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South Africa Host Cities
Bloemfontein
Cape Town
Durban
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Nelspruit
Polokwane
Port Elizabeth
Pretoria
Rustenburg

Nelspruit - South Africa World Cup Host City

Located in the north-east corner of the country, Nelspruit is the capital of Mpumalanga, South Africa's newest and fastest growing province. The city is an excellent base from which to explore the region's hotspots like the world-famous Kruger National Park, the Blyde River Canyon, God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and neighboring Maputo, capital of Mozambique. Set in the hot and lush Crocodile River valley, Nelspruit has a subtropical climate. Getting to the town is easy as there are daily train services to Gauteng as well as flights to and from Johannesburg and Durban.

Adventure Sports

Mpumalanga is the adventure sport capital of Africa. From Nelspruit you can arrange to do anything, be it daredevil slalom canoeing, bungee jumping, river rafting or gorge-swinging. Most adventure sports are geared for South Africans, which means that you get genuine adrenalin-filled action at decent prices. Tackle the 20 thrilling rapids along the scenic Sabie River or take on the mighty Blyde River Canyon. Go swimming, bum sliding and wave surfing with a boogie board. Test your fear factor as you go kloofing or canyoning. You'll be guided down any of the hundreds of streams that feed rivers such as the Sabie, Blyde, Crocodile and Oliphants while doing a combination of abseiling, canoeing and swimming. Mpumalanga's dramatic escarpment and the 700m cliffs in the Blyde River Canyon, provide the best hang-gliding and paragliding sites in South Africa, with unparalleled winter flying conditions. The province's strong thermals and high cloud-base have repeatedly secured Mpumalanga the national paragliding championships. The province is also a haven for hang-gliders, micro-light enthusiasts, parachutists and small aircraft adventurers, while the world's top hot-air balloonists have made the safari capital, Hazyview, home. The region also offers some of Southern Africa's most exhilarating blood sports, trout fishing, tiger fishing, angling, non-lethal "green" hunts in the company of scientists, and lethal hunting safaris, featuring all of Africa's Big Five. Mountain bikers, 4x4 owners and motorcyclists are a regular sight in and around Nelspruit. And for something completely different, try your hand at gold panning where you can prospect for the "big nugget". The sport has attracted a surprising number of spectators and participants since Pilgrim's Rest hosted the 2005 World Gold Panning Championships.

Attractions & Activities

Nelspruit is a vibrant city and makes the ideal stepping-stone for exploring the region's many hotspots. Don't miss the world's oldest caves, the Sudwala Caves, just 20 minutes drive from Nelspruit. Did you know that they are at least 2 000-million years old? The Kruger National Park is also a short drive from the city, as is the scenic Panorama Route, featuring the spectacular Blyde River Canyon, God's Window and the Bourke's Luck Potholes. The province's year-round sunny weather, soaring peaks, steamy jungles and expansive waterways have also made it home to an enticing range of adventure sports, including the world's highest cable gorge swing with a 68-metre freefall. For more information check out http://www.mpumalanga.com

Eating Out

2010 revelers will certainly not go hungry! Nelspruit's increasingly cosmopolitan society has resulted in the establishment of eateries from virtually every corner of the world, catering to ravenous carnivores, fanatical vegetarians and everyone in between. The city's proximity to Mozambique and the bushveld have shaped a unique culinary heritage that includes an often dizzying variety of game meats, ocean-fresh prawns, freshwater trout, unusual African wild spinach and vegetable dishes, spicy sauces and offbeat traditional delicacies such as mopani worms. Nelspruit's most distinctive ingredient is probably peri peri, a Mozambican spicy relish made from chili, garlic and lemon. The region's best restaurants are its country-style eateries. These include secluded taverns in tiny hamlets, exclusive forest lodges, orchard cafes and sophisticated urban restaurants. The city also hosts Chinese, Greek, Italian and other ethnic eateries, as well as hundreds of smaller take-out restaurants. Meals at traditional restaurants, which are usually situated in the centre of picturesque villages, are more like feasts and work best when organized for large groups - so plan on making a day of it. Meals are hosted by local chiefs or village leaders, served by bare-breasted maidens and accompanied by dancing and singing; all washed down with traditional African beer. You haven't really experienced Africa though, until you've had a barbecue. It's known here as a "braai" under the stars in the bush. Nelspruit is South Africa's safari heartland, offering adventurous travelers an impressive choice of venue and type of barbecue. Most game lodges and tour groups offer bush dinners around roaring fires, where fish, beef, lamb, chicken, pork and game meat like kudu, ostrich, crocodile or wild boar are served. Mpumalanga is also famed for its fresh trout. See a more detailed online restaurant guide through http://www.eatout.co.za/

Entertainment and Leisure

From hosting concerts in the forest to barnyard theatres, cosmopolitan nightclubs to casinos, Nelspruit is well-equipped to keep you entertained. The province's leading theatre, in the nearby artist town of White River, brings South Africa and neighboring Mozambique's best plays and music acts to this offbeat dinner spot, set in a barnyard. Other local venues take advantage of Mpumalanga's stunning granite outcrops and valleys, offering amphitheatre settings for everything from all-day music festivals to cabaret and theatre. Those looking for something with more soul should try the township jazz tours. And if you just want to chill, Nelspruit offers a host of relaxing pastimes in the form of health hydros, yoga retreats and that most popular of modern therapies shopping. Casterbridge Farm in White River was originally a rambling mango plantation. Now it's home to art and interior shops, an Internet café, a vintage car museum, coffee bars and Home Bru, a local brewery. One of the best things about holidays is finding that unique or unusual keepsake to wow friends back home. Nelspruit and its environs offer novel shopping items like animal skin and leather products, as well as unusual crafts, quirky jewellery or avocado-derived cosmetics. Check out Perry's Bridge in Hazyview for fine shopping, as well as Delagoa Trading in nearby Graskop. If you're feeling lucky, take a chance at the roulette or craps table at Emnotweni, a modern casino complex fashioned in the charming and inviting spirit of the belle époque era. It's adjacent to the Nelspruit Botanical Gardens, a popular setting for regular classical music concerts, eco festivals and art exhibitions.

