Spread over 100 hectares of gorgeous landscaped gardens and a waterfowl speckled dam, this tranquil natural haven is only six kilometres from Johannesburg central. Walking, kayaking and sailing are possible, or explore the rose garden and succulent collection.

Address:

Olifants Road, Emmerentia

Johannesburg

Roodepoort, Krugersdorp, Randfontein and Doornkop
 
Roodepoort:

The South African town of Roodepoort was developed around a mining camp and the discovery of gold in 1884.  Visit the Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden which is set against the backdrop of the impressive Witpoortjie waterfall and covers 225ha of landscaped gardens, lawns and natural vegetation.

The National Railway Museum has a collection of over 100 steam, diesel and underground electric locomotives, steam cranes, steam rollers, old passenger coaches and other items from the era of steam.
 
Krugersdorp: 

The town of Krugersdorp was named after the South African President Paul Kruger. It played a pivotal role in the events leading up to the War of Endependence. Historical buildings are the City Hall, Magistrate’s Court and offices and the old railway station. Visit the Krugersdorp Game Reserve which covers 1500 ha. With several different habitats including grassland, rock outcrops and forest with a variety of game e.g. buffalo, hippo, white rhino, giraffe, zebra and antelope. The main attraction is the lion enclosure. Day and night game drives are available.
 
Randfontein:  

This name means ‘ridge fountain’. Randfontein in South Africa has the largest gold mine in the world. (Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Co.) which was founded in 1889.

Doornkop: 

This site marks the location where the invading force led by Dr. L. S. Jameson surrendered to the Boer forces on 2.1.1896. This expedition was known as the Jameson Raid.

     

The Chocolate Studio is the first of its kind in South Africa, offering specialised training workshops to entry level chefs, non professionals and chocolate enthusiasts. The Chocolate Studio, which is situated in shop 34 of The Design Quarter, Fourways, Johannesburg, is endorsed by Lindt's Master Swiss Chocolatiers. All creations at the studio are made with the Lindt chocolate ranges.

The workshops offer each participant an opportunity to gain insight and obtain a better understanding of the secretive world of chocolate making & its confections. Lindt chocolate lovers are able to create, ‘play’ and explore the many techniques involving chocolate during the interesting and exciting workshops.

Participants can enrol in any one of the 12 workshops on offer including Chocolate Appreciation, Dessert Tasters, Art of Truffles, Petite Desserts in a Glass, Passions Cookbook Demo, Tempering & Décor, Chocolate Confectionery, Moulding & Fillings, Advanced Chocolate & Confectionery, Hand Crafted Truffles, Showpiece Creation, Cake Creation & Décor.

The studio shop offers retail items including Lindt recipe books, fondue sets, an assortment of pralines, Lindt couverture and specific chocolate apparatus.

Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden

The Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden in South Africa is set against the backdrop of the impressive Witpoortjie waterfall and covers 225ha of landscaped gardens, lawns and natural vegetation.

The natural vegetation of the area is known as the “Rocky Highveld Grassland” and consists of a mosaic of grassland and savanna, with dense bush in kloofs and along streams.

It is home to an abundance of wildlife with over 220 birds species e.g. Verreaux’s Eagles which nest on the cliffs alongside the waterfall. There are also a number of reptiles and small mammals e.g. small antelope and jackals. There are walkways, a geological trail, a bird hide overlooking Sasol Lake, and an interpretive centre.
 

Scenic drive from Johannesburg / Pretoria to the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre
 
Barton’s Folly:  

Barton's Folly was built during the South African War in 1901 to guard the entrance to Hekpoort, a narrow kloof through the southern slopes of the Magaliesberg and formed part of a line of  blockhouses in the Magaliesberg. Its unusual shape, which differed from the typical two-storey blockhouses of the time, earned it the name Barton’s Folly.
 
Magaliesberg Mountain Range:

Its original name was the Cashan Mountains. The Magaliesberg Mountain range rises 330m above the surrounding plains and a length of 170km and is dissected by numerous kloofs with crystal-clear streams, waterfalls and pools. Animals occurring here include leopard, brown hyaena, mountain reedbuck, bushbuck, baboon etc. and is home to 150 bird species.

De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre: 

The De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre in South Africa was established in 1971 and the centre has received international recognition for its work in bringing the cheetah back from the edge of extinction.

Although notoriously difficult to breed, 600 cheetah cubs have been born. The centre is also the first to breed the rare king cheetah which is not a sub-species of the cheetah. It has also bred and released captive-born wild dogs back into the wild. Other animals seen are the brown hyaena, black-foooted cat, suni and Egyptian vulture. A 2hr guided tour is on offer to visitors.

Sterkfontein - The Cradle of Humankind in South Africa

Sterkfontein is located about a 1 hrs drive away from Johannesburg. The collective name for the fossil hominid sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and environs is Cradle of Humankind.

The Cradle of Humankind in South Africa was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. Sterkfontein is one of the richest early hominid  sites in the world and is situated in the dolomite hills north of Krugersdorp. One of the significant finds was Mrs. Ples, the first complete hominid skull (discovered in 1947) and the fossil skeleton of Little Foot, a 3,3million-year-old human-like primate unearthed in 1998. 

