Nestling alongside the N4, 200 kilometres from Gauteng en route to The Kruger National Park, the Mpumalanga town of Machadodorp is easy to find.

The town is named after Joachim Machado, the Portuguese engineer who surveyed the area for the proposed Pretoria to Delagoa Bay railway line in the 1890s and who later became governor of Mozambique.

From June to August 1900, after the fall of Pretoria during the Anglo Boer War, Machadodorp was chosen by Paul Kruger, President of the Transvaal Republic as the seat of his government. This elevated status was however short lived, possibly fortunately so, as it then became the focus of some heavy shelling from the British under the command of Sir Redvers Bullers. The Kruger Plaque in Machadodorp marks the site where he governed during his sojourn.

Machadodorp is a popular destination for trout fishermen, since the Elands River which runs through the town is well known for its trout population, as is the nearby Nooitgedacht Dam.

However, fishing is not the only activity which can be indulged in when visiting Machadodorp. The Wilderness Hiking Trail meanders through some scenic countryside and the natural sulphur springs provide warm relaxation after all the exertion,