Rich wildlife, untamed natural beauty and sunflowers swaying in the wind. – these are only some of the attractions that draw visitors to the Eastern region of the North West. Travel a short distance from the bustling cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg in Gauteng to another world, a place where nature, wildlife and adventure reign. Choose from a range of activities, such as water sport, mountaineering, hang-gliding, parasailing, abseiling, hiking, angling, yachting, ballooning and travelling on the cableway. The culture and history of the region is also refreshingly different. This part of the province is also blessed with mineral riches that support some of the world’s largest mines.
27 July 2015
Brits (including Babalegi and Beestekraal)
This small town lies in a fertile, citrus-producing area that receives irrigation water from the Hartbeespoort Dam. Brits was founded in 1924 on the farm Roode Kopjes and named after its owner, Gert Brits. Adventure And Sport Angling: Carp, yellowfish and barbell are caught at the Vaalkop Dam that also has camping facilities. Rooikoppies Dam is another popular angling spot. Brits Golf Club: Enjoy a relaxing game of golf at the Brits Golf Club. Finfoot Lake Reserve: Finfoot Lake Reserve at Beestekraal offers comfortable accommodation. Canoeing, game drives, swimming, mountain biking, angling, barge cruising and bush walks are popular activities. Hiking at Borakalalo National Park: Borakalalo National Park is situated some 60 km north of Brits and is one of the reserves most accessible to the Johannesburg and Pretoria areas. Part of the park is zoned for wilderness trails. The day walk area in the reserve is the epitome of beauty and tranquillity. The hiking routes range from easy to difficult and can take anything from between two to five days to complete, depending on the route chosen. One example is the Swarthoek overnight hike that offers accommodation in huts and at a campsite. Swarthoek also has a 16 km […]
27 July 2015
Broederstroom
Broederstroom lies in the Daspoortrand area in the foothills of the Magaliesberg and was founded in 1903 when the Jallapor family opened a trading post here. The name means “Brother‘s stream” in Afrikaans. The town is a popular tourist stop because it is close to the Hartbeespoort Dam. Adventure And Sport Phalandingwe Nature Trail: Make it a personal adventure and explore the Phalandingwe Nature Trail on foot. Cultural/Community Tourism Lesedi Cultural Village: Lesedi, the “place of light”, is a multi-cultural village set among the pristine bushveld of the Broederstroom area less than an hour’s drive north of Johannesburg. Four traditional homesteads (Xhosa, Zulu, Pedi, and Basotho) still function as in Africa of old. Accept the invitation extended by the Zulu warrior in his rounded beehive hut, the proud Xhosa in his perfectly thatched rondavel, the friendly Pedi and his rhythmic drums and whistle music and the mountain-dwelling Basotho with his trademark coloured blankets. While your hosts lead you through their homesteads, they will teach you about their culture, history, legends and tribal folklore. Tourists can overnight in traditional huts that provide all the comforts of home, including a comfortable bed and a beautiful private bathroom. Most meals at Lesedi are […]
27 July 2015
Garankuwa (including Jericho and Mabopane)
Garankuwa was founded on a communal cattle-grazing farm. Today it has developed into a fully-fledged town that supports a large population. Medunsa, the only university in South Africa dedicated solely to medical training, and the Garankuwa Hotel & Catering Training Centre are in the area. Fauna And Flora Borakalalo National Park: The name of the Borakalalo National Park near Jericho means ‘place of relaxation’. What a perfect way to describe the 15 000 ha woodland and open bush land flanked by the Moretele River. Within the reserve animals that have long since vanished from the area have been reintroduced into their natural. Inhabitants of the reserve include elephant, leopard, jackal, aardwolf, zebra and otter. The Park also sustains as many as 350 species of Bird. Kokoriba Game Reserve: The small Kokoriba Game Reserve near Jericho offers comfortable accommodation and walks for those who would like to explore the area on foot. Tswaing Crater History And Architecture Tswaing Crater Museum: The Tswaing Crater Museum is a satellite museum of the South African National Cultural History Museum. The crater was formed when a meteorite collided with the earth some 220 000 years ago. Beautiful treed grass fields surround the crater and numerous […]
27 July 2015
Hartbeespoort
This is probably the most popular area within the Magaliesberg range. The Hartbeespoort Dam is undoubtedly the area’s major attraction. The dam, with its spectacular scenery and close proximity to Johannesburg and Pretoria, is regarded as a principal venue for Northern Gauteng water sport enthusiasts. There are many hiking trails, bird sanctuaries, and a snake park and animal park near the dam. Adventure And Sport African Water Safaris: African Water Safaris are popular among visitors since they allow them to enjoy a leisurely lunch while they cruise the dam in a floating restaurant. Eagle Cove Hiking Trail: The Eagle Cove day circular hikes feature the unique opportunity to climb down steel ladders into valleys where you can swim in natural waterholes. The base camp can accommodate 20 people and has ablution and barbecue facilities and a waterhole next to the camp. Hang-gliding: The Hartbeespoort cable trip up the mountain is an adventure in own right and most people prefer to get up the mountain in this way. However, it is also the means to an end to many who wish to ride up the mountain only to step off it again, it is to be hoped with hang-gliding equipment strapped […]
Ipe Tombe Guest Lodge
Ipe Tombe was designed and built along the lines of a mini hotel yet offers the warmth and charm associated with an owner-run guest house.
