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Mpumalanga, South Africa · ZA
Mpumalanga's capital, and gateway to the Kruger National Park's southern gates
History & Heritage
Mbombela was established in 1895 by the Nel family, who seasonally grazed cattle there; 'Nelspruit' combined their surname with an Afrikaans term for a stream that runs dry in summer. During the Second Boer War, Nelspruit briefly served as a seat of the South African Republic's government, and the Eastern Railway linked the area to the Witwatersrand goldfields and Delagoa Bay.
Under apartheid, Black residents were forcibly relocated to townships including kaNyamazane and Matsulu. In October 2009 the city was renamed Mbombela, siSwati for 'many people together in a small space'; a legal challenge over the renaming was rejected, and the North Gauteng High Court upheld the change in 2014.
Kruger National Park, proclaimed in 1926, transformed the town into a safari gateway, and Mbombela Stadium, built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, cemented its status as Mpumalanga's provincial capital and a major sporting venue.
Key Historical Places
One of the oldest known cave systems in the world, used as a Stone Age shelter, then a 19th-century fortress; opened to the public in 1965.
↑ Book the standard tour in advance in peak season.
165 hectares at the confluence of the Crocodile and Nels rivers, established 1969, with the largest cycad collection in South Africa.
↑ Go early morning for birding and cooler rainforest-trail walking.
Gold discovered here in 1883 sparked a rush; the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site among the oldest exposed rock formations on Earth.
↑ Pair with the Makhonjwa Mountains geotrail.
A mountain village founded after 1882 gold discoveries, now an arts-and-crafts retreat on the escarpment.
↑ Go for sunset views over the De Kaap Valley.
Timeline
Must-See Attractions
165 hectares with the country's largest cycad collection and a rainforest trail to a gorge viewpoint.
Confluence of the Crocodile and Nels rivers
240-million-year-old dolomite caves with a concert amphitheatre and tours from one to five hours.
Book ahead in peak season
South Africa's only chimpanzee sanctuary, founded 2006, rescuing bushmeat-trade and ex-entertainment chimps.
Umhloti Nature Reserve, ~15km away
Built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, famous for its 18 giraffe-shaped roof supports.
~6km west of the city centre
Numbi and Malelane Gates are within an hour's drive, the city's core drawcard.
Numbi Gate ~55km / Malelane Gate ~65km
A 43km day trip to a UNESCO-listed gold-rush town and the Makhonjwa Mountains.
43km south of Mbombela
Accommodation
A nine-room bed-and-breakfast villa in Sonheuwel, Mbombela, on the hillside above the Nelspruit Nature Reserve
A hotel in West Acres, Mbombela, next to i'langa Mall and 2 km from Mbombela Stadium, with hotel rooms and self-catering apartments
A 29-room lodge and day spa on a granite dome above indigenous forest in Sonheuwel, Mbombela, next to a nature reserve
Six self-catering units with private patios, a garden pool and a braai area in Sonheuwel, Mbombela (Nelspruit), sleeping 19 in total
A ten-suite guesthouse with its own restaurant, pool and bird-friendly gardens in Sonheuwel, Mbombela (Nelspruit)
A private one-bedroom self-catering unit for up to four guests in Steiltes, Mbombela (Nelspruit), hosted by Elmarie
Restaurants & Dining
A popular Mbombela steakhouse at Nelspruit Crossing.
An upmarket contemporary restaurant popular for reserved seating.
One of Mbombela's best-reviewed African-cuisine restaurants.
A well-loved gourmet burger spot.
Activities & Experiences
Guided sanctuary tour across three troops with an education centre.
A five-hour tour 2,000m into the cave system.
Cycads, figs and baobabs to a gorge lookout.
Numbi Gate is the faster southwest entrance; Malelane Gate leads to Berg-en-Dal camp.
UNESCO geotrail sites and the Makhonjwa Mountains.
Events & Entertainment
A national Afrikaans-language arts festival with theatre, music and a youth arts symposium, drawing tens of thousands of attendees.
Book mixed tickets and experiences for your trip to Mbombela (Nelspruit)
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