Pre and post-tours

International delegates arriving after a long-haul flight are especially encouraged to spend a day or two visiting the province’s main attractions before the meeting, conference or event, or before heading back home. 

 

Delegates may prefer to head off to venues that lie outside Gauteng – such as taking in a tour of the Cape Winelands, or going on a bush safari in the Kruger National Park – but should be advised that Gauteng offers a variety of things to see and do that are uniquely South African and don’t require hours of travel time. 

 

Domestic travellers spending a day or two in the province are similarly encouraged to spend more time in Gauteng before heading back to their respective hometowns. The province offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences that are easily accessible, affordable and distinctly South African. 

 

Those business travellers who don’t have much spare time need not despair. There is still plenty to do and see within Gauteng’s metropolitan areas. Top attractions include a visit to Constitution Hill in Johannesburg or Freedom Park in Pretoria; a few hours’ shopping in the Sandton CBD or at the Menlyn Shopping Centre in Tshwane; some quiet hours spent outside at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in Johannesburg, or at the Union Buildings in Tshwane; or a delicious lunch in Johannesburg’s Newtown precinct followed by a tour of SAB’s World of Beer.

 

For soccer fanatics, a tour of the world-famous Soccer City Complex in Nasrec – site of the FIFA 2010 World Cup final and opening ceremony – is a must.  

 

For daytrips with a difference, why not head out of the city and explore some of Gauteng’s alternative venues. Internationally renowned as a top tourism attraction, Soweto offers the business traveller a day submerged in the historic, cultural and linguistic melting pot of one of Gauteng’s oldest townships. With bus tours, cycle tours, and now even tours on quad bike, delegates wanting to visit Soweto’s historic memorials and museums are spoilt for choice.

 

Other features around Gauteng include outings to the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and its visitor centre, Maropeng. Here visitors can interact with and explore a World Heritage facility that remains partially accessible to the public. The venue offers fantastic tours of the Sterkfontein Caves, and a guided excursion through the incredible fossil remains found in the area. 

 

Why not head out over the Magaliesberg mountain range in a hot air balloon and get a bird’s-eye view of the Cradle of Humankind? With AirVentures and Bill Harrop’s Balloon Tours both operating in the vicinity of the Cradle, visitors have the option of two vendors and a variety of balloon choices. The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve is nearby too.

 

Travellers who journey just outside of Gauteng are in for a treat – superb tourism experiences lie just around the corner. Nearby is the Lesedi Cultural Village for an authentic African experience; as well as the Hartbeespoort Dam and nearby snake park, cheetah centre, elephant sanctuary, arts and crafts outlets, restaurants and markets.

 

Also close to Gauteng lie the magnificent Sun City resort and the malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park.