Things to do in

Pretoria

Visit Pilanesberg Game Reserve on a full-day safari from Johannesburg. More than 7000 animals roam freely through Pilanesberg, and the park is home to all of the big five game animals (elephants, rhinos, leopards, buffalos and lions). You may encounter zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, jackals, wild cats, various antelopes, as well as over 300 species of bird. On your tour you will enjoy 2 extensive game drives, conducted by an experienced tour guide. After collecting you from your hotel or residence in Johannesburg between 6:00 AM and 6:30 AM, you will travel to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Upon arrival, your guide will take you on an exciting 2.5-hour morning safari in search of animals that inhabit the park.  During the heat of the day, you will enjoy lunch at one of the many rest camps in the Game Reserve. After lunch, you will depart on another 2.5-hour afternoon safari drive in an open vehicle. Ask your knowledgeable guide any questions you might have about the animals and the natural environment. You will leave Pilanesberg between 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM in order to arrive back in Johannesburg before sunset, where you will be dropped off at your hotel.

Get back to nature in Kruger National Park and look for wild animals by open safari vehicle by day and at night. Day 1: Depart Johannesburg and drive by air-conditioned microbus through the Elands Valley to Nelspruit. Marvel at the citrus farms along the way. Then, enter Kruger National Park in time for lunch. Spend the afternoon on a game drive looking for elephants, giraffes, and antelopes in their natural environment. Rest at camp and relax in your en-suite chalet. Enjoy drinks before dinner in the private restaurant. Day 2: Wake at dawn to listen to the birds before going in search of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo). Enjoy a hearty breakfast, then continue to a waterhole to see hippos, crocodiles, and birds before returning to your camp for a nap or afternoon swim. Later, leave the lodge to look for wildlife until late in the afternoon. Stop at one of the restaurants inside the park to have some lunch, then continue tracking wildlife. In the evening, head back to the lodge to relax and start looking at the photos you've taken so far on the trip. Day 3: Depart on an early morning game drive looking for elusive species lurking in the bush. Get some time to shop before your homeward journey. Enjoy amazing views of the farmlands of Schoemans Kloof and stop for lunch in Highveld. Arrive back at the airport for your onward flight or continue to your hotel.

Get a glimpse into a fascinating part of South Africa's history with a visit to the famous Cullinan diamond mines, operated for many years by the De Beers mining company. Take a trip to the mine which is situated 40km east of Pretoria in a town called Cullinan. The tour covers the history of the mine and geological processes that are responsible for the creation of diamonds. Learn about the discovery of the administrative capital known for it's Jacaranda-lined avenues, fascinating architecture and historical monuments such as Paul Kruger House, built in 1884.  Visit the Voortrekker Monument situated in Pretoria in a nature reserve - a monument that commemorates the history of South Africa and the history of the Afrikaaners. Whilst here also take a peek at the Union buildings with an experienced guide who will explain their history and function. 

Explore the Cullinan Diamond Mine on a guided surface tour and discover the source of large, high-quality gem diamonds, including Type II stones, as well as being the world’s most important source of very rare blue diamonds. Cullinan earned its place in history with the discovery of the Cullinan diamond in 1905, the largest rough gem diamond ever found at 3,106 carats, which was cut to form the two most important diamonds in the British Crown Jewels. Many of the world’s most famous diamonds herald from Cullinan, and it continues to produce world-class diamonds under Petra’s stewardship. The Cullinan orebody contains a major diamond resource of 195 Mcts, suggesting a potentially long life for the operation of +50 years. After visiting the mine, you will get the opportunity to visit the Cullinan Diamond Mine market for an unforgettable diamond and jewelry shopping experience.

On this half day tour, you will learn about the fascinating history of South Africa during a Pretoria city experience. Pretoria is the capital of South Africa and full of historic sites like the Union Buildings, headquarters of the government. The buildings are beautifully situated in terraced gardens, through which you can enjoy an idyllic walk. Enjoy a visit to the Voortrekker Monument, a monument of great significance to many Afrikaans-speaking South Africans because it stands for Afrikaner Nationalism. The interior walls depict the story of the Great Trek, a mass movement of Afrikaner Boers who resented British rule. Next, you can visit the Paul Kruger House Museum where you can learn more about this fascinating man and his life. The house displays furniture and personal items of the Kruger family. Pretoria has character in its buildings and during this city architecture tour, you will be given ample opportunity to ask your guide about the history behind the buildings and culture. Visit Church Square, the Ou Raadsaal, Palace of Justice and Capital Theatre.

Pretoria city is the administrative capital of South Africa and is known as the "Jacaranda City”, mainly for its jacaranda-lined avenues and fascinated architecture. Whilst here you can visit historical monuments such as the Paul Kruger house which was built in 1884. Paul Kruger was the leading man in the Transvaal War against Britain between 1889-1891. Paul Kruger was then elected the President of the Zui-Afrikaansche Republiek and took up residence at Kruger House in Pretoria. The Voortrekker Monument is situated in Pretoria in a nature reserve, it is a Monument that commemorates the history of South Africa and the history of the Afrikaners, not forgetting the Union Buildings which house the offices of the president and are located in Tshwane. Union Building is not situated in the center of Pretoria, but is situated rather in the highest point of Pretoria and is a South African national heritage site.

