African Tribal Heritage Tours

Tour TH1: Gauteng & Mpumalanga

Ndebele house

Enjoy a nine- day heritage theme tour with the following highlights: Relive the Afrikaner heritage in Pretoria. Visit the 4 million year old Hominid sites at the Cradle of Human Kind. Meet with the colourful Ndebele and Shangaan cultures. Experience the indigenous culture mix of Johannesburg and Soweto. Tour the Panorama Route and conclude with visits to the Kruger National Park and a private game reserve.

Day 1: Pretoria and an Introduction

Arrive at Johannesburg International Airport in the morning. You are met in person by your hosts and transferred to your guesthouse in the Capital of Pretoria - capital city of the old Dutch and Afrikaans cultures. After some refreshments and a short information session, we enjoy lunch and some leisure time. Late afternoon we are treated to a visual introductory lecture of the indigenous peoples of South Africa by one of the country's leading ethnological experts, Dr Hanneke du Preez. This presentation will provide us with the background required to begin to understand this multi-cultured, Rainbow Nation.

Day 2: The Capital, Pretoria

Today we experience the Afrikaner and indigenous heritage in and around this charming capital city. We visit Paul Kruger House Museum, view the old Afrikaner architecture around Church Square and see the majestic Union Buildings Parliamentary building overlooking the city. In the afternoon we view the impressive architecture and sculptured panels of the Voortrekker Monument, portraying stories around the Great Trek of the Afrikaners to the north in the early 1800's. Before returning to our guesthouse we visit a shopping mall - providing our first opportunity for a Safari Kit-out!

Day 3: The Unique Culture of Soweto

A visit to South Africa is not complete without experiencing the vibrant township life. We visit Soweto, the expansive and contrasting black city-within-a-city and learn about day-to-day black city life. We first visit important monuments of the Apartheid struggle period, such as the Apartheid Museum and the fascinating Hector Peterson museum, depicting scenes from the student uprising of 1976 and the eventual transition to democracy in South Africa. We also pass Nelson Mandela's and Winnie Mandela's (separate) houses and later visit some of the local residents, to see and hear how many thousands of South Africans live and make ends meet. We enjoy a leisurely lunch and local beers in the friendly and social atmosphere of a "shebeen" before returning to Pretoria.

Day 4: Cradle of Humankind

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. One of the most famous sites in the world, Swartkrans, will be visited under guidance of an expert paleo-anthropologist. We descend into the impressive Sterkfontein caves where some of these fossils were found. The evening is spent at leisure.

Day 5: The colourful Ndebele

After breakfast we depart for an Ndebele village east of the city and experience the day-to-day living of this colourful indigenous African people, their fascinating dress and artistically painted huts. The Ndebele was one of the original black tribes living in the area which is now Pretoria. At the village we are granted the opportunity to meet with the local chief, converse with some of the local inhabitants and learn about their daily life. Later we are treated to a traditional Ndebele lunch before returning to Pretoria.

Day 6: The Mpumalanga Panorama Route and Arts & Crafts

Early departure. We follow rolling hills and grassland along the N4 east to Dullstroom. The Panorama Route takes us through the Drakensberg mountain range through Sabie and Graskop. We admire the natural wonders of the Blyde River Canyon and view the Pinnacle, God's Window, The Potholes, Blyde River Nature Reserve and the Mac-Mac Falls. We return to Graskop, where we visit an African silk weaving cottage industry and one of the best places in South Africa to view and buy arts & crafts. Here we spend the night in a small country hotel.

Day 7: Shangaan Tribal Village and the Kruger National Park

After a scrumptious country breakfast and a short drive through the plantations of Mpumalanga, we enjoy a true African adventure in a Shangaan village. Here we experience their every-day life, some dancing and singing and a traditional Shangaan meal. Later we travel on through the scenic and tropical Mpumalanga lowveld and enter the Kruger Park at the new Phabeni gate on our way to Skukuza.

Day 8: The Kruger National Park

After a leisurely breakfast on the banks of the Sabie River, the day is spent viewing a wide variety of game in their natural African bush environment. This evening we go on an exciting night drive in open vehicles to view some of the more elusive of the Big Five and other shy, nocturnal animals.

Day 9: The Kruger National Park

After breakfast we have our last, leisurely game viewing opportunity before we make our way back to Johannesburg again. However, should you prefer flying back to Johannesburg, you have the option to transfer by plane from the new Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport directly to Johannesburg International or Cape Town International. Once in Johannesburg or Cape Town, you are cordially invited to continue onto any of the other modules of our cultural tours should you wish to experience more of our country.

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 and conservation fee in the Kruger National Park
    • The following excursions:
    • a visual introductory lecture of the indigenous peoples of South Africa
    • Paul Kruger House and museum, Pretoria
    • Church Square Boer architecture
    • Voortrekker Monument and Afrikaner heritage
    • Soweto: Apartheid Museum, Hector Peterson Museum, city and shebeen tour
    • Cradle of Humankind and Sterkfontein caves
    • Ndebele village and daily life
    • Shangaan village and daily life
    • The Panorama Route
    • African silk weaving cottage industry
    • Delagoa Arts & Crafts
    • The Kruger National Park
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
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