Paddling near Piet Retief, Mpumalanga

Mkhondo (Piet Retief) sits in the grass-wetlands region of southern Mpumalanga, close to the KwaZulu-Natal border and surrounded by pine forests and river valleys. The area's marquee water is Heyshope Dam on the Assegaai River — one of the largest dams in the province — with 120 km of shoreline giving paddlers plenty of room to explore by kayak or canoe. The Assegaai itself, below Heyshope Dam, draws whitewater kayakers to its rapids and playboating features, while smaller rivers like the Boesmanspruit and Mkhondvo wind through the surrounding countryside.