Wakkerstroom

Wakkerstroom is situated in Mpumalanga.

Wakkerstroom, (Awake Stream), is the second oldest town in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. It was established in 1859 and its name is an Afrikaans translation of the Zulu name for the river that flows near the town, uThaka, (Awake). Sheep and cattle farming are the primary industries

Established in 1859, Wakkerstroom is the second oldest Boer town in Mpumalanga. The town is surrounded by a vast wetland area renowned as a birder’s and nature lover’s paradise. Maartens Dam, situated in the Utaga river, supplies water to Wakkerstroom.

GENERAL INFORMATION

How to get there

Newcastle 80 km, Piet Retief 80 km, Volksrust 30 km

Altitude:1760 m above sea level

Average Rainfall: 718 mm per year, 77 mm per month

Average Temperatures

Summer day 25°c, Night 12°c; Winter day 12°c – 18°c, night 0°c – 5°c

Banks

FNB

Dams

Maartens, Saaihoek

Mountains

Versamelberge

Rivers

Slang, Utaga

HISTORICAL VIEW

Battlefields

Bloedrivier, Kambula, Majuba, Schuinshoogte

Boer Homesteads

British Blockhouses

Courthouse (1897)

In Engelbrecht Street

Kruger Bridge

A National Monument built over the uThaka River in 1893

NG Church 27 October 1888

San Rock Art

A number of fascinating sites are found in the area

St Mark’s Church 6 April 1890

Staging Posts

NATURE

Wild Flowers

Viewing conditions are best in the rainy season, November to March

ACTIVITIES

Bird Watching

The region is home to a number of rare and southg-after species, including the Blue Crane. Wakkerstroom is considered to be one of the prime bird watching destinations in southern Africa. The best months to view birds are mid-September to mid-April. Specialist guides are available to take visitors to the various locations

Outdoors

Coarse Fishing, Fly Fishing, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Paragliding

Accommodation in and around Wakkerstroom