If you want to get out and about, here are things to tempt you...
- Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre
Formerly De Wildt, this centre is 15 minutes north-east of Hartbeespoort Dam and offers guided tours where visitors learn about cheetah, caracal, the African wild dog... and cat. The Shingwedzi Ranch, 58km from Bela Bela and 160km north of Pretoria, boasts a panoramic view of the Hoekberge. Vegetation is broad-leaf bushveld, and game is varied and plentiful.
Phone 012 504 9906/7/8, cheetah@ dewildt.co.za; www.dewildt.co.za
- Hartbeespoort Dam
Surrounded by the Magaliesberg Mountains, the dam offers all water sports plus paragliding, hang-gliding and hot-air ballooning. There is an aquarium, a private zoo with snake park, elephant sanctuary, monkey sanctuary and predator park. There are craft markets too, and it's only an hour from Joburg.
Phone 012 253 1567; [email protected]; www.hartbeespoortdam.com
- Pilanesberg Hot-Air Ballooning
Airtrackers operates in one of the most beautiful hot-air balloon locations. View the Big Five - lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. Daily trips, weather permitting.
Phone 014 552 5020; [email protected]; www.airtrackers.co.za
- Lesedi Cultural Village
A showcase for the cultures of certain South African tribes, highlighting traditional ways of life.
Phone: 087 940 9933
- Madikwe Game Reserve
A Big Five game reserve covering about 75 000ha. The rich diversity of vegetation ensures a wide range of game and the topography offers ideal game-viewing.
Phone: 018 350 9931;
- Pilanesberg National Park
There are nearly 200km of excellent roads for self-drives or guided drives. Numerous hides and scenic picnic sites enable the tourist to experience unspoilt bushveld out of the car. A number of rare minerals occur in the park and the presence of early man can be seen in Stone and Iron Age sites throughout the park.
Phone 014 555 1600
- Sun City Resort
Sun City, unique in the context of world resorts, with a combination of features unmatched anywhere, draws thousands of visitors each year to its four top-quality hotels, a Vacation Club, plus magnificent sporting and recreational facilities, including two world-class golf courses, the Lost City water-park and The Valley of the Waves. Only 187km from Johannesburg, the resort is surrounded by the imposing mountains of the Pilanesberg. Sun City has been awarded Gold Classification by the Heritage Programme for being an environmentally friendly destination committed to the principles of sustainable and responsible environmental practice.
- This information is taken from South Africa 2010 Travel Guru, published by 30 degrees South