Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and the economic capital of the Gauteng Province. This bustling city offers tourists a real taste of South Africa. The city was established following the discovery of gold. Within ten years, the population of Johannesburg had grown to 100,000 inhabitants. Locals call it Egoli which means Place of Gold.
It is the point of entry for many international flights and the short scheduled safaris to Kruger National Park start here. Alternatively; flights to Kruger National Park are only about an hour or it is a 4 – 6 hour drive. The malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve is a 3 – 4 hours drive or charter flight. Sun City/Palace of the Lost City or Pilanesberg National Park are both about a 2-hour drive from Johannesburg. Flights connect to all the South African cities and most African countries. Therefore most visitors will pass through (or stay) in Johannesburg for some reason.
Johannesburg experiences mostly warm winter days. However; the early mornings and evenings can be very chilly. We, therefore, recommend bringing warm clothes for the evenings.
Johannesburg was a political hot spot in the former apartheid days. The most well-known township is Soweto; which lies south of Johannesburg. In South Africa; the term township normally refers to racially segregated areas. Townships were reserved for non-whites; namely Indians, Africans, and Coloreds until the end of apartheid.
Pretoria is also in the Gauteng Province and is the administrative capital of South Africa. Situated very close to Johannesburg, attractions include Union Building, Voortrekker Monument, and the Kruger Museum. Pretoria is affectionately called Jacaranda City. This is due to the purple Jacaranda trees being all over in the spring. A truly magnificent sight.
Jacaranda trees in Pretoria
The Cradle of Humankind
The Cradle of Humankind is a World Heritage Site. It covers an area of over 47,000 hectares of privately owned land in the north-western corner of Gauteng; 50 km northwest of Johannesburg. Altogether, there are 15 x major fossil sites in the Cradle of Humankind. The Sterkfontein Caves are the most famous. The Maropeng Visitor Centre is an exciting, world-class exhibition. It focuses on the development of humans and our ancestors over the past few million years. The exhibition is highly interactive and will engage visitors of all ages.
Hour-long guided tours of the caves take visitors on a journey deep under the earth to the places where the remains of some of our oldest ancestors; have been found.
