What an amazing day out in nature. The lowveld really does provide great views and exciting adventures. When visiting the Botanical gardens in Riverside you can expect to see well kept gardens and forest with well maintained bridges, side walks and paths that lead into the rain forest. When exploring this beautiful area you can find yourself standing across from gushing waterfalls, but watch out you may be surprised with a hippo head sticking out watching you. While walking along the Rocky paths we found the cutest little Rock painted like a little house. Finding these little gems really make my day which is what has inspired me to start my own little project. So keep an eye out! However there is a downside, it would be great to see the litter from the river being removed as there was quite a bit in certain areas. All in all had a wonderful day in the gardens and would definitely go back to get a few more shots!

That outdoor feeling,the smell of greens,the sound of birds and lastly but most importantly the sound of the waterfall,it was amazing. Its a great place to refresh your mind,read a book,spend time with your family and friends.

Two waterfalls with wonderful vantage viewing points, gardens are well kept and beautiful. A large kids playground to keep the younger age groups busy for a long time. Paths are clear and signage to all sections of the garden are clearly marked. Informational posts about trees, shrubs, bird and animal life all over, even a section in braille for the visually impaired.

Beautiful garden with FANTASTIC waterfall although you can see the drought as many areas of the fall are dry. Lots of walking paths well labeled. Spend the entire day bring a picnic lunch.

Perfect get away from the city, only 10 minutes from CBD. It was very relaxing, very peaceful and very reasonable prices... I could see myself visiting the place once a month just to get away from the busyness of the city.Perfect for picnics, painting reading.The perfect way to spend time with lived ones or alone.

This spot was amazing. With a giant waterfall and many many plant species as well as a walk through the forest. Loved everything

Spent the morning here and had great time. The river was flowing very fast so the falls were beautiful. The restaurant at the entrance looked very smart, unfortunately we didnt have time to try it. Go early as it gets hot

This is an absolute gem! We spent 5 hours here and didnt see it all. The board walk in the African Rain Forest is a real treat.We saw the Purple-crested Turaco and the Southern Bald Ibis! Our happy.Everything sign posted very well and regular boards on the way with interesting facts on what to look out for.The only concern/worry we have is the visible unhealthy state of the river here and there.

The playground was very cool, i would imagine after covid this place would be really fun to explore

Lovely walk, great views of the falls & gorge. Tea garden was unfortunately closed

My wife and i spent a few hours exploring and walking through a good portion of the garden. I particularly liked the rain forest area and both waterfalls were beautiful.

Stunning waterfalls, beautiful gardens and an awesome suspension bridge to cross, and a man made rain forest makes this spectacular place a must to see.

This place is really amazing. You will be blown away with the beauty of nature.

What an absolutely amazing experience. I had seen peoples pictures but this place by far exceeded my expectations. The views were breathtaking and the staff were very friendly and helpful in every way possible. The place is pristinely well kept and immaculately clean. Definitely the highlight of my trip.

Beautiful place , truly a gem , but paths are very poorly marked

Tranquil and beautiful rain forest. The kids loved it!

This is the jewel of Nelspruit when it comes to sightseeing, its a paradise for nature lover, perfect for a family picnic day out and trail walker or hiker will feel right at home with a long riverside trail and beautiful steep pathways. The park main features are the waterfalls and of course the crocodile river makes it one experience hard to forget, this is a little Amazon, lush green, humid with pre-historic trees, ravines flowing everywhere you go, the bush is so thick, you can hardly see the sun. I recommend taking enough water with as its very humid in forest, you can however refill your water bottle on the main trail not on the riverside. If you prefer easy walk, I suggest take the entrance one as it has beautiful wooden skywalk all the way to the main bridge that leads to the other side of the river and it has much better viewing points along the way.

Having been here many times, I can say that it is well worth the visit. The garden has so much variety, from the crashing Crocodile River Cascades, to the magnificent African rainforest and many other vegetation types. No better place for a picnic in Nelspruit and I would highly recommend the restaurant overlooking the Cascades.

We have always wanted to visit but we always seemed to run out of time. During our latest visit we made time! It was a real great experience and I can recommend this attraction for a visit. Please enjoy at a leisurely pace and take lots to drink.

Beautiful garden. But thats all. No shop or teagarden. No help by personnel. So you pay a lot of money just to walk through the gardens. And it is not even kept clean and neat.

Always enjoy walking through the gardens and seeing all the interesting plants. The waterfall is also something to see.

Wow amazing views of South Africa but there are just so many steps.Overall beautiful placeThe pool is currently closedThere are benches and food and other drinks are allowed

Nice place for family , kids or anyone who makes you happy.

A cool and calm place to visit 😊

Extremely beautiful. An abundance of trees and plants. Stunning waterfall.

