Phalaborwa is the only town in South Africa that shares a direct border with Kruger National Park — the Phalaborwa Gate is literally at the edge of town. That alone makes it worth knowing about. Most visitors use it as a base for entering Kruger's northern section, which is quieter and wilder than the busy south.
The town itself is small and functional, built around a massive open-pit copper mine that has been operating since the 1950s. The Palabora Mine Viewpoint gives a vertiginous look into Africa's largest man-made hole. The Amarula Lapa distillery offers tours if you are curious about how South Africa's famous marula cream liqueur is made. The real draw is what lies beyond: Kruger to the east, the Blyde River Canyon to the south, and the Hoedspruit wildlife area nearby.