Given the Lowveld’s famously warm weather, it was only a matter of time before a haven from the heat sprung up – and that’s exactly what Mafunyane Riverside Water Park offers.
It’s fitting that a bushveld safari theme pervades the plethora of slippery slides and pools, given that the Kruger National Park is a mere stone’s throw away. It was also the inspiration for the name Mafunyane. The Shangaan term, meaning “the irritable one”, refers to the infamous bull elephant from the Kruger, whose tusks measured 251cm. His impressive tusks may still be viewed at Letaba Camp, but his legend lives on in the mighty rides of Mafunyane Riverside Water Park.
Realized by the same expert team that brought Durban its celebrated uShaka Marine World, Mafunyane boasts more than a kilometer’s worth of slides and a whopping 100 metres of underground piping. The Water Park can safely host up to 800 people per day, and offers special packages including school groups, corporate team building, birthday parties and the more recently introduced weekend bring and braai facilities. Catering and refreshments packages are also available, so families needn’t worry to pack the kitchen sink to spend the day having fun in the sun.
With the Lowveld’s luxuriously temperate winter weather, Mafunyane is a year-round facility, with affordable winter rates.
The Water Park is monitored by a team of qualified life guards to ensure the safety of visitors, while nearby Riverside Mall affords a host of restaurants and other family entertainment after the sun sets on Mafunyane.
The Park has also played host to numerous charity days, providing a much-needed day of laughter and high spirits for local orphanages and other children’s centres. For more information, visit Riverside Mall’s website, and click on the Mafunyane Riverside Water Park tab.
Visit their website www.mafunyane.co.za
