Geological Tours

Tour G2: Gold, Diamonds, Meteorites, the Pilgrim's Rest and Barberton Gold Fields and the Kruger National Park (8 days)

Bourkes Luck potholes, Mpumalanga

Follow the exciting geological trail of the origin of gold and the first Johannesburg gold prospectors. See gold poured 220 m underground. Experience the historical diamond town of Cullinan, a conducted tour of the diamond operations and its diamonds. Visit the kilometer-wide Tswaiing meteorite crater with its interesting impact geology. Make contact with the indigenous Ndebele culture in their village. Explore the caves and diggings of the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage site, famous for the oldest Hominid fossils on earth. Visit the intriguing historic gold rush town of Pilgrims Rest and gold mining area of Barberton, set among unique formations and some of the world's oldest rocks. Enjoy a few days of relaxation among the large variety of game in the Kruger Park - including the Big Five.

Day 1: Johannesburg and Gold Reef City

Arrive in Johannesburg in the morning and transfer to our hotel. In the afternoon you are introduced to Egoli, the city of gold and we discover the origin of the gold. We see the famous geological formations, important outcrops and view sites around Johannesburg. This evening we enjoy dinner in a typical restaurant with South African wine (included).

Optional alternative tour for companions: Discover Soweto, the expansive black city-within-a-city and experience black city life first hand. Visit important monuments of the Apartheid struggle period and enjoy local beers in the friendly and social atmosphere of a "shebeen". (R600)

Day 2: Johannesburg's Golden Past and Gold Reef City

Today we follow the exciting trail of the historic gold prospectors. You are taken from the discovery of gold through the establishment of the gold mines to the development of Egoli - far from any water source. We visit Gold Reef City to explore the authentic 1890's mining village and see a real gold pour 220 m underground.

Optional alternative tour for companions: Today you are introduced to South African arts and crafts at the African Craft Market in Rosebank, followed by a visit of the extensive art collection of the Johannesburg Art Museum. This is followed by lunch at a traditional South African restaurant, "Gramadoelas" (which means "out in the sticks"). During the afternoon we visit Museum Africa close-by, portraying early African city life. (R600 including lunch and a good South African wine.)

Day 3: Cradle of Humankind and the Capital

Today we discover the origin of our species when we explore the caves and diggings of this World Heritage Site, famous for the 4 million year old early hominid fossils found here. We descend into the Sterkfontein caves where some of these fossils were found and walk-in at the historic Kromdraai gold mine. Thereafter we travel to Pretoria and discover the soul of the Afrikaner at the famous Voortrekker Monument. We see some of the original historic buildings of the dawn of this Boer Republic and view the Union Buildings - seat of Government. We spend the night in the Capital city.

Day 4: Diamonds, a Meteorite Crater and the Ndebeles

Today we have an authentic African diamond mining experience at the famous Premier Diamond mine, home to the Cullinan Diamond - now in the English Crown jewels. Explore the 1900's mining village, take a conducted tour of the mine operations and see its diamonds. We then depart for the Tshwaiing meteorite crater - a kilometre wide crater made 200 000 years ago. Investigations done on the unique post-impact geology by the University of Pretoria revealed some interesting findings, which we will find out at the small museum next to the crater. On the way back we visit a Ndebele village and experience the day-to-day living of this colourful indigenous African people.

Day 5: Pilgrims Rest Goldfield History and the Great Escarpment

Today we travel through rolling Mpumalanga hills and maize fields to the rugged beauty of the escarpment, on to the historic mining town of Pilgrims Rest. The town remains preserved as in the early 1870's, when alluvial gold was discovered there - yielding nuggets up to 6.6 kg (14½ pounds). We continue past the charming towns of Sabie and Graskop along the Panorama Route on the Escarpment, where we admire the natural wonders of The Pinnacle, God's Window, The Potholes, Blyde River Nature Reserve and the Mac-Mac Falls. We return to Graskop, here we spend the night in an elegant country hotel.

Day 6: Barberton, Gold and the Kruger National Park

After breakfast we visit the Barberton Mountain Land - a unique geological terrain that offers the opportunity to see the early stages of Earth's evolution - with the famous 3.5 billion year old greenstones representing the earliest clearly decipherable geological events on the earth's surface. The Barberton Gold Field is still in production and more than 320 t of gold have been recovered from these mines, during over 100 years of continuous production. We then depart for one of the largest and most famous wildlife reserves in the world recently enlarged as a Trans-frontier Park into Mozambique and Zimbabwe. We will be staying in our camp in the southern half of this vast nature and game reserve. Tonight we enjoy a traditional South African "braai" (barbeque).

Day 7: Kruger National Park and the Big Five

After a leisurely breakfast on the banks of the Sabie River, the day is spent enjoying the large variety of animals in their natural bush environment in this park more than half the size of Belgium. We stop for a bush picnic lunch at one of the areas specially set aside for this purpose. This evening we have an exciting night drive to view some of the more elusive of the Big Five and other shy, nocturnal animals, followed by dinner in the camp.

Day 8: Game Viewing and Home

After breakfast we have our last, leisurely game viewing opportunity as we make our way back to Johannesburg again. Lunch is enjoyed at Milly's, overlooking one of the area's trout dams. Travel directly to the Johannesburg airport and depart for home.

Included in the tour:
  • Transport in air-conditioned vehicles
  • Services of an accredited guide
  • All breakfasts
  • Accommodation in good Guest Houses, Guest Lodges and Country Hotels (The Guest Houses/Lodges are all quality establishments, offering private rooms with private bathrooms and full breakfasts)
  • All entrance fees
  • The following excursions:
    • Historical Johannesburg gold mining tour and trail of the gold prospectors
    • Museum Africa
    • The Afrikaner "Voortrekker" Monument tour
    • Cullinan Diamond Mine tour
    • Tswaiing Meteorite Crater visit
    • Ndebele Cultural Village
    • Sterkfontein Caves tour, Cradle of Humankind
    • Kromdraai gold mine walk-in tour
    • The mining town of Pilgrim's Rest
    • The Panorama Route: The Pinnacle, God's Window, The Potholes, Blyde River Nature Reserve and the Mac-Mac Falls
    • Barberton Mountain Land and Gold Field tour
    • The Kruger National Park, including day and night drives
Not included:
  • Meals not mentioned above
  • All alcoholic beverages
  • All items of a personal nature
  • Tips, e.g., the tips for your local guides and the customary 10% tip in restaurants
  • Porterage
  • Optional excursions
Previous | Home