Johannesburg is the pulsating heart of South Africa's commercial life. Pretoria is the gracious capital of South Africa, famous for its flowering jacaranda trees.
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Johannesburg is the pulsating heart of South Africa's industrial and commercial life. Here, more than a mile below the city traffic, miners still dig for the world's most precious metal; gold. If you need to spend a night or two here, there's plenty to on offer. This includes the Apartheid Museum, Soweto, Constitution Hill and Pretoria. You can even be active and take a cycling tour through the township of Soweto.
Other attractions include botanical gardens, museums and art galleries. Johannesburg is also known for its world-class design in gold and diamond jewellery, ethnic fashion, and contemporary art galleries. Contact your Cedarberg consultant for Johannesburg touring ideas.
As the economic powerhouse of Africa, Jozi (as it is affectionately known) is a great multi-cultural melting pot of people from all over the continent. It is a cosmopolitan, colourful and bustling city. It's not known for its natural beauty. However the prosperous northern suburbs are full of beautiful oak and jacaranda trees. A surprising fact is that Johannesburg has the most trees per square hectare of any capital city in the world.
Plus there's also a great selection of Johannesburg accommodation. Choose either contemporary hotel adjacent to the major shopping areas of Sandton. Or more intimate hotels set in established gardens with oodles of character.
Quick Tip
If you are arriving in Joberg in the late afternoon and flying out the following morning, then we recommend one of the airport hotels. Jozi traffic is something to avoid if possible!
Often overshadowed by Johannesburg, few people know that Pretoria is actually South Africa’s administrative capital. Pretoria is justly famous for its Jacaranda trees and so the best time to visit is in the spring (October/November) when the whole city is purple with blossom. There's also a lot of history here. Some Pretoria highlights include the Botanical Gardens, Church Square, the Union buildings and the (infamous) Voortrekker monument. We can arrange a half day guided tour of the main historical tours sites.
From Pretoria, it’s easy to visit nearby pretty Magaliesberg country area or the Cradle of Humankind world heritage site. Take a tour to a working diamond mine or see some of the historical sights of the city.
The beautiful rolling hills of Magaliesberg lie only an hour's drive from Johannesburg. Thus it makes a great rural alternative to Johannesburg. Especially if you want to relax for a couple of nights at the end of your South Africa safari.
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