Pretoria, South Africa

Things to do

The Voortrekker Monument commemorates the Pioneer history of Southern Africa and the history of the Afrikaner, in a picturesque setting it's one of the top ten cultural historical visitor attractions in South Africa.

Visit the World Heritage Site 50 km from Johannesburg, known as the Cradle of Humankind inside some 300 caves palaeoanthropologist have discovered thousands of fossils of hominids and other animals, dating back about 4 million years.

Around 40km north of Pretoria is the Tswaing Nature Reserve, home to a number of wild animals and a variety of birds, trees and plants, but it is also the place of a 220 000 year old meteorite impact crater.

Out and about

At the centre of the city is Church Square, home to a number of the city's finest historical buildings including a large bronze statue of former president Paul Kruger and the Palace of Justice where Nelson Mandela amongst others were accused of treason.

There are a number of shopping centres in Pretoria, each offering a variety of retail outlets and dining facilities; the Menlyn Park centre has a rooftop drive-in cinema, Brooklyn Mall has a mini-golf course, and the Kolonnade centre an ice rink and go-kart track. Nightlife in Pretoria is mainly centred close to the university in Hatfield, boasting a number of clubs, bars and restaurants.

Other things of interest

Sun City is around 120 km away, about two and a half hours drive time, it's a large entertainment resort, popular with golfers and families.