Damwal: Running Events and Nature in the Surrounding Area

Damwal offers a specific connection to the Loskop Marathon Series events when planning your trip: two different events lead to two different starting points. The location and time details help you determine the purpose of your stay more precisely.

Races and specific starting points

The Loskop Marathon Series 21 km Wild Challenge starts at Damwal Complex (Loskopdam); the start time is strictly set for 06:30. This early time is a fixed reference point for planning your day.

The Rhino Fun Run, a family run in the Loskop Marathon Series, took place on 26 April 2025 and 25 April 2026, starting from Damwal Slaghuis on both occasions. This links two specific past editions to this starting point.

The information answers different planning questions: for the Wild Challenge, the strict start time is decisive; for the Rhino Fun Run, the two past April dates are linked to Damwal Slaghuis. If you are combining a stay with a race, first check the relevant edition and match it to the correct starting point. For a future event, confirm the date and participation information are up to date.

Nature in the wider regional area

The Loskop Dam Nature Reserve lies in the wider regional area around Damwal. It covers 23,612 hectares and surrounds the Loskop Dam on the Olifants River, 55 kilometres north of Middelburg in Mpumalanga. This adds a broader landscape connection alongside the specific race starting points. The protected area and event venues represent different scales of trip planning: a large natural area on the one hand, clearly named starting points on the other.

Mpumalanga: other interests

Geology gives the wider destination of Mpumalanga its own distinct focus. The Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains are a World Heritage Site and comprise 40 percent of the Barberton Greenstone Belt. Their volcanic and sedimentary rocks are 3.6 to 3.25 billion years old. In Barberton, the Geotrail allows visitors to discover clues hidden in the rocks about the earliest life forms visible to the naked eye. Here, geological history and rock formations take centre stage.

Mpumalanga’s cultural history also offers distinct topics to explore. Pilgrim's Rest is a historic mining town on the Panorama Route. During the Second Boer War, an emergency mint was located there, producing the famous and rare Veld Pond using hand-crafted minting dies. In Barberton, the Heritage Walk is one of the town’s main attractions. These examples add a historical perspective on the wider destination to its nature and geology themes.

For birdwatching, the Barberton region of Mpumalanga offers further guidance: more than 350 bird species can be observed along its birding routes, hiking trails and nature reserves. This provides a distinct focus alongside the region’s geological and historical themes.

In Mpumalanga, visitors can take one of two cave tours at Sudwala Caves, including the four-hour Crystal Tour. Sudwala Caves are also considered the site of some of the earliest evidence of human habitation anywhere in the world. If you include a tour in your day’s plans, check the current opening hours beforehand.

Discover more destinations: Tonteldoos, Tsimanyane, Ngwaritsi, Ga-Mongatane.

For the broader travel overview: Southern.