The Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains/ Greenstone Belt became a World Heritage Site in 2018. The area extends over some 114 000 ha, and as well as its unique 3.6 - 3.2 billion year-old Archaean geology it is a biodiversity hotspot with several endemic plants and associated animal (primarily insect) species. Hamilton-Fynch hosted a group of enthusiastic explorers one of whom, Greg Vercellotti, took some spectacular drone footage of the mountains. A couple of frame grabs here taken from the Lebombo Makhonjwa picnic site. Incidentally, if you don't have a lot of time, this picnic site has display of rock specimens and panels that gives you a complete overview of the geotrail –– 3.6 - 3.2 billion years in a few metres. It's about halfway along the trail and so only about 15 km from Barberton.
Looking east towards Mozambique –– the Lebombo Mountains 100 km distant on the Mozambique border just discernible in the haze
The picnic site at Lebombo Makhonjwa
A view into the Msauli Valley. Off the geotrail but worth a drive if you have lots of time. A scenic pass winds down from close to the Josefsdal/Bulembu post, past the decommissioned Masauli asbestos mine and on past Songimvelo Nature Reserve to Badplaas on the main road to Barberton or Carolina-Johannesburg.
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