Gauteng province highlights

Soweto

If you want to know more about the history and the problems of South Africa, a tour through Soweto or another township is a must do. To make sure that the money you pay for a tour comes to the benefit of the local people, you are advised to book through a local tour operator, whose guide can tell you about living in Soweto and its history from his own experience. We advise strongly against visiting by yourself because of criminality and poor signposting.

Pretoria

If you like to stay in a city during your visit to Gauteng, Pretoria is probably a better option than Johannesburg. The cities are only 50 kilometers apart, but Pretoria is a lot quieter and safer than Johannesburg. Although the city was once a metaphor for the apartheid system, which originated here, you now even see white homeless people, something unimaginable in the time of apartheid. For further information on sights in Pretoria you can look on the website of the tourist information office www.pretoria.co.za

De Wildt Cheetah Research Center

In 1960, this center started a breeding programme to ensure that the cheetah would no longer be on the list of endangered species. De Wildt is also one of the few places where you will get the chance to see the king cheetah. This center also has breeding programmes for other endangered species, such as the wild dog. For further information: www.dewildt.org.za