Lowveld Botanical Gardens is one of the best with 2 waterfalls (seasonal) in the complex but there is no drinking water taps nor there are toilets easily accessible in all the areas around the park. There are some restaurants built into the garden but they dont sell the ice-creams. Kids play area or jungle gym is big enough to be enjoyed by kids. The park is clean and you can visit the same and you will love it here on your hiking or morning walk. Check it out but carry your own water and drinks. Thanks

A beautiful nature reserve..would have been better if play area and coffee shop were open..More signage is needed..to guide us on walks

Peaceful the tranquility and the serenity the place is to die for if u love nature

Must see gardens, especially the Rain Forest

Lovely, peaceful beautiful. Rainforest is gorgeous. Well worth the visit. R38 entrance totally worth it.

So soul soothing and very peaceful, the staff members are very helpful and welcoming, the place is very quiet and gives one the chance to enjoy nature.

Nice spot to visit. Well maintaind.

Amazing. Quite a walk and humid under the vegetation. Take water with you

Beautiful surroundings with a wide variety of gardens. We did the river trail and there are some amazing views!

Beautiful gardens. Well kept. The staff, however, always sat around on their phones and did their best to avoid guests.

It was definately worth the walking. Very friendly staff. Clean and tidy.

Jaw dropping place, from the beautiful gardens, the raised walkways through the forest, to the suspension bridge over the crocodile river and the amazing waterfall. They also have a fantastic play area for the kids. We thoroughly enjoyed it as a family outing.

Beautiful well kept botanical garden

Beautiful, scenic and truly amazing...Worth coming here and returning 😍🤩😊

The atmosphere here is different and very peaceful.

Established in the early 70s this garden has an amazing atmosphere.It blends into the natural lay of the land and one of the many waterfalls thats located in the Lowveld, the Cascade Waterfall, is part of the north-eastern boundary of the garden.Walk along the well-maintained paths and follow the spice route, aloes and succulents, or jam route to find out how nature can be used by humans and animals in daily life.The garden is also committed to bring people with visual and mobility challenges joy through the experience of the braille trail and wheelchair-friendly paths.

Super great spot!!! It was a super hot day but there was plenty of shade and places to relax . Even without a lot of water, there were still nice cascades ! Too hot for the hippos though. Beautiful plants and trees, a suspension bridge, riverside trail, and lots of trees . Nice explanations and history along the trail. Great restaurant and tea garden! Can definitely spend the whole day here . Great for kids , lots of play places, and wheelchair friendly too. Friendly staff

Words cant even describe how this place is so refreshing.. From the waterfalls to the rain forest.. A family outing deserves to come here.. 💯 💯 💯 👌

Well cared for and maintained & quite after lock down has been lifted. Well worth at least a half a day

A great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. The botanical gardens are gorgeous and well maintained.Sometimes, during the warmer summer months, live music shows are held in the warmer, summer months.Its an excellent place to come for a walk, unwind, and be around nature. There are some wonderful photo opportunities for weddings, and venues for children birthday parties.

Relaxing walk in the rainforest complete with rain showers

Its beautiful, you can find lots of new plants & trees which produces natural seeds/oils and medicines. It has also small water falls.

The hospitality was outstanding,

A beautiful cascading waterfall with picnic area in the heart of nelspruit

Very nice walk ways and just a great chance to experience a beautiful nature view to get lost in.

Nice place for a family outing. They charge 35 for adults and 15 for kids above 3 years old. There is small waterfalls and few potholes inside. Big place to walk around, many butterflies, suspension bridge, jungle gym etc. good picnic spot.

Nice place for a walk... lots of plants and great views

Beautiful gardens and waterfall. Lots to see and peaceful for picnic sites. Only complaint was numerous boards advertising vast range of dangerous animals such as Hippo, Black Mambas, etc which we did not encounter or see, but if they are present and able to roam freely (nothing seemingly to stop them) would worry for children safety

Really beautiful and peaceful place. Nice ti spend a day there just appreciating nature. Too bad there is a lot of rubbish and plastics all over the place. People mess there and seems there isnt people to clean up after those that cant clean up after themselves.. it spoils a lot of the beauty. But otherwise a very nice way to spend the day.

Great place to get away from civilization

Wonderful park, but spoiled by suwage running directly into Crocodile River. Poor management.

Beautiful and calm.nice family outing, great place to get some exercise

Mother nature at its best. Waterfalls are amazing

Great for outdoor picnics. Lovely space for relaxing and unplugging. Beautiful spot really. Go on now, go for a hike and come back to spoil yourself by the restaurant located close to the entrance.

Beautifully kept Botanical Gardens with delightful views and something for waterfall lovers too. The Skywalk through the jungle was amazing. A perfect place, great for a relaxing day out with the family as you have a picnic in the main garden or a quick stop to break up a longer journey while you navigate the hippo walk. Also be sure to visit the indigenous nursery while you are there.We had a fantastic time and will be back next time we pass through Nelspruit.

It was a great experience. Nature at its Best. Well kept. A bit price.

Great place to do some walking amongst the trees and shrubs. lovely waterfalls and great gardens to have a picnic.

