Lesedi Cultural Village
Yes, South Africa is famous for the Kruger National Park, Table Mountain, Cape Town, the Winelands and the Cradle of Humankind, the World Heritage Site near Johannesburg.
But if you want to do more than just see famous places, if you would like to meet the people – particularly if you have a tight time schedule – then you can’t do better than visit Lesedi Cultural Village.
When Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu – a beloved South African icon – first christened South Africa the “Rainbow Nation”, he was referring particularly to its peoples and their varying cultures. From the proud and warlike Zulu and politically astute Xhosa, to the Afrikaners, the English and the Coloured people of the Cape, South Africa has a rich diversity of people and cultures.
Did you know that South Africa is the only country in the world to have 11 official languages?
Lesedi Cultural Village is set amidst rocky hills and bushveld less than an hour’s drive from Johannesburg on the way to Sun City. When you visit, you won’t get to see all the cultures, but you’ll have close and personal contact with five of them – the Zulus, the Xhosa, the Pedi, the colourful Ndebele people and the mountain people, the Basotho.
Expect a warm welcome, a unique experience, an amazing overnight stay (although you can also take a day trip) and to be touched intellectually and emotionally. You’ll meet real people (not actors in fancy dress), go into real homes where people live, and listen to these people tell you about their individual cultures and daily lives.
This is how it unfolds if you opt for an overnight stay. You arrive in the late afternoon, and are taken to the particular homestead where you will be staying. Don’t be alarmed if you see a traditional beehive hut – inside it’s luxurious with all mod cons. Shaka Zulu, the great Zulu king and warrior supreme would certainly not have recognised such comfort. You’ll meet the head of the household, who will then be your host and guide for the rest of your stay.
Then all the guests from the different homesteads make their way to the Ndebele village, where you’ll be given a rousing and enthusiastic welcome to Lesedi by all its inhabitants. This is followed by a short, but comprehensive, audio-visual presentation that introduces you to South Africa’s history and peoples.
Your friendly and knowledgeable host will take you on a guided tour of all the homesteads before it’s back to your “own” village for a wash and brush-up.
As the African sun sets (in itself a spectacular sight), prepare yourself for one of the highlights of your trip when you go into the Ingoma – the dance boma – to watch some of the best African dancing you will see anywhere in South Africa. It really is, as one guest put it, “a fantastic, amazing experience”. And when the drumming and the rhythms get to you, join in.
The dancing is followed by an eclectic African feast. Choose potjiekos – a traditional meat stew cooked in a black cast-iron pot with samp (maize porridge) and beans – or chops, boerewors (beef sausage), steak or chicken from the braai; or test your taste buds and try crocodile, kudu or warthog.
There’s a great craft market for those last-minute curios and handmade local arts and crafts.
Yes, inevitably it is a bit “touristy”, but Lesedi Cultural Village is unique. Expect possibly the best authentic African experience in the country, one that provides warmth, depth and insight into our Rainbow Nation and its colourful diversity of cultures.
Admission
Rates are approximate.
Full home stay R1500 p/p sharing.
Day visitor R400 with full cultural experience, dance and lunch
Dance and lunch; dance and dinner R250 p/p.
Visiting hours
Monati Experience, the morning experience, begins at 11h30.
The Boma Experience, the evening experience, begins at 16h30.
Directions
Lesedi Cultural Village is on the R512 (the Lanseria Road) north of Johannesburg (and West of Pretoria) on the main route to Sun City and Hartbeespoort Dam.
Contact details
Tel: +27 (0)12 205 1394
Tel: +27 (0)87 940 9933
Cell: +27 (0)71 507 1447
Fax: +27 (0)86 515 0084
www.lesedi.com
In the neighbourhood
Sun City
Pilanesburg National Park
De Wildt Cheetah & Wildlife Centre
The Lion Park