There’s no need to venture far if you’re looking to getaway. Gauteng, for example, is surrounded by a plethora of thrilling game reserves and small towns with a rustic appeal, ideal for day trips.
Here are some day trip options:
Dinokeng Game Reserve
Just over two hours from Johannesburg, Dinokeng Game Reserve is one of the closest safaris to the city. There are several ways to spend your day in the game reserve, with thousands of acres of wildness at your disposal.
Take your time driving through a meandering self-drive route, stopping at a bird hide or for a break and a braai at one of the picnic areas. Take a guided wildlife drive or a guided bush walk with one of the many expert rangers to get even closer to nature.
Sterkfontein Caves
Plan your next road trip around the history and intrigue of the magnificent Sterkfontein Caves – one of the world’s most important fossil sites in the world. The set of limestone caves is located about 40km from Johannesburg.
From the only virtually complete Australopithecus skeleton “Little Foot” to the oldest stone tools, the world-famous site can be explored for hours. You can spend the day venturing through the caves on walkways and a boardwalk past the excavation site where globally acclaimed fossils have been discovered.
With so much natural beauty to soak up, take a rest at the Sterkfontein restaurant, where you can grab a bite to eat and enjoy the views.
Soweto
Soweto, located south-west of Johannesburg’s city centre, is South Africa’s most renowned and largest township. Encapsulating the rich culture of its people as well as the time before our country’s democracy, there are an array of museums ranging from the Hector Pieterson to Nelson Mandela museums that offer a deeper, more meaningful travel experience.
Soweto also has a vibrant and thriving music and social scene, with soccer at the very centre. Taste the local cuisine or perhaps book a guided tour to get the most out of your day trip. For thrill-seekers, bungee jumping off the Soweto Towers is an exhilarating way to soak up the views while ticking off a bucket-list item.
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