| warmheartofafrica07:09 UTC07 Jun 2007 | Hi all,
I will be making this journey in August, does anyone have experience of making this journey?
How long does it take, do I need to book in advance? I will probably be travelling from Mbabane. I am British, what is the visa requirements from me entering RSA?
And finally...where are the best places to visit in Jo'burg given 1 or 2 days to spend there?
Cheers!
Sam
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| rudik13:45 UTC07 Jun 2007 | Mbabane to Johannesburg will take you some 6 or 7 hours by car.
Book what in advance? Accommodation in Johannesburg - I would, but it may not be necessary.
UK passports do not need visas for RSA.
Choose from the following list what might be of interest to you in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria. I have not finished putting in the links so you will have to do some googleing.
What to see and do - Johannesburg/Pretoria and surrounds
The following list contains some of the places to visit in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria. Some of them have links to their own web-sites, others not.
PILANESBERG ( 2 hours drive from Johannesburg)
Pilanesberg National Park
Sun City
NORTHERN TSHWANE
Tswaing Meteorite Crater
PRETORIA CITY
Voortrekker Monument and Fort Schanskop
Union Buildings
Kruger House Museum
Melrose House
Church Square and Kruger Statue
State Theatre
Pretoria City Hall
Transvaal Natural History Museum
Smuts House
Sammy Marks House
HARTBEESPOORT
Bill Harrop's "Original" Balloon Safaris
Van Gaalens Cheese Factory
Welwitschia Country Market and Chameleon Village
Cableway (Check whether the cableway is operating.)
De Wildt Cheetah Research Centre
Lesedi Cultural Village
Elephant Sanctuary
MIDRAND
S A Mint - Coin World
African Reptiles and Venom
Lipizzaners
CRADLE OF HUMANKIND
The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve and the Wonder Cave
Sterkfontein Caves and the Maropeng Interpretation Centre
Old Kromdraai Gold Mine
Heia Safari Ranch (Tribal Dancing)
Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens (scroll down the page)
Krugersdorp Game Reserve
JOHANNESBURG (NORTH)
Lion Park
Ngwenya Glass Village
Sandton City
Montecasino
JOHANNESBURG CITY
Constitution Hill (including Johannesburg Fort)
Top of Africa
Museum Africa
Diagonal Street and the Muti Shop
Oriental Plaza
Mai Mai Market
Santarama Miniland
SAB World of Beer
Planetarium
War Museum
Johannesburg Zoo
JOHANNESBURG (SOUTH-WEST)
Apartheid Museum
Gold Reef City
SOWETO
Regina Mundi Church
Hector Peterson Memorial
Mandela House Museum
Wandi’s Tavern
Freedom Square
Credo Mutwa Village and the Oppenheimer Tower
EASTERN GAUTENG
Premier Diamond Mine (Cullinan)
Nan-Hua Buddhist Temple (Bronkhostspruit)
Kghodwana Ndebele Village
Loopspruit Wine Cellars
Site of Battle of Bronkhorstspruit
SOUTHERN GAUTENG
Rondebult Bird Sanctuary
Marievale Bird Sanctuary
Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve
Heidelberg Motor Museum
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| warmheartofafrica19:51 UTC07 Jun 2007 | Wow thanks, loads of good information. I forgot to say that I will be making the journey by public transport, so that is what I meant about booking ahead. Just one more thing...my friend is Dutch, do you know if he will need a visa?
Thanks again,
Sam
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| martraveller20:16 UTC07 Jun 2007 | This is not an assured YES ! But I would imagine, that with your friend being Dutch, would probably be on a European passport, and again probably have no requirement for a visa. For your own peace of mind i'm sure you could find this info from the South African tourist board's web site !
Have a great time, and use Rudi's Jossie guide well !
Drink Windhoek not Castle
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| lesliemac21:07 UTC07 Jun 2007 | Hi Sam,
My sense is that the Joburg to Mbabane route is not heavily traveled, so you probably don't need to book ahead. It's also impossible to book the main South African coaches online because the site requires an SA credit card (www.computicket.co.za).<BR><BR>However, the Baz Bus also does that route and can be booked onlline (www.bazbus.com). The bus picks you up at your hostel around 8am and arrives in Mbabane around 3pm. I went this way, and it was really pleasant--the bus mostly empty and the scenary very beautiful. I wasn't bored.
Sondzela in the Milwane Sanctuary is a great place to stay; it's a Baz Bus stop and the nicest backpackers I've ever been in. They have a pool, a bar, beautiful grounds, with zebra and ostrich roaming around, and cheap meals cooked every night on the fire. There are also some good hikes and Swazi Trails, for adventure sports, is nearby.
With only 1 or 2 days in Joburg, I'd go to the Apartheid Museum and Soweto.
Leslie
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| warmheartofafrica23:05 UTC07 Jun 2007 | Thanks everyone that's been helpful!
Leslie - I've heard good things about Sondzela, do you know approx. how much a dorm room/meal costs? What is the best way to get there from Mozambiqe?
Cheers
Sam
P.S. I agree about the Apartheid Museum - it looks very interesting
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| lesliemac00:09 UTC08 Jun 2007 | Hi again,
From Maputo, you go to the main minibus taxi rank in the center of town (the place you're staying at should be able to tell you where it is) and get on an early morning--7-8:00am--minibus to Manzini, Swaziland. The buses run all day, but from what I understand the first ones that leave in the morning make fewer stops and get there faster. The bus will arrive around noon. From Manzini, it's a 15 minibus taxi ride up the Malkerns main road. You might be able to have them drop you off at the main gate at Sonzela, then walk 10 minutes to the hostel; I can't remember if they only make designated stops or not. If that's the case, there's a stop near a place called House on Fire, and if you call Sondzela from there they can come pick you up. It's 5 mins away.
Last fall dorms were R55, breakfast R15, and dinner (really worth it) R21. There's no food available except for these 2 designated meal times, so if that doesn't suit you you will need to bring your own. Dinner is always grilled on the fire and when I was there I had grilled wart hog, impala, wildebeest...I think one night was something boring like chicken. There's a nice hike up to a peak called Execution Rock, where they used to...execute people!
Leslie
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| rudik01:46 UTC08 Jun 2007 | A real carnivore, Leslie.
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| lesliemac01:58 UTC08 Jun 2007 | Oh my God, Rudi...that made me laugh.
They don't have grilled wart hog and impala in Boston, you know. I miss that stuff!
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| sapster02:34 UTC11 Jun 2007 | DUTCH citizens don't need visas for RSA either! just make sure your passport is valid for at least three months after you have left South Africa.
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