Excavations began in 1920 and hominid fossils, animal fossils, fossil wood and stone tools have been uncovered in 12 sites within the area.  There are guided tours to take you into the Sterkfontein cave where a number of underground chambers with magnificent stalagmites, stalactites and other flowstone formations can be seen.

Also in the area is the Wonder Cave, a huge subterranean cavern with its stalagmites and stalactites and the Old Kromdraai gold mine.

The Grahamstown History and Natural Science Museums displays fossils, settler artifacts and Xhosa dress and hut.

Pretoria National Botanical Garden

The magnificent Pretoria National Botanical Garden is located on a 35m high quartzite outcrop (Silverton Ridge) to the east of Pretoria lies the Botanical Garden.

This outcrop divides the Garden into two sections. Its frosty south-facing section and the north-facing, warmer section present two different worlds to the visitor and botanist. There are paved walkways and nature trails to view the natural vegetation with its diversity of indigenous fauna and flora and an artificial waterfall in the forest adjoining the tea garden.

The Desmond Cole Lithops Collection (succulents known as ‘flowering stones’) and the Hardy Collection of plants from Namaqualand, Madagascar and Namibia are on display.

Cullinan, Witbank, Middelburg and Boitshabelo
 
Cullinan: 

The South African town of Cullinan was developed around the Premier Diamond Mine and has beautiful terraced Victorian cottages. The famous Cullinan Diamond, 3,106-carat is the largest rough gem ever found was recovered from this mine. It was presented to King Edward VII and forms part of the British Crown Jewels.

There are a number of tours available to enter the mine shaft, hoist room and big hole. 10km north of the town is the Pretorius Agricultural Museum which is on an old farmstead dating back to 1880. View the historic house, outbuildings, stables and there are exhibits of old agricultural implements.

Witbank: 

The name Witbank (White Ridge) is named after the white sandstone outcrop where wagon transport drivers rested. It is mainly a coal mining town and the first shaft was sunk in 1896. Of historic interest, Winston Churchill hid in the mine shaft at the Transvaal and Delagoa Bay Mine after his escape from Pretoria.
 
Middelburg:

The town of Middleburg in South Africa lies in an area rich in coal deposits. Its original name in 1866 was Nazareth but renamed Middelburg in 1874. Places of interest are the White Church, built in 1890 for the Dutch Reformed Church, the concentration camp cemeteries south of the town and on Kanonkop, and the sandstone Meyer Bridge built in 1895 over the Little Olifants River.

Botshabelo: 

In 1865 this town was established as a mission station, it is a Sotho name meaning ‘place of refuge’. It is 8km from Middelburg. The main attraction is the South Ndebele open-air museum with displays of Ndebele history and culture. A living museum depicts the development of Ndebele architecture from the early dome-shaped grass homesteads to mud-walled homes with their famous mural decorations. Guided tours are available. A nature reserve surrounds the mission and can be explored along day walks.
 

Tswaing Crater and Bela-Bela Warmbaths
 
Tswaing Crater: 

The famous Tswaing Crater in South Africa is the best-preserved meteorite impact crater in the world which was formed 220,000 years ago. The diameter is just over 1km and it has a depth of about 120m.

A brine lake lies in the centre of the crater. The Tswana name means ‘place of salt’. A guided tour is offered but displays on the natural and cultural history is on site. Visit the Tswaing Crater Museum and view the living village of the Ndebele culture.

Bela-Bela / Warmbaths: 

Bela-Bela / Warmbaths is world renowned as a holiday and health destination. Its original name was Hartingsburg but in 1920 it was renamed Warmbad (warm bath) after a hot spring surfaced and once again renamed to Bela-Bela which means ‘boiling boiling’ in North Sotho.

The hot mineral springs bubble out of the earth at about 22,000 litres per hour and the temperature is 53oC and is rich in sodium chloride, calcium carbonate and other mineral salts that have healing properties. The spring resort, has a hydro spa, outdoor pool complex, water slides, wave pool and river ride. Cable water-skiing is one of many leisure and recreational activities on offer.  

Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa:

A Pretoria landmark, the Sir Herbert Baker designed Union Building complex is the official seat of South Africa's government, housing the Presidency and Department of Foreign Affairs. Set on its very own acropolis of Meintjieskop – the highest point of the city – and surrounded by a lovely terraced garden that is open to the public.

The Union Buildings in Pretoria are the seat of the South African government. The building is 275m long and was designed by Sir H. Baker. It is the official residence of the presidency and parliament is held here during the winter months, during the summer months it is held in Cape Town. The view over the city is magnificent.

Location:

Church Street, Arcadia, Pretoria, South Africa

An architectural icon that commemorates the early pioneering days of South Africa and the history of the Afrikaner people. Designed by architect Gerard Moerdijk, the massive monument stands as an architectural translation of the Great Trek and the lives of the Voortrekkers. The site contains a number of significant attractions, including a wall of remembrance, a Heritage Centre and Fort Schanskop.

Location:

Eeufees Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria

Telephone number:

012 326 6770