Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW)

Hendrik Van Eck Airport is a small regional airport serving Phalaborwa, a mining and tourism town in Limpopo, South Africa. It sits directly beside the Kruger National Park and has long functioned as a convenient air gateway for visitors heading to the park's central and northern camps and to private game reserves in the Greater Kruger area.

The airport was originally built in 1962 to support local mining operations and was named after Hendrik van Eck, a South African engineer and industrialist. In the late 1990s it was acquired by regional airline Airlink and redeveloped as a bush-lodge-style terminal, strengthening its role as an entry point for safari tourism. Regular scheduled passenger services were later suspended in 2020, and the airport now primarily handles private charters, business aviation and lodge-related flying.

Located about 2 km from central Phalaborwa, the airport has a single asphalt runway of roughly 1,373 metres and one compact passenger terminal. Its position close to the Phalaborwa Gate of Kruger National Park makes it a practical arrival point for safari travelers, who are often met directly by lodge vehicles.

Onward travel is typically arranged through pre-booked lodge shuttles, taxis or car rental, with several agencies represented in the arrivals area. Despite its small size, the airport offers a waiting lounge, café, souvenir shop, free Wi-Fi and open-air parking, keeping the experience simple and convenient for regional and private travelers.