Nelspruit is the capital of the province of Mpumalanga. The city lies in the fertile valley of the Crocodile River, 330 kilometres east of Johannesburg in the hot and humid Lowveld. The Malelane Gate, southern access to the Kruger Park, is about 60 kilometres to the east of Nelspruit.
Fruit put Nelspruit
on the map in the 1890s, and fruit has always played a vital role in the
town's development. Nelspruit is the trading centre for the surrounding area
of Mpumalanga. Fertile soils and subtropical climate provide perfect
conditions for the production of citrus and tropical fruits, mainly mango,
banana, avocado, macadamia and pecan nuts.
Nelspruit is very pretty in spring and summer, when innumerable bougainvilleas, bauhinias and other blooming plants transform the town into a sea of colour.
Nelspruit has a train station and a modern airport, which is serviced several times a day.
Worth seeing is the Lowveld National Botanical Garden in the west of the town at the banks of the Crocodile river. Right next door is a crocodile farm.
The fertile Crocodile River Valley, in which the town lies, is also notable for its tobacco and timber industries.
The streets of Nelspruit are lined with jacaranda and flamboyant trees and impeccably tended suburban gardens abound, flaunting flowering subtropical plants and shrubs.
From Nelspruit, good roads radiate to many of the most beautiful and interesting parts of the lowveld, including game sanctuaries, mountains and historic towns. Curio shops and wayside stalls offer excellent hand-woven rugs, carvings, leather goods and fresh farm produce. Hotels and caravan parks in town and the vicinity are convenient for stopovers, and several days can be profitably spent exploring the surrounding countryside. Hiking trails crisscross this scenic area in every direction making Nelspriut a great place to base yourself while visiting the area.
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