Its beautiful but gives the feeling of human made forest... but otherwise would make a great outing for a sunday morning

Beautiful, beautiful gardens. Well worth a visit. Clean, safe, calm, nurturing.

Stunning botanical gardens worthwhile to visit!

I had a great time with a colleague. We started off with lunch at the restaurant, we both enjoyed our food. Then we took off for a walk at the garden, amazing, beautiful, breathtaking scenery! Theres also a place where you can have a picnic and enjoy the beauty and relaxation of the place. Definitely coming again! Tip: make sure to bring water if you plan on exploring the garden.

The place could use some rain, the wallfalls are almost dry, the bridge walks is a nice experience. The variety of botanical species are limited are not well documented to help the tourist appreciate the nature. The restaurant and the food is great at a very affordable price.

This is a pretty large and impressive botanical garden. Definitely worth a visit

If you like nature and the outdoors you will absolutely love this place. Magnificent scenery and abundance of plants to peruse. Also try the Labyrinth!!

Perfect for family picnics and for the little ones to let off some steam. Its walking friendly for those who dont want to any treks. Spectacular views and totally worth the entrance fee.

A very pleasant, and well organised place to visit. Lovely paved trails, mostly good wheelchair access, plenty of shade. Really very nice.

Great for family outings

This is the best place where you can chill out with your friends and family. I love you it.

Amazing place to visit.

Quite, peaceful and everyone is relaxing 👌🏼🤙🏼😃😁😎

Its wa enjoyable and lovely, and the children have a great funny with every playing game inside the guardian and have a much better view in the place.

Beautiful nature view. Amazing waterfall

Well maintained. Very nice outing. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to walk alot

The Nels river is beautiful after all the rain.

The most green and beautiful botanical gardens I have seen in the whole of South Africa. Decent little restaurant inside and great walking paths.

Wonderful. I could spend a month in the gardens. Sadly we did not have enough time. The garden is very well kept ♥

Such an an amazing time I had, my partner took me there on my birthday for a picnic it was a blast

This is a wonderful place to be in. Youll smell and feel nature first hand. Its well maintained and managed. Its close to the town but youll feel like you a thousand miles from a city. Nice picnicking areas beautiful trees, shrubs and plants. Walk ways are nice and the bridges are awesome. The African rain forest is beautiful and cool to walk through.

Had a picnic with my family 👪 and enjoyed the place. Its full of life and allows you to reconnect with nature. Loved the falls and land scapes.

So beautiful! Such an amazing place.

What a beautiful place to spend the day. Be warned that you will have to walk up and down slippery areas. Not recommended for people with knee problems, toddlers, eldery folk or strollers. But a wonderful place for a half day hike. Will go there again

The place is underated, staff are miserable , all of them which is sad as they work in a beautiful environment.

Calming waterfalls, walking through the rain forest, admiring butterflies and nature, the best thing you can do for yourselve, enjoyed every moment

The weather was good and we really enjoyed walking through the gardens. Just a pity of the sewage running through the gardens near the waterfall

Fantastic clean and neat botanical garden with ample parking, clean toilets and amazing views. Only R35. Wish I had had more time to see more of it. Definite must see if youre in Nelspruit.

Great place, so nice and refreshing

Very beautiful , clean way to spend an afternoon walking through the rain forest, spectacular waterfalls, staff not friendly at all , but nature makes up for them . Very relaxing yet energetic

Astonoshingly accessible just off the main road outside Nelspruit, this excellent collection of botanical beauties is absolutely worth a visit. The falls themselves are spread across a wide outcrop of giant boulders, and the curation of trees and plants to my mind are world class. The walkways from the bridge across the river through the jungle to the gardens are delightful. Never seen such enormous Raffia palms before - made me feel like I was in Jurassic Park! Great for families or just to be alone and marvel at creation.

Best Botanical ever, I wish there could be more interaction with water down the stream

Awesome place! Lots of interesting information available along the routes. Well maintained, friendly staff and quite big. Spend at least half a day here.

Peaceful and calming. Great place to view nature and they have an outdoor restaurant with great cuisine.

Very relaxing outdoors experience...

Certainly worth a visit. Beautiful Waterfall and lovely gardens.

Very disappointed in the gardens. They desperately need some caring. The forest is so over grown and full of rubbish. There is so much filth around and even sewage flowing down to the river. A real shame.

The Botanical garden is a perfect morning, afternoon or evening escape and situated right in the middle of Nelspruit.Wild Cards are not accepted, but the entrance fee is 32/35R and the picture map is an extra 2R. If you are a senior admission is free on Tuesday.If you want to take in everything the garden has to offer, youll want to set asside about 3 4 hours to walk around the entire garden as well as the riverside hike. There was a stop for tea and a Resturanr that looked like it was closed, but I still had a great time exploring the well kept garden.They also have a rain forest with was a real treat to escape the heat of the mid day sun.