Administrative capital, Pretoria, is also here. In fact, Gauteng is the wealthiest province and home sweet home to nearly 15 million people.
Gauteng. It means ‘place of gold’ in Sotho-Tswana. What could be more gorgeous, more glittering, more regal than gold. We trade it, wear it, damn it we even eat it. So when gold was discovered here in the late 1800s people rushed in. Pickaxes a ready. The world’s largest gold rush had begun and South Africa would never be the same.
1. Johannesburg & Pretoria
Joburg. Funny to think this great sprawling metropolis started life as a little biddy farm. Life on the farm was kinda laid back until one day, woah, a massive gold reef p...
Administrative capital, Pretoria, is also here. In fact, Gauteng is the wealthiest province and home sweet home to nearly 15 million people.
Gauteng. It means ‘place of gold’ in Sotho-Tswana. What could be more gorgeous, more glittering, more regal than gold. We trade it, wear it, damn it we even eat it. So when gold was discovered here in the late 1800s people rushed in. Pickaxes a ready. The world’s largest gold rush had begun and South Africa would never be the same.
1. Johannesburg & Pretoria
Joburg. Funny to think this great sprawling metropolis started life as a little biddy farm. Life on the farm was kinda laid back until one day, woah, a massive gold reef popped up. In ten sweet, sparkling years a hundred thousand people turned up and decided they were home. And now, after Cairo, it’s the second largest city on the African continent. It’s also South Africa’s chief industrial and financial hub and an entertainment mecca. There’s a creative vibe with street art, photographers, musicians and architects producing world-class work.
Joburg likes a bit of grandeur, it likes to be number one, top dog, the golden boy. It has a mammoth man-made forest, a humongous hospital and the tallest building in Africa. So, that’s 10 million trees, a hospital for three and a half million and a tower 270 metres tall. The trees help with greenhouse effects and lower noise levels and the Hillbrow Tower is the Mount Olympus grandly overlooking the lot. There’s the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens, Zoo Lake, Melville Koppies, and Emmarentia. All of these parks are jolly and joyous with their dandy gardens and walkways. Jaunt away. Take a book. A blanket. And wine.
Pretty little Pretoria with its boring job as administrative capital, reliable and gorgeous, turning purple to the beat of thousands of swaying jacaranda trees. From September to November they go blooming crazy. An antidote to the government suits. Take a drive through any of the old neighborhoods, such as Groenkloof, Lynnwood, Waterkloof or Arcadia, to see the flowers at their best.
Nature reserves are nearby too, as is the largest shopping mall in Africa. There are mountain bike trails and golf courses as well as the familiar pleasures of good cafes and restaurants.
2. Safaris
Gauteng isn’t the most obvious province if safari’s your bag but it shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’re Pretoria way, the Voortrekker Monument is in a nature reserve, Groenkloof Nature Reserve is also good, whilst Rietvlei is home to four and Pilanesberg National Park to five of the Big Five. Hyena and cheetah abound in the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, and funnily enough you should spy rhino and lion at the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve. For bird watching try Marievale Bird Sanctuary.
Want more, more, more? The Kruger National Park is only a few hours drive.
Gauteng has plenty if you like to feel adrenaline coursing. You can waterski at the Vaal River or head to the Magaliesberg mountain range to fish, hike, rock climb, abseil. Be nice to squeeze in a jolly marvellous hot air balloon ride too.
3. Culture & History e.g. Cradle of Humankind, Mandela Museum, New Town, Soweto etc
Gauteng Province is an embarrassment of riches if you’re talking culture and history. Johannesburg has the superb Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill.
The Apartheid Museum gives the background of colonisation and describes the evolution of racial segregation. It’s excellent as well as being, understandably, emotionally draining.
Constitution Hill is a living museum which used to be a prison and is now home to the country’s constitutional court.
Then, of course, there’s Soweto. It too grew after gold was found. Now it’s a symbol of the New South Africa, caught between old squatter misery and new prosperity, squalor and an upbeat lifestyle.
The Nelson Mandela National Museum, commonly referred to as Mandela House, is where he lived from 1946 to 1962. It’s in Soweto on Vilakazi Street.
Pretoria is home to South Africa's version of the White House - the Union Buildings. And out front? Arms wide open. There he is. The Father of the Nation, Madiba himself, Nelson Mandela. All nine bronze meters of him.
There’s also the Voortrekker Monument which commemorates the Voortrekkers or Pioneers who left the Cape Colony in their thousands between 1835 and 1854. It’s one of the most visited heritage sites in South Africa. Don’t forget to get a lovely photo of old Piet Retief, one of the Voortrekker leaders, there’s a 4 metre statue of him nestled on the steps. Clubbed to death by the Zulus, poor old Piet.
And then there is the Cradle of Humankind, a sweet little lump of grass and joy and one of eight World Heritage Sites in South Africa. It’s basically lots of caves which have, over the years spewed almost half of Planet Earth’s human ancestor fossils. It’s one of the richest archaeological sites in the world. The Sterkfontein Caves is the big guy, famous fossils were excavated here. You can see their replicas in the Maropeng Visitor Centre.
This exclusive boutique hotel is located 10 km from the Johannesburg International Airport, O.R. Tambo in a quiet and secure suburb of Kempton Park away from the flight path of ...
This 'all suites' hotel offers short and long term accommodation from the unparalleled luxury of the 600m2 Cupola Suite to Presidential and Executive 1 and 2 bedroom suites.
Guests are spoilt ...
Your home away from home. Bohemian House, with just 10 rooms, offers relaxed old-world accommodation with an extraordinary ambience and charm
Mont D’Or Bohemian House is all elegant. All ethereal and ...
Having lived in Graskop for 17 years, Lucinda most certainly has firsthand information on the area and all the local attractions that you will remember forever.
​
Each guestroom was thoughtfully designed ...
At the heart of the City of Gold, beneath the warm sunshine in the opulent, tree-lined suburb of Sandhurst, lies the enchanting Saxon Hotel. A uniquely perfect blend of rich ...
One of five hotels within the group close to the OR Tambo International Airport, the 219-room City Lodge Hotel Johannesburg Airport, Barbara Road is within easy reach of major highways ...
De Hoek Guesthouse is situated in the quiet suburb of Weybridge Park, Port Elizabeth and boasts deluxe and standard guest suites for the discerning business traveller or tourist.
The spacious guest ...