On from the Lowveld - 290km

NELSPRUIT

Nelspruit, capital of Mpumalanga province, lies in the fertile valley of the Crocodile River in an area known for its production of a variety of tropical fruit (pawpaws, bananas and avocados), nuts (pecan and macadamia) and citrus fruit. The town’s development was closely linked to the building of the railway line between Pretoria and Lourenço Marques (Maputo). The section of the line from Komatipoort on the Mozambican border reached Nelspruit in 1892 and a town steadily developed around the railhead. During the final phase of the South African War, Nelspruit briefly served as the capital of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR). Proclaimed in 1905, the town’s name honours the Nel brothers, who used the area for winter grazing in the 1870s and in 1890 bought the farm on which the town developed.

LOWVELD NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Situated on the town’s northern outskirts, the dome-shaped granite boulders and cascades at the confluence of the Crocodile and the Nels rivers form an impressive backdrop to the Lowveld National Botanical Garden. Special plantings and lawns cover 25 ha of developed gardens, while a further 135 ha have been left as natural bushveld. Highlights include a world-famous cycad collection, comprising all 36 southern African cycad species, 18 African species and 84 species from elsewhere in the world. There is also a complete collection of baobab species, and a comprehensive collection of Acacia trees. Visitors can follow paved walkways meandering through the garden, or take the Riverside Trail, which winds along the Crocodile River and through the African Rain Forest, with its tropical forest plants from central, east and west Africa. The garden offers good birding opportunities, while a small group of hippo can be seen in the Crocodile River. Meals are available in the restaurant.

SUDWALA CAVES

...are situated in the wooded valley of the Houtbosloop (wood bush stream) on the slopes of Mankelekele Mountain. The caves were formed over million of years by rainwater, charged with carbon dioxide, seeping through cracks and dissolving the limestone rock to form a maze of caverns, tunnels and passageways. Water percolating through the roof of the caverns has created a subterranean treasure chest of stalagmites and stalactites with imaginative names like the Screaming Monster, Weeping Madonna and Samson’s Pillar. The main chamber, the PR Owen Hall, is roughly circular, with a diameter of 70 m and a height of up to 37 m. Visitors can take guided tours of the caves. Stone Age people lived here, and the Swazi King, Sobhuza I, took refuge in the cave when he fled from the Ndwandwe around 1818–19. In 1855, Somcuba and 3 000 of his followers were besieged in the caves by his brother Mswati.

The adjacent Dinosaur Park, with its collection of dinosaur and other prehistoric animal replicas, offers a Jurassic Park-like experience. Displayed in realistic settings is a unique collection of dinosaurs, extinct mammals and birds, evoking the vanished era when dinosaurs roamed the earth. It is said to be the biggest and most scientifically accurate collection of prehistoric animal replicas in the world. Also of interest is the Kraal Complex, a ‘living’ museum portraying the cultures of the Nguni people.

MONTROSE FALLS

After making its way through Schoemanskloof, the Crocodile River plunges 12m down a cliff, forming the spectacular Montrose Falls. Visitors are advised to exercise caution when exploring the area above the falls as the rocks can be treacherously slippery.

LYDENBURG

Long before the Voortrekkers arrived here, the area around Lydenburg was inhabited by Iron Age people. Significant archaeological finds have been made here, notably the discovery of seven terracotta heads, later named the Lydenburg Heads, dating back some 1 500 years. The heads may have been masks, and were probably used on religions occasions or during rituals. The town of Lydenburg was established in 1850 after the Voortrekkers abandoned Ohrigstad, and was named ‘town of suffering’ as a reminder of those who succumbed to malaria at Ohrigstad. Reminders of the town’s early days include the Voortrekker School (1851), Voortrekker Church (1852) and the Dutch Reformed Church (1894). Replicas of three of the Lydenburg Heads can be seen in the town’s museum, which also has interesting displays on the Voortrekkers, gold mining and the Pedi people. The Gustav Kliengbiel Nature Reserve covers 2 200 ha to the east of the town and has been stocked with kudu, eland, blue wildebeest, blesbok, impala, grey rhebok and reedbuck. Visitors can explore the reserve along three trails, one of which meanders past the terraces and stone walls of an Iron Age settlement.