to Lydenburg.
• From Sabie, take the R37 over the Longtom pass.

Get around

As with most of South Africa, it is best to have a hired car.

See

Dutch Reformed Church

• Lydenburg Waterfall (follow the R36 to Ohrigstad for about 10 km, there will be a small signboard indicating the falls to the left; follow the gravel road for about 6 km and you will find the falls). Not often visited by tourists as few know about it. Total height of 244 m in 3 separate cascades. 

Do

There are a number of trout fishing lodges in the area.

• Lydenburg Golf Course, Buhrmann St, ☏ +27 13 235-3391. 
• Lydenburg Museum, In Gustav Klingbiel Nature Reserve on the Long Tom Pass, about 3 km outside town, ☏ +27 13 323-2121. Local history exhibits and replicas of the Lydenburg Heads (terracotta heads dated to the Iron Age) 

Eat

• Canimambo Portuguese and Mozambican Cuisine, 84 Main Road Dullstroom, ☏ +27 87 802-5289. 9AM-5PM. Family owned and run with authentic style food. The prawns, Espetada and Chacuti are spoken of glowingly. under R90pp. 

Sleep

There is a number of accommodation options available within Lydenburg, but you can also find sleeping place in the surrounding areas if you prefer a more country feeling.

The Kwena Basin, 20 km out of Lydenburg on the R36 towards Bambi offers plenty of accommodation and serves as an excellent stopover on your way to the Kruger Park.

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget	Under R500
Mid-range	R500 to R1000
Splurge	Over R1000

Budget

• Spoelklippies (Kwena Basin), ☏ +27 13 256-9127. A tented camp in the Kwena Basin From R150pp. 
• Uitspan Caravan Park (49 Viljoen Street), ☏ +27 13 235-2914. Caravan and camping. From R150pp. 
• Aqua Terra Guest House, 2 Buiten Street, Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, ☏ +27 78 384-0330, info@aquaterragh.com. Guest house. From R200pp. 

Mid-range

• Crane's Nest, info@crane.co.za. From R300pp. 
• Forest Creek, ☏ +27 13 235-2480, orestcreek@lando.co.za. From R460pps. 
• Longtom Farm Guest House, 33 Sterkspruit, ☏ +27 13 235-2749. From R750pp (includes dinner and breakfast). 
• Malapo Country Lodge (Kwena Basin), ☏ +27 13 235-1056, info@malapo.co.za. Offers a very interesting Astro Safari. See the skies with their 14-inch telescope and learn about African legends and constellation names. From R750pps. 
• Manor Guest House, 43 Viljoen Str, ☏ +27 13 235-2099, manorgh@intekom.co.za. From R260pps. 
• Valencia Country Lodge (34km from Lydenburg on the R37), ☏ +27 13 231-7554. 

Splurge

• Calverton Lodge, ☏ +27 13 235-3771, enquiries@calverton.co.za. From R800 per chalet. 
• Mount Sheba Hotel, Grootfonteinberg, 561 KT Lydenburg Road (Follow the R36 and R553 towards Pilgrim's Rest), ☏ +27 13 768-1241. From R707 per person sharing. 

Go next

There are many natural and geographic features within an hour's drive, Sudwala Caves, Echo Caves, Blyde River Canyon, plenty of waterfalls and the Drakensberg Escarpment.