NELSPRUIT: THE GATEWAY TO THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
Nelspruit is the capital city of the beautiful Mpumalanga province in South Africa, and situated just 330 kilometres from Johannesburg. Mpumalanga means “the place where the sun rises”. The city is located in the fertile valley of the Crocodile River and is a major stopover point for tourists travelling to Kruger National Park and Mozambique. The area enjoys a sub-tropical climate and plenty of sunshine, which makes it a stunning holiday destination with breathtaking views. A major draw card to Nelspruit is the fact that it’s perfectly situated for tourists who want to visit the world famous Kruger National Park. This park is enormous and home to some of the planet’s most beautiful and interesting animals like lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, buffalo and many more.
Nelspruit’s people are well known for their easy-going lifestyle and laid-back nature. This attitude will infuse almost every aspect of your experience in Nelspruit, giving your time here a wonderfully relaxed ambience. The locals are warm and welcoming, and will cater to your every accommodation need – exactly what you need to make your holiday unforgettable and to find great deals and specials.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, covering an area of 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity and archaeological sights. The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere – an area designated by UNESCO as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve. It offers you a wildlife experience that is truly one of the best in Africa. The park is home to an impressive number of species, bushman rock paintings, and majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela. You can drive from Nelspruit to Kruger in less than an hour to enjoy unforgettable activities like game drives, wilderness trails, guided walks and much more.
Imagine a system of caves that are over 30 kilometres in length. Imagine a place that dates back 3,000 million years! Welcome to the Sudwala Caves. Regarded as the oldest known caves in world, with its pre-cambrian dolomite rocks that are also the second oldest known sedimentary rocks on the planet. Enjoy an hour long tour that will lead you 600 metres underground, with amazing photo opportunities in spacious, well-lit chambers. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can take the crystal tour, which involves an excursion into the bowels of the earth (2,000 metres into the cave) to a crystal chamber filled with sparkling aragonite crystals. This is truly a once in a lifetime experience!
Situated right next to Sudwala Caves is the Dinosaur Park – about a 30 minute drive from your hotel, guesthouse or lodge in Nelspruit. This museum displays life size models of pre-historic animals like dinosaurs, pre-historic mammals, amphibious reptiles, ancient reptiles, pre-historic man and more. You can also see live Nile Crocodiles, monkeys and red-breasted cuckoos. There is also a magnificent viewing deck from which you can observe the Rainforest Valley (a National Heritage Site).
The Lowveld National Botanic Garden lies just outside of Nelspruit. This is a beautiful, 159 hectare environment that is dominated by rocky river scenery and home to over 600 rare, naturally occurring plant species. The garden also boasts the world’s first man-made rain forest. This place is alive with majestic trees and creates a wonderful haven in which to explore the area.
If you really want to step back in time, then take a stroll through the streets of Kaapsehoop. This quaint gold mining village is set in the nearby Drakensberg mountains, just 25 kilometres from your hotel or bed and breakfast in Nelspruit. With a fascinating heritage – coming into existence as part of the 1873 gold rush – the village has been beautifully preserved. Its streets are gravel, their passages are lit by lantern-style lights and the street name signs have been specially designed to set the scene. To add to the fairytale character of Kaapsehoop, the town is also home to blue swallows and a series of ancient stones (Adam’s Calendar) – suggesting an ancient and mystical history of man. Blue swallows are extremely rare in South Africa and part of the escarpment is declared a blue swallow natural heritage site. There is also a herd of wild horses that make the plateau their home.
Maybe you’ve seen enough animals and archaeological sights? Are you feeling lucky? Then go hit the jackpot at Emnotweni Casino. Emnotweni is Zulu slang for ‘place where the money is at’, and this could ring true for you. Blow on some dice, throw a coin into a slot or try your hand at the Blackjack table. You never know, Lady Luck might just be on your side. The casino also offers facilities like cinemas, restaurants and a hotel.
If you are a sports fan, then a visit to the beautifully designed Mbombela Stadium is a must. This 40,929 seater stadium was built for the FIFA World Cup 2010, and is a marvel of modern design and architecture.
WHERE TO STAY
Nelspruit offers you a range of accommodation options to suit every budget and style. From a luxury 5 star hotel, a cheap hotel or inn, a game lodge, a tented camp, a guesthouse, a bed and breakfast to self-catering accommodation – everything can be found in this city!