Mbombela

Understand

thumb|Vegetation in Lowveld National Botanical Garden

In 2020, the city was home to 110,000 people.

Mbombela was founded as Nelspruit in 1895 by three brothers of the Nel family who grazed their cattle around the site in the winter months. During the Boer War, Nelspruit served briefly as the seat of government for the South African Republic, an independent Boer republic.

The settlement was a key stopover for the Eastern Railway built by the Netherlands-South African Railway Company in the late 19th century which ran from the newly discovered Witwatersrand goldfields to Delagoa Bay in Portuguese East Africa (modern-day Maputo, Mozambique). The discovery of gold in Mpumalanga, such as at Pilgrim's Rest and Barberton, encouraged further development.

Mbombela is the nearest major South African city to Mozambique's capital, Maputo, and as such Mbombela receives significant tourism from Mozambican locals.

See

thumb|Panoramic view from a hilltop of Mbombela There are few attractions in Mbombela itself, but the surrounding towns and area can make for an interesting drive.

Do

Several cultural and agricultural shows are hosted annually, including: The Lowveld Show The Lowveld Agri Show The Innibos Arts Festival The Nelspruit Motor Show The Colour Run

Buy

There are three large shopping malls in Mbombela, and like most of South Africa they are security patrolled. However, they are not open in the evenings.

Sleep

Mbombela can be used as a base for visitors touring the Kruger National Park and the nearby sights, like the Blyde River Canyon. There is a range of accommodation available here, but there is also a similar range near some of the Kruger gates like at Crocodile Gate and at Phalaborwa, which may be more suited to touring the park.

Stay safe

It is not safe to walk around Mbombela after dark. There are lots of traffic lights in Mbombela, and vendors and beggars will approach your car when you are stopped. Keep your car doors locked at all times, and consider whether you may find dinner at your accommodation more pleasant than driving a distance through Mbombela after dark.

Go next

Visit the Kruger National Park thumb|Blyde River Canyon Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve protects the Blyde River Canyon, including sections of the Ohrigstad and Blyde Rivers and the geological formations around Bourke's Luck Potholes, where the Treur River tumbles into the Blyde below. Take the N4 to Mozambique. Even only for sightseeing. You can enter Krugerpark at the southern gates. Visit the train tunnel at Machadadorp. Check before if safe to walk through tunnel.