Diggings Site Museum in Pilgrim's Rest, Mpumalanga

The Digging Site Museum is situated in Pilgrim’s Rest in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

The site can be found and explored on the outskirts of the village. From the main town if you look east across the Creek to the opposite side of the valley you can see the remains of where the earth had been churned over in the diggers feverish search for gold. The open air Digging Site is an authentic reconstruction of how the valley once looked and how the diggers lived and worked in the area.

Visitors to the museum will find items on display such as the old transport wagon, sluice box, waterwheel, steam engine and stamp battery. Tours include an alluvial gold panning demonstration and visitors will have an opportunity to try their own hand at panning.

Tours are offered on the hour and booking is essential. Tickets can be purchased at the Information Centre which is the best place to start your tour of Pilgrim’s Rest as it doubles up as a small museum with interesting exhibits and has loads of information, brochures and maps.

Things to do and see

Guided Tours
Gold Panning Demonstrations
Hands-on gold panning
Prisoners Tent
Gold Commissioners hut
Diggers period equipment

Admission

A nominal admission fee of approximately R20 is charged. Please contact the Information Office directly for confirmation of entrance fees and hourly tour bookings.

Climate

Rainfall occurs mainly in the mid-summer months, with December and January seeing the highest levels.

Summer months, November to March will have average temperatures of between 14˚C and 24˚C.

Winter months, May to August will have average temperatures of between 4˚C and 19˚C.

Transport

There are daily flights from Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town into the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport in Mombela (Nelspruit). Car rental companies are available for easy access to the surrounding areas with Pilgrim’s Rest being just over an hour away along the R537. Road trips from Johannesburg to Pilgrim’s Rest via the N12 will take about 4 hours.