|
 Gauteng,
the 'place of gold' is South Africa's smallest province and
home to over 15 million people. This sprawling metropolitan
area is the country's economic powerhouse and its network
of cities and towns present an unrivalled experience of Africa
in the 21st century.
Its colourful history includes the origins of early man,
the adventures of the first trekkers, the heady gold rush
days and more recently the struggle against apartheid echoed
in the dusty streets of Sharpeville and Soweto.
The mountains and plains here were once the home of the
Basotho, Tswana and Pedi peoples but today, Gauteng is a
place of many
contrasts. Its western face of modern skyscrapers, bustling
freeways and peaceful suburbia lives side by side with shanty
towns, African markets and the chaotic energy of a young
democracy hungry for progress.
This melting pot of people from all walks of life has created
a rich tapestry of urban cultural experiences intricately
woven into the markets, theatres, music venues, restaurants
and museums that give the traveller a true taste of life in
South Africa today.
Ask the locals and they will guide you to a wide range of
cuisine from all over Africa, Asia, Europe and the
Middle East. In Gauteng, people love going out on the town and they
will always enthusiatically recommend their favourite restaurant,
coffee shop, Jazz or nightclub.
Visit the Market Precinct in downtown Johannesburg for African
sounds and local theatre. Kippie's Jazz Club is one of the
best venues to catch home grown jazz sounds. For a real authentic
African vibe try Wandie's Joint in Dube, Soweto - sit around
communal tables and soak up jazz, soul and blues.
Shop for originals from all over Africa at the African Flea
Market or Rooftop Market in Rosebank. Gauteng also features
an astounding selection of large modern shopping
malls where
you can buy anything from designer fashion and gourmet food
to original art and furniture or the latest high-tech electronic
goods.
Seek insights into the history of 'The Struggle' at the
Apartheid Museum or Hector Peterson Memorial. The Johannesburg
Art Gallery and sculpture park hosts regular exhibitions featuring the
European Masters, traditional African artists and cutting
edge contemporary local works, and is just one of a multitude
of mainstream and fringe art venues around the city.
Johannesburg also has a rich and diverse architectural
heritage which can be enjoyed on tours like Strolling through Parktown
with Herbert Baker or A walk down Victorian Parktown. If
you love the luxury and decadence of the Art Deco style,
the city
has many fine examples of buildings from this period.
See the big cats really close up at the Lion and
Rhino Park just a short drive from Johannesburg or visit the De Wildt
Cheetah Research Station near the scenic Hartbeespoort
Dam.
For nature lovers, the ancient Magaliesberg Mountains has
unique rock formations, plunging waterfalls, clear streams
and many indigenous flora species.
Go back 2 million years and visit Ples, a distant relative
of Homo Sapiens at The Cradle of Humankind. This World
Heritage Site has been nominated for its rich diversity of fossils
of our human ancestors. There are currently over 200 caves
spread across the 47 000 hectare area, with 13 fossil sites
which have been extensively examined. A large variety of stone
tools such as axes and scrapers have also been discovered.
The valley is a popular tourist destination and also boasts
a number of nature and game reserves, trout farms, horse and
nature trails and arts and crafts venues.
Of geological interest is the the Tswaing Meteorite
Impact Crater just north of Pretoria. This is one of the most recent
and best-preserved meteorite impact craters in the world where
over 200 000 years ago a meteor travelling at 80 000km an
hour crashed into the earth with a force estimated to equal
65 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs.
| Gauteng
- selected destinations |
Hartebeespoort
Dam - watersports
Johannesburg - city of gold
Magaliesberg - mountains and nature
Market Precinct - art and theatre
Melville - trendy cafè society suburb
|
|
Parktown
- historical buildings
Sterkfontein - Cradle of Humankind
Soweto - township life
Tswaing - meteorite crater
Tswane - the seat of government |
|
More Info - http://www.gauteng.net |
Freestate 
