Places to Visit in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa, Africa

Places to Visit in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa, Africa

Nelspruit is a South African city, functioning as the capital of the Mpumalanga province. It is situated on the Crocodile River in the northeastern part of the country, around 350 km east of the country’s largest city, Johannesburg. Nelspruit is mainly famous as an agricultural centre of northeastern South Africa, well known for the productions of oranges, mangoes and bananas. Nelspruit is also renowned as a tourist destination, especially for its casino, Emnotweni Casino Complex and annual agricultural shows, including the Lowveld Agri show and the Innibos Arts festival. Kruger National Park is a gateway to the large and popular nature reserve, Kruger National Park.

 

History of Nelspruit:

The documented history of Nelspruit is focused on the three brothers of the Nel family were the founder of Nelspruit in 1895 who initially involved themselves in grazing their cattle around what is today’s Nelspruit. For a short period, Nelspruit had once served as the administrative centre of the South African Republic during the Boer War.

 How to reach Nelspruit?

The Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport is the airport serving Nelspruit with scheduled flights from and to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Livingstone and Vilankulo. The distance of 25 km from the airport to the city centre of Nelspruit can be crossed by an airport taxi or bus or rental car.

Nelspruit can be reached by train from Johannesburg, Komatipoort, Witbank and Pretoria. Buses are the primary option to get around Nelspruit and visitors can refer First Car Rental for comfort and convenient local travel.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Nelspruit:

Nelspruit is well known for traditional events like the Lowveld Agri show, the Innibos Arts festival and the Lowveld show. Nelspruit houses three large shopping malls, including Riverside Mall.

List of the prominent restaurants in Nelspruit include:

  • Orange Restaurant
  • Saffron Restaurant
  • Edelweiss Restaurant
  • The Farm Stall Coffee Shop

 

What to do in Nelspruit?

  • Visiting casino
  • Shopping
  • Visiting nearby national park

 

What to see in Nelspruit?

 

Mbombela Stadium:

The Mbombela Stadium is one of the landmark sites of Nelspruit, built for 2010 FIFA World Cup matches. It is currently used for both rugby and soccer matches and has a capacity of 43,500 spectators.

 

Kruger National Park:

Situated around 30 km east of Nelspruit, the Kruger National Park spans over an area of 19,633 square kilometers, making it Africa’s one of the largest game reserves. Covering around 19,633 square kilometers area, the park is rich in floral and faunal species, and also houses dozens of accommodation options.

 

Lowveld National Botanical Gardens:

The Lowveld National Botanical Gardens is situated on the road leading to Emnotweni Casino complex, housing diverse attractions like bridges, waterfalls and loop walks. Entry is with small fee.

 

Emnotweni Casino Complex:

The Emnotweni Casino complex is the most famous tourist attraction within Nelspruit, featuring different facilities like shops, food courts and options for different games in addition to casino.

 

Riverside Mall:

The Riverside Mall is a huge shopping mall in Nelspruit, generally open from 9AM-6PM. This large entertainment centre is famous among both locals and visitors for its striking interior and exterior designs, branded shopping outlets, restaurants and recreational options.

 

Other places of interest in Nelspruit:

  • Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Eden Sanctuary
  • Sudwala Caves
  • Mankele Mountain BIke Park
  • Ilanga Mall
  • Blue Moon
  • Alkmaar Raceway

 

Best time to visit Nelspruit:

Nelspruit experiences a humid subtropical climate with warm summers and mild winters. The ideal time to visit Nelspruit is from April to August.

 

Where to stay in Nelspruit?

There are plenty of tourist favor hotels in Nelspruit with all sorts of modernized amenities to provide utmost comfort to visitors coming to the city year round. Some upgraded hotels in Nelspruit are as follows:

  • StayEasy Emnotweni
  • Southern Sun Emnotweni
  • La Villa Vita Nelspruit
  • Protea Hotel Nelspruit
  • Town Lodge Nelspruit
  • Panorama Guest Farm
  • A-Mamre B&B Nelspruit
  • Sheppard Boutique Hotel
  • Crocodile Country Inn
  • Old Joe’s Kaia
  • Francolin Lodge
  • Loerie’s Call Guest House
  • Beetleloop Guest House
  • La Roca Guest House
  • The Palms Guest House

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