JOHANNESBURG & PRETORIA (Gauteng)

Johannesburg (aka “Jo-burg”?), famously known as the City of Gold or “Egoli” to some, due to its former status as many a gold-mining prospector’s dream, is still a sprawling, bustling & fascinating city with so much to offer and as such indeed remains South Africa’s commercial hub.
Apart from its beautiful climate, endless-energetic & multi-cultural vibe, there are also many wonderful restaurants, relaxed cafes, huge shopping malls such as Sandton City, Nelson Mandela Square, Rosebank Mall and Soweto’s Maponya Mall, large and busy townships, interesting museums, including the Apartheid Museum, the Hector Petersen Museum and Constitution Hill ,stunning galleries, exciting nightclubs & casinos, and much, much more!
Yet, amongst all the modern, contemporary or classic built-environment, there are still over six million trees – a veritable man-made forest spread out.
And not to be missed is Gold Reef City .This is a theme park and casino located on the very site of an authentic 19th century gold mine, which now depicts Jo-burg historically during the gold-rush era.
Or maybe take an organized tour of SOWETO (- an abbreviated form of the words “South Western Township”), one of the 33 townships originally established as temporary dormitories for predominantly African workers, which is not only famous as having been a key pivotal site & cradle for many of South Africa’s Oppression Liberators and their struggles that prevailed in yesteryear, but also because of the unique cultural experiences it still has to offer to this very day and for many to come.
Then, further out of the City, is the Cradle of Humankind, the archaeological site of some of the world’s oldest hominid remains, together with the renowned Sterkfontein Caves, as well as the charming country village of Magaliesburg are a few other must-visit sites none-too-far.
Or going yet further northwards, from Pretoria(the capital of South Africa), extending into the Dinokeng tourism region, lies the quaint diamond mining town of Cullinan, also with its own rich history, which will intrigue many a curious visitor.