Health and Wellness

So you've had enough of stadiums filled to capacity, shrieking fans and too many late nights cheering on your team. Well, now it's time to change gear. Think calming massages, soothing oils and scented therapies. Wellness and health spas have become the rule rather than the exception at most of the safari lodges in and around the Nelspruit area. The traditional African safari has been redefined: no more of the heat, sweat and dust of an untamed wilderness. Absolute luxury is on the menu at Cybele Forest Lodge and Health Spa in White River, about 40km from Nelspruit. Here you will be pampered, scrubbed, massaged and rubbed in a glorious forest setting, as monkeys climb the turpentine trees and rivers flow beyond. Try the Pestana African Bush Spa experience, where beauty is more than skin deep. A stone's throw from the Kruger National Park's Malelane Gate, on the banks of the beautiful Crocodile River, this spa makes a peaceful spot for a pampering getaway where you can reconnect mind, body and spirit. From an Indian head massage to calming meditation, from stress-busting facials to calming foot rubs, Nelspruit and surrounds offer a wealth of alternative healing therapies. For those in search of deeper meaning and a gorgeous outing check out the labyrinth at Boondocks Mountain Lodge, near Barberton. Based on a labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral in Notre Dame, Paris, the Boondocks labyrinth is set under ancient trees alongside a river.

History & Culture

From historic mining villages to ancient cave paintings and fascinating art collections, Nelspruit is abuzz with history and culture. The historic mining village of Pilgrim's Rest, about 30km from Nelspruit, is where gold was first discovered in South Africa. With its authentic old buildings and shops, it's a fascinating insight into the gold rush days. So is the nearby town of Barberton, home to the country's first stock exchange. Art lovers will delight in the collection kept in the province's Houses of Legislature in Nelspruit. The building has a grandiose dome and is adorned with the best paintings, sculpture, weavings and ceramics that Mpumalanga has to offer. The province's idyllic scenery and lifestyle have lured many of the country's leading artists here, most of whom have opened their studios to visitors. You can also visit the studios of rural artists, who use everything from sweet wrappers to plastic shopping bags to create African art. On the music scene, Nelspruit offers you the chance to indulge in a variety of options: there are haunting a cappella choral gatherings, vibrant kwaito raves, smooth jazz clubs and hardcore rural rock events. Some of South Africa's leading musicians live in Mpumalanga and regularly perform for their home crowds. Mpumalanga also boasts some of Southern Africa's most authentic cultural villages, such as the internationally acclaimed Shangana Village in the heart of the safari belt, where you can learn about the food and traditions of Africa.

Natural Attractions

A spectacular canyon, awe-inspiring mountains, mist-shrouded waterfalls and freshwater lakes, the scenery around Nelspruit and Mpumalanga is fantastic. The best way to see it all is by driving along the Panorama Route, which features the Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga's greatest wonder. The 25km-long canyon is the world's largest green canyon, while its 700m cliffs make it the third largest canyon of any sort on the planet. The Three Rondavels, three huge rocks spiraling out of the far wall of the canyon with tops that look like traditional African hut roofs is the canyon's most prominent feature. And the lookout point at God's Window has views all the way across the Kruger National Park and into Mozambique, almost 100km away. Known as nature's wishing well, the Bourke's Luck Potholes are a surreal sight to behold. A complex of smooth, cylindrical potholes and rock sculptures has been hollowed out by whirlpools over millions of years. Mpumalanga's best kept secret is also southern Africa's largest natural freshwater lake district. The village of Chrissiesmeer in Mpumalanga's central grasslands is surrounded by 270 lakes and pans, which attract 20 000 flamingos each year. The area was first settled by the ancient San thousands of years ago, who left scores of rock paintings and engravings on the walls of their shelters.The Highlands Meander is also a nature lover's paradise. South Africa's premier fly-fishing mecca hosts some of the subcontinent's rarest birds, offers the best rock climbing and boasts spectacular wild flower displays.

Surrounding Areas

There are some fantastic travel experiences to be enjoyed in Polokwane and beyond. From Johannesburg, the N1 to Polokwane cuts through the floodplains of the Waterberg mountains. The area is home to exclusive bushveld getaways, wild animals and the beautiful and remote Marakele National Park. The charming town of Bela Bela is at the centre of the region, and a great stop-over for travelers heading north. The world-famous Kruger National Park is only a few hours drive from Polokwane. The African Ivory Route is a self-drive route through the wildest heart of Limpopo province. The route forms a 200km arc that follows the peripheral borders of the province bordering Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana, and includes the far-flung reaches of the northern Kruger National Park. Get in that 4x4 and check it out! Discover the arts, crafts and legends of the Venda people. Take a drive along the Ribolla Open Africa Route. This route takes you into the sub-tropical area around Makhado, where you can visit artists, meet potters, enjoy traditional dancing and find out about the mythology and wonders of Limpopo.