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4 X 4 Holidays in Johannesburg - Essential Travel Info
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4 X 4 Holidays in Johannesburg Gauteng South Africa (1 Results)
Fresay Executive Lodge & Salema Tours- Johannesburg Gauteng South Africa 4 X 4 HolidayHome away from home lodge situated in Cyrildene, a quiet suburb of Johannesburg with lush, shady gardens. It is homely, comfortable and maintains a high degree of business proficiency providing the best quality service that allows you to enjoy our person to person hospitality.
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Geography: The financial, industrial and cultural giant of South Africa, if not the entire African continent lies in the heartland of the Gauteng Province.
History: South Africa's largest city grew from a modest shanty town following the discovery of gold in 1886. Little did the early Boer settlers of the bare plains of the Highveld know that the area would become the world's richest goldfield and become home to the world's fastest growing city. In fact, it is the only city on earth that has been completely built in one century! Little is known of the man who first discovered gold on the farm Langlaagte, but the names of George Harrison and the Struben brothers are often mentioned as the original discoverers. The history of the city, replete with devastating plagues, demolition of parts of the city and organised crime and gangsterism is an absolutely fascinating one. Even with this legacy, Johannesburg is today a vibrant, bustling multicultural metropolis, which has a lot to offer local and international tourists. It is a city of constant change and its art, culture, entertainment, sport and recreation facilities make it an exciting destination to visit.
Arts and Culture: Museums abound! The Museum of Military History at the Johannesburg Zoo has a superb collection of aeroplanes, tanks, armoured cars, weapons and memorabilia pertaining to the Anglo-Zulu and South African (Anglo-Boer) Wars, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Border War and MK. The focus of inner city revitalisation is the Newtown Cultural Precinct, which is home to numerous cultural organisations, the National Arts Council and many museums and places of interest. Tourists can visit the Bernberg Costume Museum and the Museum Afrika which incorporates the Bensusan Museum of Photography and the South African Museum of Rock Art. Take a ride in an authentic mine shaft, experience a real rockfall, move your feet to the sounds of Marabi music in a reconstructed Sophiatown shebeen and go through a genuine squatter's shack. Some of the exhibits at the museum include Johannesburg's earth roots and early history while 'The Road to Democracy' exhibit has election paraphernalia from ANC posters to a high tech election information booth. Also in Newtown, visitors to the SAB Centenary Centre can experience the wonderful history of beer brewing in the country and get to sample some of the different types. A wonderful addition to the architectural aesthetic of the area is the eye-catching construction of the Nelson Mandela Bridge. Out of the city centre, tourists can take a guided tour through the gracious and leafy suburbs of Parktown and Westcliff during the Heritage Weekend held annually in September and learn fascinating snippets about the randlords and high society of yesteryear! With the demise of apartheid and a reign of peace in the country, the township of Soweto has opened its arms to visitors and tourists. Soweto is an acronym for SOuth WEstern TOwnships and was developed by the National Party in 1950 to be a self-sufficient township, home to thousands of labourers and mineworkers. Today it is home to over three million residents. Soweto has played an important part in the resistance and struggle history, and Youth Day on June 16 is celebrated each year to commemorate the 1976 uprising of school children against the educational and political system. The Hector Peterson Memorial Square, named after the 10-year old boy who was the first to be shot by police during the uprising has wonderful, yet emotional exhibits, while Regina Mundi Church was the place of protest rallies, political meetings and gatherings during the apartheid era. Funeral services of many of the political victims were held here. No tour of Johannesburg would be complete without visiting President Nelson Mandela Home, a museum where the ex-President lived while practicing as an attorney and where he returned after his release from prison. A few metres from the Mandela Home is former Anglican Archbishop, human rights campaigner and Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu's house. Another key place of cultural interest in South Africa is Freedom Square, where the Congress of the People incorporated the demands of a free South Africa into the Freedom Charter in 1955. The Apartheid Museum, next to Gold Reef City, is the first of its kind and has exhibits illustrating the rise and fall of apartheid.
Science and Nature: Gauteng offers a surprising selection of wildlife venues. Pretoria, Johannesburg and indeed the entire Gauteng Province have outstanding zoos, botanical gardens, game reserves and bird sanctuaries. Many of these conservation areas have opened hiking trails for the greater enjoyment of visitors. All are within a comparatively short drive from the major centres. Originally a dry and dusty plain, Johannesburg has turned into one of the greenest cities in the world. In fact there are officially six million trees in the city and on satellite pictures, the area looks like a rain forest. The city and its surrounds offer a surprising selection of wildlife and nature venues, including the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve, with its Iron-Age furnaces, the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens and the 24-acre rose garden in the Botanical Gardens near Emmarentia Dam, a favourite windsurfing spot. Johannesburg was the venue of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, which brought together tens of thousands of participants, including heads of State and Government and NGO's to focus the world's attention on conserving natural resources. Visitors to Johannesburg can enjoy indigenous flora at Kingston Frost Park, The Wilds in Houghton and the Johannesburg Botanical Garden in Emmarentia.
Entertainment: Johannesburg is the entertainment capital of South Africa and one of the most popular tourist attractions is Gold Reef City, just south of the city centre, where you can descend 220m underground, see a bar of gold being poured, browse through the charming reconstruction of Johannesburg circa 1888, clip-clop through the streets in a horse-drawn buggy and wind up with a foaming tankard of draught. Its latest attraction is a giant Ferris wheel, allowing panoramic views of Johannesburg and the kids will love the rides in the Victorian Funfair. For a relaxing day out visitors can have a picnic lunch at Zoo Lake, where you can feed the ducks, hire a rowing boat or simply relax in this peaceful oasis. The lake is very near to the Zoo where the red pandas and white lions can be seen. An entertaining day can be had at Montecasino with its popular 'Flight of Fantasy' bird show. For shopaholics Jozi is tops. Shopping malls including Southgate, Eastgate, Northgate, Westgate, Cresta, Sanlam Centre, Fourways Mall, Balfour Park, Rosebank, very chic Hyde Park and glitzy Sandton City, with its recent renaissance addition, Sandton Square stock the finest in clothing and consumer goods. Visitors from all over the country and the subcontinent arrive in the city just to do some shopping! For a distinctly eastern ambience, the Oriental Plaza, with its aromatic spices and exotic, Indian apparel merchants, is a particularly interesting shopping experience. The annual Rand Easter Show is a very popular exhibition and festival, while the Johannesburg Planetarium at the University of the Witwatersrand, open to the public since 12 October 1960, offers lectures and professionally conducted tours, guiding visitors through the southern skies and space.
Sport: Johannesburg is home to some of the world's finest sporting facilities. One of the largest sports clubs in the world is the Wanderers, which is home to the world-famous "Bullring", the Wanderers Cricket Stadium. One of the greatest rugby fields on the planet is Ellis Park, which has hosted many international rugby matches including the Rugby World Cup Final. The stadium will play an important role in the 2010 World Cup Soccer Tournament. Other notable sports facilities include the many excellent and international tournament-holding golf courses, such as Houghton and the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club. The Country Club Johannesburg, founded in 1906, is an important part of the social landscape of Johannesburg and offers a full range of social and recreational activities.
Did You Know? Johannesburg was shelled by field guns and bombed by aircraft, when strikers and soldiers clashed in the 1922 Rand Revolt.
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