Nelspruit Lodge has become the preferred accommodation in Nelspruit for guests enjoying a holiday, business people looking for a night’s lodgings and just about any company looking for the ideal place to host a conference.
And over the years we’ve watched Nelspruit grow and change in numerous ways, transforming from a small town into a decent sized city. Attracting people looking for a slower paced lifestyle, but one that is not completely dead, Nelspruit has become the place many people from bigger cities, such as Johannesburg, choose to make a life for themselves.
Nelspruit has a rich history, and it’s located in a part of South Africa that has seen gold rushes, wars, republics and revolution. While choosing your accommodation in Nelspruit, you might be interested in learning a little bit about our town.
Nelspruit is the gateway to Mpumalanga and an important landmark for anyone on their way to the beautiful Kruger National Park. In many ways, we could easily be a beach town, if we had an ocean that is. The temperatures here are always mild, except in summer, when they are beyond humid. But you can quickly acclimatise, especially if you are staying at Nelspruit Lodge, where we have a summer pool and air conditioning.
Everything about our part of the world screams sub-tropical. We have palms lining our major streets and just on the outskirts of town, you will see countless sub-tropical fruit trees. Oranges, mangoes, avocados and bananas are some of our biggest exports. And you will always find the freshest fruits in our shops and along the roads.
The history of the town dates back to 1895 when the brothers Nel visited the area with their cattle every winter. It is after them that the town is named. The earlier years of the town were marred by war. Nelspruit was briefly the seat of the Boer Republic’s government and after the war, prospectors in search of gold moved into the area. The nearby towns of Barberton and Pilgrims Rest were mining towns, but Nelspruit was the central point for those in search of riches.
The history of the town is a mixture of Dutch, Swazi, Tsonga, English, and later on, Portuguese influences. The town is a melting pot of cultures and unlike other places in South Africa, it plays host to many Mozambican visitors, who add to the vibrant, unique atmosphere that our town is so popular for having.
Nelspruit is no longer officially called Nelspruit. Today, we are officially Mbombela after a High Court approved the name change in May 2014. But few people refer to the city using its new name.
In many ways, our miniature city is a tourist destination. Travellers stop over here before heading to the Kruger National Park or to Mozambique and in turn, Mozambican visitors give our local economy a much-appreciated boost!
