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    WELCOME TO
    Nelspruit


About Nelspruit

Nelspruit (now called Mbombela) is located on the valley of the fertile Crocodile River and is the capital of Mpumalanga. This central "Hub of the Lowveld" - a term coined in 1934 - has grown rapidly in the last two decades from a rural town to an urban city and is now home to the provincial government buildings on the outskirts of the inner city.

With its sub-tropical climate, abundant sunshine and lush hills and valleys, Nelspruit forms the ideal starting point from which to explore the Mpumalanga province. The residents are warm and welcoming, making this town and its surrounding areas a very pleasant holiday destination.

The Lowveld Botanical Gardens just outside Nelspruit, boasts a rare collection of plant species and the first man-made rain forest. The Nelspruit Nature Reserve offers several walks through the reserve ranging in time and difficulty.

The Green Heritage Hiking Trail offers a pleasant and relaxing way to enjoy the indigenous vegetation and a wide diversity of birds and small antelope. The mountains in and around Nelspruit provide great camping opportunities and scenic hiking trails with varying levels of intensity.

Nelspruit Historical Walking Trail, which progresses from the Promenade Centre to the Civic Centre; the one-hour historical route brings interesting aspects of Nelspruit's history to life. Features include a restored ox-wagon in the library gardens.

Nearby attractions include the Sudwala caves which are considered the oldest dolomite caves in the world. They were formed over a period of 3 000 million years and our early human ancestors - Homo Habilis - lived and worked in part of this cave system some 1.8 million years ago, There is also a dinosaur park and cultural centre nearby.


Quick Facts

Province: Mpumalanga
Country: South Africa
Address: Nelspruit, Mpumalanga

Why go?

- Pilgrims Rest
- Lowveld botanical gardens
- Hiking / walking trails
- Sudwala caves

History icon

History

Nelspruit's existence is entrenched in the development of a railway line. The first railway was to Lorenço Marques (Maputo) and Delagoa Bay and later a railway to Graskop (Pilgrim's Rest). When surveyors were looking for the best way to the Mozambican port city, their initial thought was via the escarpment. However after meeting the Nel brothers in the area of the valley, who had extensive knowledge of the terrain due to their annual grazing migration, that idea was abandoned and recommendations were made to change the route.



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