Lowveld National Botanical Garden, Botanical garden in Mbombela, South Africa

The Lowveld National Botanical Garden covers 165 hectares just outside Mbombela, where the Nels River joins the Crocodile River around a large promontory. Only about 30 hectares are landscaped; the rest stays natural. A rainforest trail begun in 1994 under curator Johan Kluge leads past clivias, fig trees and a baobab to a lookout over rapids in the gorge.

The garden was established in 1969 on land provided by the Nelspruit Town Council and HL Hall and Sons, a large local farming enterprise, and officially opened on 10 September 1971. In 1994, under curator Johan Kluge, work began on an artificial rainforest along the riverbank. The garden covers 165 hectares, of which only 30 are landscaped.

The garden holds a medicinal garden among its collections, alongside a Braille garden and an indigenous tree nursery. Its rainforest section was begun in 1994 under curator Johan Kluge, planted along the river bank with clivias and fig trees. A baobab stands on the trail, and the garden keeps a gene bank for its plants.

The best time to visit is early morning when the pathways are less crowded and temperatures are cooler. Wear comfortable walking shoes since the terrain includes hills and some trails can be steep in places.

The garden holds South Africa's largest collection of bread trees (Encephalartos), begun in earnest after 1980, along with a gene bank for these plants. A curator, Johan Kluge, started an artificial rainforest along the riverbank in 1994. Hippos live in the Crocodile and Nels rivers that run through the grounds.