Pretoria

Surrounded by the hills of the MagaliesbergRange and half an hour drive from Johannesburg lies Pretoria. Known as the JacarandaCity because of its Jacaranda tree lined streets Pretoria has a laid back and friendly atmosphere. Here you will be able to find significant old buildings and fascinating museums, not to mention hundreds of soccer fans who will flock to the area for the 2010 FIFA World Cup!

Pretoria has a lot to offer its visitors but often gets overshadowed by its neighbour Johannesburg. If you are planning on staying a few days in Pretoria here are a few ideas of places you can visit.

Voortrekker Monument

Located just outside Pretoria stands the VoortrekkerMonument. This monument was built in honour of pioneers who settled in the area. The main part of the building known as the Hall of Heroes is decorated with an Italian frieze showing the history of the journey made by the pioneers and attracts over 200,000 visitors a year. Due to the monument being built on a hill it offers great views of the city and surrounding areas.

Wonderboom Nature Reserve

Famous for the huge fig tree that grows at the foot of the Magalies Mountain Range Wonderboom Nature Reserve is always popular with visitors. With over 200 hectares the reserve is home to Antelope, Monkeys, Daddies and a number of different bird species. Along with animals Wonderboom Nature Reserve houses the Wonderboom Fort and 2 archaeological sites, with one having the largest number of stone artefacts found in Africa.

Rietvlei Nature Reserve

One of the world’s largest urban nature reserves is Rietvlei Nature Reserve. Here you are able to see a different variety of Birds, Antelope, Zebra, Springbok, Waterbuck, Ostrich, Buffalo, Rhino, Bush pig, Hippos and Cheetah. Sometimes it is even possible to see South Africa’s national bird, the Blue Crane. Rietvlei Nature Reserve makes for a good day out as it has picnic, fishing and camping areas as well as day and over night hiking trails and horse riding trails.

Pretoria National Botanical Gardens

Founded in 1946 Pretoria National Botanical Gardens is a nature lover’s paradise. Majority of the garden is made up of native South African plants and has a large collection of medicinal plants. Paved trails allow for easy access around the gardens where you can go around at your own pace and take in all the plants on show. You will also be able to see some of the 198 species of birds that live in the Botanical Gardens.

The National Zoological Gardens of South Africa

More commonly known as the Pretoria Zoo and rated as one of the top zoos in the world the National Zoological Gardens make for a great day out. Sporting the largest inland marine aquarium in the country and the third largest collection of exotic trees you will be able to see 3117 different animals. The zoo offers aquarium tours, camping tours and night tours, perfect for spotting owls, elephants, lions and red pandas.

Union Buildings

If you are after a bit of history or like politics the Union Buildings are a must see. The Union Buildings overlook PretoriaCity and sit on Meintijies Kop and are for the official seat of the South African Government and also house the offices of the president of South Africa. Built from sandstone the Union Buildings are surrounded by terraced gardens, planted with indigenous plants only.

Have you been to Pretoria? Did you find any other places well worth visiting? Let us know!