Nelspruit is that hidden gem of a city that is overlooked by many as they make their way to the bush or continue on to Mozambique. But Nelspruit has a lot to love, and a lot to see and explore that you might not know about. There are plenty of great reasons to come to Nelspruit and to spend some time getting to know the city. While it might not be the metropolis that Cape Town or Johannesburg are, our growing city is still quite something to see.
At Pensao, we are always happy to meet people who are coming to the city for the very first time. While many have come to the area before, for those who are planning the first trip here, we like to share some fun and perhaps useful information with them, to help them make the most of their time here. Throughout the year, Nelspruit is a beautiful place. We have exquisite weather, helpful and friendly people, and so much to see and do, no matter what kind of holiday you hope to have.
Be sure to book your Nelspruit accommodation with us, and to find out more about what to expect from your visit, here’s 5 things you might not have known about Nelspruit.

- Nelspruit is more of a town
What are the criteria for a city? Large, big economy, lots of buildings? Well we don’t have much of that. By comparison to places like Pretoria, Joburg and Cape Town, Nelspruit is rather small. You can quite easily drive from one side to the other in about 20 minutes.
In peak time traffic.
During loadshedding.
Well, maybe we exaggerate a little, but you will not be pushing through hectic traffic all day. So we should probably be classified as a town, although we have all the perks of being in a city.
- Nelspruit is close to nature
The people who call Nelspruit home are truly blessed to be so in touch with nature. Just a half hour drive out of town and you will find all sorts of nature parks (some of which are home to wildlife like giraffe, zebra and all sorts of antelope) and nature walks. Hiking is a big deal to some around here and even our restaurants are built to incorporate nature (some even have hiking trails).
- Nelspruit has a vibing local economy
Yes, we have every franchised business you could imagine, but our economy is still very much built on a love local kind of mindset. Most of our best restaurants and eat out places are locally owned, we have loads of small businesses, and just about all of our butcheries are also local.
- Nelspruit is booming
The town is still small, but each year it grows a little bit more. On top of that growth, there are many people seeking to make their homes here, and that means more businesses and a bigger economy.
- Nelspruit is quiet
We have a night life, but it ebbs and flows. Some places last but for the most part, the town is always playing host to new events and things to do. We’re getting there, with more and more urban things to do coming to life, but we are the sort of community that doesn’t need a night out every weekend.