After morning pickup from your accommodation in Johannesburg or Pretoria, you’ll head out to the Lion Park. Your registered tour guide will take you on a tour through the Lion Park, a natural habitat only 45 minutes drive from Johannesburg. The park is home to more than 85 lions, including the rare white lion, among other carnivores like the cheetah, hyena, and wild dog. You’ll also make a stop at Cub World, where you can cuddle baby lions. Afterwards, you’ll head in to Pretoria for a city tour. The capital of South Africa, Pretoria is home to a bevy of historic sites. Visit the Union Buildings, headquarters of the South African government, and wander through the beautifully terraced gardens. Then it’s off to the Voortrekker Monument, which commemorates the Great Trek, a mass movement of Afrikaner Boers who resented British rule. Next on the itinerary is the Paul Kruger House Museum, which showcases artifacts related to Paul Kruger, the 3rd president of South Africa from 1883-1900. Before the tour ends, you’ll view some of the architectural standouts of the city, like the Ou Raadsaal, Palace of Justice, and Capital Theater. Afterwards, you’ll be driven back to your accommodation, having seen the urban and rural highlights of a vibrant capital city.

Start your historical day tour ready to know what transpired back in those days and how it has shaped the current dynamic Rainbow nation. Head to Pretoria just over 30 kilometers from Johannesburg making your way to the first stop, the Voortrekker Museum, where you'll get to know the history of the Afrikaaners people of South Africa. Learn more about the monument and why it was built the way it is. From there, you'll drive through the beautiful town of Pretoria, also known as Tswane. Visit the Union Building, which currently houses the president of South Africa and get a splendid view of Pretoria and find a perfect place to take photos. Continue onto Soweto, where you will get to see the 1976 Youth Uprising by visiting the famous Hector Peterson Museum and also visit the house of the South African apartheid hero Nelson Mandela on Vilakazi Street. The Nelson Mandela House has been set up to reflect its original setting from the the time he left prison. Afterwards, head to the Apartheid Museum, where you will get the fine print of what actually transpired during those apartheid days and conclude your tour by passing through Johannesburg as you head back to your hotel.

Discover Pretoria on a half-day tour of the city. Visit the most significant historical monuments and learn the history behind the city that was once the capital of the South African Republic and today serves as the official seat of the South African Government. Start your private tour with a convenient hotel pickup and head to your first stop on your sightseeing tour of Pretoria, the Voortrekker Monument. Delve into the history of South Africa's pioneers and learn about the principal event in the Afrikaners' history, the Great Trek. View the sculptures that portray the long journey the Dutch-speaking settlers embarked on when they left the Cape Colony to migrate to the interior of the country in 1835. The next stop on your tour is the Kruger Museum. Travel back in time as you explore the original home of Paul Kruger, President of the former Transvaal Boer Republic. See the exhibitions that illustrate his struggle for freedom from British Imperialism, his journey to Europe, and his exile. Head to Church Square for your next stop. Learn about the history and significance of this location and its surrounding buildings, including the Palace of Justice. End your tour on a high note with a stop at the Union Buildings, the official seat of the South African Government. These buildings also house the offices of the President of South Africa. 

Day 1: JohannesburgYour South African sightseeing tour begins in Johannesburg at the Radisson Blu Four-Star Hotel. From here, travel to Pretoria to visit the Voortrekker Monument where you'll learn about the history of the Afrikaners and the Great Trek. Drive through the beautiful city of Pretoria and pass by Church Square before heading to the Union Buildings, the seat of the South African Government, for a photoshoot. See the iconic Nelson Mandela statue while here. Next stop, Soweto. Visit the Hector Pieterson Museum and Mandela House before wrapping up your first day with a visit to the Apartheid Museum. Day 2: JohannesburgDepart from the Radisson Blu Hotel and head to the Cradle of Humankind. Located about 50 kilometers from Johannesburg, the Cradle of Humankind is one of eight places in South Africa listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Sterkfontein Caves where the 2.3-million-year-old fossil Australopithecus africanus was unearthed in 1947, and see the Maropeng Visitor Center, a world-class exhibition that was opened in 2005 and focuses on the development of hominins. Day 3: Cape TownGet picked up from the Radisson Blu Hotel in Johannesburg in the morning and travel to Cape Town. On arrival in Cape Town, embark on a full-day tour that takes you around the entire Cape Peninsula. Discover the wonders of Cape Town, from the pristine beaches to the spectacular sight of Cape Point, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Your day also includes a visit to the sensational Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Day 4: Cape TownStart your day with another convenient pickup from the Radisson Blu Four-Star Hotel in Cape Town and set out on a full-day wine tour. Start in Stellenbosch and make your way through the best Winelands in the Cape. Take part in an optional wine tasting. Day 5: Cape TownSpend the final day of your tour on a full-day safari in a beautiful private game reserve. See South African wildlife in its natural habitat. The reserve is home to over 1,200 species including lions, cheetahs, black rhino, eland, leopards, the Cape clawless otter, and many more. Enjoy the prolific birdlife in the park, which includes the African fish eagle, black-breasted snake eagle, giant kingfisher, Cape vulture, Cape eagle owl, flamingo, ostrich, secretary bird, sacred ibis, spotted eagle owl, black stork, barn owl, and jackal buzzard to name just a few. Your tour concludes with a return flight to OR Tambo International Airport.