Nelspruit is the capital of the Mpumulanga Province. It is 330km from Johannesburg and is surrounded by the greenest hills and is bathed in sunshine.
QUICK GUIDE:
Nelspruit is used as the gateway to the Kruger National Park which means that it is often unjustly overlooked. It is a quaint little town with plenty of attractions of its own to offer. Nelspruit could be called the home of SA’s fruit production, which includes oranges, mangoes, bananas, avocadoes and many different types of nuts. The Hall’s estate is situated in Nelspruit which, as all South Africans know, produces some of the finest and best loved fruit juices in the country. The town also offers many of the comforts of modern life such as shopping centres, cinemas and a casino. Nelspruit is one of the finest examples of man existing within nature and not the other way around as is usually the case.
HINTS/TIPS:
Nelspruit has a sub-tropical climate which means plenty of rainfall. When packing, do not forget your raincoat and an umbrella. Interestingly, there are two airports in Nelspruit – the Nelspruit Airport and the Kruger Mpumulanga International Airport. So you should always be able to catch a flight to this fruity city. Nelspruit is also accessible by road.
MUST DO’S:
As Nelspruit is famous for its fruit production, a visit to the Research Institute for Citrus and Tropical Fruits is a must. You can tour the centre, see some rare fruits form all over the world, and should you feel peckish you can nibble on a mango or two. Explore the many hiking trails in the area or try your luck at Emnotweni Casino. For those who need their dose of adrenaline – try abseiling at the Ekhukhenyeni Outdoor Centre or go on the Big Swing Bunjee at nearby Graskop where you can experience an absolutely exhilarating few seconds of free falling over a gorge and then swinging. You could also try the tamer foofie slide over the gorge. Visit the Sudwala Caves, just outside of town, which are the oldest known caves in the world. Experience your own Jurassic park moment by going to Sudwala Dinosaur Park (just next door to the caves) where life-sized dinosaurs greet you as you enter the park. Go on one of the township tours where you can meet local tribal chiefs, hear some local stories in the shebeens, meet a sangoma and dine on traditional food and beer. Lastly, as it is so near, the nearby Kruger National Park just begs for a visit. There you can go on game drives and see the Big Five.
More Resources on Nelspruit
Flights
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