Waterval Boven (also known as Emgwenya), situated in the Drakensberg Mountains on the banks of the Elands River is a picturesque respite from the city. Located on the fringes of the escarpment, visitors will find a perfect location from which to explore the surrounding areas and also the town itself which is rich in historical buildings and sites with many national monuments.
Waterval Boven, whose Dutch name means "above the waterfall" is built above the Elands River Falls on the historic Pretoria to Maputo railway line - and makes for one of the most scenic routes by rail, with the original tunnel and five arches bridge now also national monuments. The sister town Waterval Onder is at the base of the escarpment.
This Mpumalanga country town is ideally situated along the N4 only two and a half hours from Johannesburg and halfway to Nelspruit, the Gateway to the Kruger National Park. For those looking for an interesting stopover or a friendly getaway with a warm village ambiance, Waterval Boven has a wide variety of accommodation to suit all budgets from backpackers to up-market and stylish chalets, guest houses and B&Bs.
Waterval Boven is a historic little piece of Mpumalanga, with its abundance of pristine trout fishing waters and spectacular scenery. Visitors will enjoy the many exciting activities like rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing as well as horse riding and hiking. There is also a very active arts and crafts community.
The seemingly somnambulant rural atmosphere and mundane grassland scenes visible from the N4 highway will not prepare you for the old world ...
Waterval Boven was first connected to the rails in 1894, and was on the line that connected Pretoria with Lourenço Marques at the turn of t...
From Waterval Onder the road ascends steeply up the slopes of the Elandsberg and about 2 km before reaching Waterval Boven passes the old Ne...