Now known as Mbombela, Nelspruit is the capital of the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. This town, known for its prime positioning within the fertile valley of the Crocodile River, is 330 kilometres from the commercial, cultural and tourist hotspot of Johannesburg.
It is also only 100 kilometres from Mozambique. Its subtropical climate and plentiful sunshine makes for a stunning vacation and even more breath-taking views.
The climate and lush conditions make for ideal farming conditions. Therefore, Nelspruit is known for its agriculture industry, particularly in terms of tropical fruits (such as bananas, mangos and avocado pears).
A major draw card to Nelspruit is that it is perfectly situated for tourists wanting to visit the world-famous Kruger National Park. This park, which is simply enormous, is home to some of the planet’s most beautiful and interesting species, including rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and more.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors travel the expanses of this park to experience the splendour of the South African landscape and the fauna and flora that make this their home.
Nelspruit’s international airport, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, provides a convenient starting point for tourists from around the world.
Nelspruit locals are known for their laid-back nature and easygoing lifestyle. This attitude infuses almost every aspect of the Nelspruit experience, making for a relaxed ambience during your time away from home.
The nightlife in Nelspruit reflects the ‘cool’ vibe of the town. Although it is not a clubbing Mecca, there are certainly a number of popular places for young and old to enjoy a cold beer or cocktails and a dance.
Here are some of Nelspruit’s most popular attractions and activities:
- The Lowveld Botanical Gardens, which are home to more than 510 species of plants. These gardens are just plain beautiful, even for those who are not particularly interested in flora. This is also the site of the first man-made forest
- Emnotweni Casino
- The Sudwala Caves
- The Dinosaur Park and cultural centre
- Kaapsehoop is a nearby gold-mining town that is fascinating for its heritage as well as its population of wild horses
- The Nelspruit Nature Reserve boasts a number of walking and hiking trails and is the preferred home of hundreds of different animal species
- The Mbombela Stadium was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, and now hosts a number of sporting and entertainment events
- Perry’s Bridge Reptile Park
- The Three Rondavels are round mountains that give the landscape a particularly unique topography
Additional Reading
For more info and a first hand review, read our article at “Day Trips From Nelspruit“.
Useful Nelspruit Links:
- Nelspruit Attractions
- Things to Do in Nelspruit
- Nelspruit Hotels
- Mpumalanga Hotels
- Mpumalanga Accommodation
