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GAUTENG
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Accommodation | Travel | Adventure
| Tourist Guide
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Gauteng (is Sotho and means “The Place of Gold”), although the smallest of the provinces, it’s the commercial and industrial powerhouse of South Africa. This province is where the creative spirit of a nation works in synchronicity amongst a dense, culturally rich heartland. It embodies every race, religion and culture that can be possibly squeezed into an area. An acceptable comparison is Gauteng is the “London” of South Africa – a huge bustling business and entertainment station from which magic arises. Gauteng is a cosmopolitan, ...
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Gauteng (is Sotho and means “The Place of Gold”), although the smallest of the provinces, it’s the commercial and industrial powerhouse of South Africa. This province is where the creative spirit of a nation works in synchronicity amongst a dense, culturally rich heartland. It embodies every race, religion and culture that can be possibly squeezed into an area. An acceptable comparison is Gauteng is the “London” of South Africa – a huge bustling business and entertainment station from which magic arises. Gauteng is a cosmopolitan, multi-cultural mix of people from all walks of life, from every corner of the earth. There is so much to do and see in Gauteng, from apartheid museums to art galleries, loud popular fancy night clubs to quiet, quaint restaurants, motorcar racing to go-carting, paintball to huge shopping malls and so much more..
Gauteng really is the biggest business attraction and entertainment playground in South Africa – making it perfect for any type of traveller with any type of interest.
There are 6 tourism regions in Gauteng:
Johannesburg
Johannesburg, also known as ‘Joburg’ or ‘Jozi’, is the more English-spoken region in Gauteng and the biggest man-made forest which has many mines as a continuous reminder of the Gold mining that made it so famous. Jozi is very popular and has many fantastic night clubs all over. Accommodation ranges from 5 star luxury to affordable, areas range from inner city apartments to quiet suburban streets. This region that makes up for the lack of ocean, with Sun City being an hour and a half drive away, with motorcar raceways, night clubs, wildlife sanctuaries, galleries, markets, The Coca Cola Dome where concerts take place, theatres, stylish boutiques, skyscrapers, shopping malls, a planetarium and so much more. Joburg is light up by many multi-coloured lights similar to Las Vegas at night. There is a young, spunky modern metropolis bursting with funk and flavour. A place that’s seriously worth your visit and made easier by the Johannesburg international airport (O.R Tambo Airport) 30minutes from the centre of the city.
Pretoria
Pretoria is the more Afrikaans-spoken region of Gauteng and embodies 100 parks, including bird sanctuaries and nature reserves. Although Pretoria developed at a slower pace compared to Johannesburg, progress has bumped them up to having shopping centres equipped with some of the latest high-tech technology, multi-culinary restaurants, great night life and a number of scientific institutes from industrial research to veterinary research. There are paths to go for walks and great scenery. A second must-see in Gauteng, move your way through and taste the diverse offerings of these regions.
What to do in Gauteng
Although the urban jungle is not conducive to adventures, a drive in any direction will bring you across such wonders.
An hour drive away will bring you to Magaliesberg, great for camping, hiking, cycling and candle-dipping, beautiful plunging waterfalls, rocky formations and streams in the indigenous vegetation. Go see one of the several spectacular botanical gardens, bird sanctuaries and nature reserves. Sun City –a huge tourist destination - and the Pilanesburg National Park is a two hour drive away and a definite!! There is a variable treasure trove of archaeological, palaeontological and geological sites, wilderness areas perfect for mountain biking, canopy-tours, bridge swinging, paddling and so so much more.
Gauteng Weather overview
The Highveld is said to have one of the world’s best climates: summer days are warm and wind-free (relatively) and winter days are crisp and clear. Gauteng’s summer-rainfall area has hot summers and mild winters with frost. Hail is common during the summer thunderstorms. Snowfalls rarely occur. Late spring and early autumn are the best months to visit, but the weather all year round is very good, with an average of 9 hours of sunshine per day.
History of Gauteng
Where else in the world would you find a mini-Big Apple, existing alongside the remains of the first hominoids? Gauteng has a legacy of larger-than-life heroes and Villains, ancient civilisations, as well as a turbulent political history. The complexity of our history and heritage is unavoidable. Human evolution began here, yet its ironic that humanity suffered in the place of its genesis and that the scar of a crashing meteorite (Tswaing Crater) is not as heavily etched in our souls as the cruelty of Apartheid, but history did not begin with Apartheid – the kingdoms of people in Gauteng live on in our oral traditions and the stories of our ancestors. But the settlers arrived and our stories were retold. Take time to discover the real Gauteng. Uncover the stories of the Basotho, Tswana and Pedi people who roamed the plains and mountains. Learn about their wars and their ways, experience the richness of our diverse history. Still, let us not forget why we are able to tell our stories again. The Many monuments, such as the Hector Petersen Memorial (Soweto) and the Woman’s Memorial (Pretoria) are some of the historic testimonies to the bravery of our heroes. There is so much more to Gauteng than palaeontology and politics. We have had a very troubled past but we have also had the most significant progress away from our political indignity and have now become one of the most multi-cultural, multi-racial united nations in the world.
Gauteng quick facts
Main cities
Johannesburg, Pretoria and Soweto
Airports
Johannesburg International Airport (AKA O.R Tambo Airport)
Area
Gauteng occupies 2.7% of South Africa
Population
8 800 000 (20% South Africa)
Languages
Gauteng – isiZulu (21%), Afrikaans (14%), Sesotho (13%), English (12%)
