The highly niche sector of geotourism, defined as travel to and appreciation of natural landscapes and geological phenomena, could be perceived by anyone other than a geologist or even a miner to be a ‘leisure activity’ that fits firmly in the realm of the dull. Indeed, not many people could imagine a holiday spent essentially looking at rocks as the epitome of fun.

Having said that, geotourism is an activity that has been gaining traction in South Africa over the last few years, spurred on by the launch of dedicated tourist attractions and the publication of traveller guides such as Nick Norman’s Geological Journeys. But this should hardly be surprising, given that the country boasts one of the most impressive geological landscapes in the world, with rock formations that cover the full span of the earth’s history.

One of the country’s newest tourism sites and one that is certainly flying the flag for geotourism is the Barberton Makhonjwa Geotrail, in Mpumulanga, a 40-km-long tarred route that winds between the gold mining town of Barberton and Bulembu, in Swaziland.

The significance of the Geotrail is that it traverses the majestic Makhonjwa mountain range (more familiarly referred to as the Barberton Greenstone Belt or Barberton Mountain Lands), which contains the oldest and most well-preserved volcanic and sedimentary rocks on earth. In geological timeframe terms, the rocks were laid down as sediments in the early Archaean eon, between 3.5-billion and 3.2-billion years ago, a time when the earth was still very much in its primordial phase. They record the earth’s earliest volcanism and plate tectonics, the earliest meteorite impacts, and the formation of the first continents. They also contain evidence of the chemical composition of the early oceans and atmosphere, as well as the very beginnings of life itself, some of which can be seen with the naked eye.

While older rocks do indeed occur elsewhere, it is important to note that they are less extensive and have been too deformed and reheated to preserve the detailed information about their origin and subsequent role in forming the earth’s surface.

The Geotrail was officially launched in April 2014, although the concept was first mooted some ten years ago on the premise that it would promote and protect the Barberton Greenstone Belt and encourage tourism and local economic development. The project was driven by the Barberton Tourism and Biodiversity Corridor committee, an offshoot of the Barberton Chamber of Business, while funding was provided by the Department of Tourism and the Barberton Chamber of Business.

If you imagine the Geotrail to be merely a winding road through a mountain range, you will be pleasantly sur-prised. In fact, the attraction could be likened to an outdoor museum that provides many educational, inter- active and recre-ational experiences.

The Geotrail primarily comprises 12 lay-bys, which are situated at significant geological sites along the route. Most of these sites have very interesting information panels that explain various aspects of the surface conditions of primordial earth, as well as how and why the rocks of the Barberton Greenstone Belt were formed. The information on the panels at each lay-by, which was compiled by local experts with the help from internationally recognised top scientists, is aimed at being understood by prematric-level visitors who are interested in the scientific and heritage aspects of the world around them. Thus, a degree in science is not required to understand the geological history that permeates the rocks around you. A 50-page guidebook is also available from tourism outlets in Barberton, making self-guided trips fully informative.

While the route is not long, being only 40 km, such is the informative nature and extraordinary views of each lay-by that visitors should allow at least six hours to complete the trail properly.

I, together with a few long-suffering mining history groupies, had the good fortune to finally visit the attraction a few weeks ago. It must be confessed that it was such an outstanding experience that we did the route twice over two days. The most interesting site along the route, at least in my humble opinion, is the Makhonjwa/Lebombo View site, about 25 km from the start of the route in Barberton. It is here that visitors have a panorama of the Makhonjwa Mountains, which in isiSwati means ‘that which is pointed at’, and a majestic view into the northern part of Swaziland. But more interesting is the display and description of the various rocks that comprise the Barberton Greenstone Belt. It is this particular site that encapsulates the awe-inspiring beauty, science and most ancient history that makes the Barberton Greenstone Belt such a world-class tourist attraction.

The Barberton Greenstone Belt is currently on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s World Heritage Site Tentative List and there is no doubt that the Geotrail attraction will certainly help promote this cause further.