Waterval Boven is a small town situated on the edge of the Escarpment on the banks of the Elands River above the 75m Elands Falls on the railway line from Pretoria to Maputo in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Hence the name, which is Dutch for “above the waterfall”.
Established in 1898 as a railway depot, Waterval Boven is Dutch for Above Waterfall and is named after the waterfall in the Elands River.
Once you’ve booked your hotels or Waterval Boven accommodation, explore the destination pages for info on attractions, activities and things to do when you visit the Waterval Boven region.
There is also the old Tunnel and Five Arch Bridge, as well as President Paul Kruger’s official residence where he resided in 1900 before going into exile in Europe. The Elands River Waterfall is visible from the mouth of the old Railway Tunnel. Horse riding and trout fishing are popular pastimes in the region.
There are numerous fly fishing dams and rivers of the Waterval Boven Trout Association for the fly fishing enthusiast. The Elands River Fly Shop caters for all fly fishing equipment and will be more than happy to give you some pointers as to which spot will give you a better experience and what you should do to snag that big one.
For the more adventurous, the world-renowned rock climbing cliffs offer challenges to the extreme outdoor enthusiast. If you want something a bit more relaxing, then you can try hiking or even swimming in the many mountain swimming holes that can be found.
Accommodation in Waterval Boven ranges from budget and backpacker to upmarket chalets and stylish guest houses and bed and breakfasts, each to suit your specific needs and budget. You are really spoiled for choice in this beautiful location with plenty to do and accommodation that will make you feel right at home. You will soon find that your first visit to Waterval Boven will not be your last
The village of Waterval Boven (now Emgwenya) is nestled in the Drakensberg Mountains on the fringe of the escarpment, at the foot of the South Hills. It is rich with historical sites and buildings which are now proclaimed national monuments.
The town is a tourist location that takes visitors back in time to the days of the gold rush in the 1870’s. When it first became a tourist attraction in 1970 it was changed very little from its heyday and is now a protected historical site.
The authors of NZASM 100, the definitive study of the railway architecture of the Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschappij (NZASM), describe the tunnel at Waterval Boven as ‘probably the best-known and most famous of all NZASM structures’. We visited this Provincial Heritage Site recently and it is certainly a sight to behold. Add the overall natural beauty of the area and the view of the stunning Elands Waterfall and it is not surprising that the site is a major tourist attraction.
The Waterval Boven tunnel formed part of the Eastern or Delagoa Railway which was of great strategic importance to the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) giving the young country access to a non-British seaport (essential to preserve political and economic independence in the face of British imperialism). After extensive planning, work on the tunnel commenced in October 1892.
The historic 211 m tunnel is open to tourists who can walk through and admire the achievements of a past era. It is a remarkable experience. As you enter light flashes off the stone masonry and you can see for quite a distance. The tunnel becomes darker and darker as you move deeper into the mountain. If you look behind you can see a portal of sunlight slowly closing.
Two teams blasted and drilled their way through the rock and joined up in September 1893. Railway tracks were laid and the tunnel walls were lined with stone masonry for strength. This outstanding piece of engineering was completed in 1894 and a year later the Eastern Railway opened to much celebration throughout the ZAR.
The curve in the tunnel provides a brief section where you can walk in complete darkness (most people bring out their smart phones for light) before the portal on the other side begins opening up. There is a pristine silence occasionally broken by the footsteps and hushed conversations of other tourists. You can almost imagine an old steam train moving slowly up or down the slope and passengers slamming the windows shut to block out the belching smoke filling up the tunnel.
As you exit on the western side you can see where a portion of the mountain was blasted away to shorten the length of the tunnel. A short distance to the right is a viewing deck looking out over the majestic Elands Falls. It is hard not to be in awe of the men who built this railway over fearsome terrain!
Elands Waterfall – According to NZASM 100 the tunnel was used until 1908 when a new line on the opposite side of the gorge became operational. It was opened for road traffic in the 1920s and then again temporarily in the early 1970s while the main road tunnel was being built. If you walk up the cutting towards the N4 and look back you get a wonderful view of the old and new tunnels side by side. This was the highlight of our trip!
Old and new tunnels