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GAUTENG |
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The name Gauteng derives from the Sotho/Setswana
word meaning "Place of Gold" as much of the wealth of this province has come
from this precious metal. Gauteng is undoubtedly the shopping mecca of South
Africa. Being among the world’s largest producers of gold and diamonds,
jewellery and precious stones shops are abundant and affordable. |
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TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: |
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1 Johannesburg:
The city is the technological and financial forerunner of
Africa, South Africa's premier business destination and,
including Soweto, home to more than five million people. A place
not to be missed in Johannesburg is the Apartheid museum, an
extraordinarily powerful museum, certain to become one of
Johannesburg's most important tourist attractions.
2 Gold
Reef City: Has been described as one of the most
extraordinary and unique theme park complexes in the world. The
gold Reef City Hotel therefore fits in perfectly. This prominent
5-star hotel has been designed in a grand house, luxurious
style. Visits down an old mine shaft is part of the unique
experience offered.
3 Soweto:
Soweto is a famous former township from the times of Apartheid.
Starting about 15 km away from the centre of Johannesburg, it
comprises some 63 sq. km, where an estimated three million
people live. Soweto is a city of contrasts
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with luxurious mansions across the road
from tin shanties, and green fields and streams around the
corner from piles of garbage. Places of interest include Nelson
Mandela's House, the modest bungalow where Mandela and his
former wife Winnie lived in the 1950s and early 1960s before he
went to prison.
4 Sandton:
Only twenty years ago, Sandton, north of Johannesburg, was an
open strip of highveld used largely for horse riding. It is now
the Gauteng property of choice, a sophisticated, upmarket suburb
featuring expensive shops, world-class hotels and Johannesburg's
most illustrious corporate addresses. Sandton City offers
the ultimate shopping experience. The
Village Walk Shopping
Centre is a
quaint centre designed in a Neapolitan style and features
stylish shops, coffeehouses and cinemas.
5 Hartbeespoort
Dam: An extremely popular area south of the Magaliesberg
range, with the Hartbeesport Dam its major attraction.
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The Dam, with its
spectacular scenery and proximity to Johannesburg and Pretoria,
is the principal water recreation area of
the Northern Gauteng
province. The area offers a haven of hiking trails, craft shops
and cultural villages.
6 Cradle
of Humankind: Only 45 minutes drive from Johannesburg,
nestling in the peaceful Sterkfontein valley, lies the Cradle of
Humankind - a World Heritage Site - and the world's richest
hominid site. This ancient cave system has over the years
revealed a sequence of deposits with fossils dating from about
3.5 to 1.5 million years ago.
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7 Wonder
Cave: The Wonder Cave is located in the internationally
known valley of Kromdraai, amidst famous palae ontological sites
containing the oldest relics of mankind. This natural wonder,
only open to the public since 1991, boasts an enormous single
chamber which one enters by elevator beside walls decorated with
beautiful
formations up to 15m
high.
8 Heia
Safari Ranch: An authentic Zulu village built entirely
with materials imported from Zululand. Set on a game reserve of
1000ha w h i c h n e s t l e s snuggly at the foot of the
Swartkop Mountains. Twenty two game species find their home in
this unspoiled African bushveld. For bird lovers 176 species
have been recorded.
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9 The
Blue Train: Traversing South Africa's varied landscapes
along four alternative routes, the train combines all the
comfort and luxury of a five-star hotel with an unparalleled
journey. The uncompromising elegance of the train offers the
discerning traveller a luxury journey in a timeless world of
grace and romance, where some of the world's most dramatic
scenery stirs the imagination. Routes include Cape Town -
Pretoria - Cape Town: 1600km - 26 hours / 1 night; and Cape Town
- Port Elizabeth - Cape Town: 1068km - 40 hours / 2 nights.
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