Cradle of Humankind - A Major Discovery

The Cradle of Humankind is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered by many as a vital discovery, revealing much about the history of mankind. Situated chiefly in Gauteng province of South Africa, the Cradle of Humankind is an extensive network of dolomitic limestone caves in which have been found several fossils of plants, animals and hominids. This fascinating heritage site is a popular tourist destination, so join me as we explore the wonders of the Cradle of Humankind.

The site of the Cradle of Humankind extends across 47 000 hectares with some 12 caves. The caves have formed from dolomite which is said to have come from coral reefs which grew some 2.3 billion years ago in a shallow sea covering the land. When these reefs died, they converted into limestone which later transformed into dolomite. Several million years later on it is believed that the sea disappeared and acidic groundwater caused the creation of the caves. Surface erosion as well as the dissolution of dolomite caused shafts to appear between these underground caverns and the surface of the earth. It is said that plants, stones and bone washed into the shafts whilst animals and hominids that fell in were unable to escape and thus died in the caves. Eventually the remains were fossilized and cemented in breccia.

Hominid remains to the number 850 have been discovered in seven of the Cradle of Humankind's caves. Therefore the site has been dubbed the richest hominid fossil bearer in the world. Scientists see great value in these finds as a window to the past. As such it is commonly believed by scientists that human life originated in Africa. By means of scientific techniques some scientists have stated that the human life split from African apes about 5 – 6 million years back.

The Sterkfontein Caves at the Cradle of Humankind are probably the best known in the network. Situated on the Isaac Edwin Stegmann Reserve the caves are under the care of the University of Witwatersrand. Tourists are invited to explore a section of the caves or examine the excavation site from a platform. The first australopithecine adult was found here in 1936. Then in 1947 scientists discovered a practically complete female Australopithecus africanus skull said to date back to 2.8 million years ago, which they named Mrs. Ples. Fossil remains from Sterkfontein are located at the Transvaal Museum in Pretoria as well as at the University of Witwatersrand. The other caves of the Cradle of Humankind are as follows: Swartkrans, Minnaars, Plover's Lake, Wonder Cave, Kromdraai, Drimolen, Bolt's Farm, Coopers B, Haasgat, Gladysvale and Gondolin. If you are interested in archeology, the theory of evolution or simply like the idea of exploring a cave, make a stop at the Cradle of Humankind during your travels.

Apartheid Museum - Look into South Africa Tumultuous Past

Located in Johannesburg, the Apartheid Museum is one of the most important attractions to visit for a insight into South Africa's history. The Apartheid Museum is an extremely powerful exhibit, and is visited often by local residents and international tourist. Once inside the Apartheid Museum, the atmosphere overwhelms you. Racing back to the 70’s and 80’s, you can almost taste the teargas, feel the fear of bullets raining down on you, want to sing with the marching children and wipe away the tears for a fallen comrade. If you are ready to experience all these emotions, then you are prepared for what you are going to find within the walls of the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg.

The Apartheid Museum is approximately 6000 square meters in size, and is built on a seven hectare field, with a lake and a park next to the building. The museum came into being, when casino bidders were required to commit themselves to a social responsibility project. The consortium spent 80 million in regard to the erection of the building and a 100 million in total, by covering the running costs of the museum for two years. Museum director, Christopher Till, has commented that the museum being built in Johannesburg is appropriate, as it here that at the turn of the century, people converged for their own reasons. During the apartheid era of South African history, many people were displaced from their lands, white farmers during the Anglo Boer Wars, and through the colonial wars black people were displaced from their land. A team of historians, curators, designers and filmmakers came together to take visitors on an unforgettable journey filled with heartache, frustration, humiliation, bravery, sacrifice, determination and victory.

On entering the Apartheid Museum, you are given an admission card. The card, the size of a credit card, is handed to you. On the card is either “White” or “Non-White”, and with this in your mind and clutching your chest, your journey begins. The first exhibition that you will enter into consists of rows of cages. Each cage carries an enlargement of identity books, identity cards, racially tagged cards and passbooks. Throughout the museum you will view dramatic and very graphic images. One exhibit features 121 nooses hanging from the roof. These nooses represent political prisoners that were hung during the apartheid era. You can sit inside an armored vehicle that was used in the townships, and view footage that was taken from the vehicle while driving in the townships. Weapons used by the Special Forces are also on display. Monitors at different exhibits will show you moving interviews and public speeches that will anger you. The Apartheid Museum with all its visual and sound exhibits, is overwhelming and for the most can be very upsetting. They will either bring back memories for some or tell others the reality of apartheid, a reality some were sheltered and kept from.

No matter how you experience the Apartheid museum, it is a story that needs to be told. It is a part of South Africa’s history, and is a reminder to us of the horrors associated with apartheid, and a warning to the leaders of the future.

Kwazulu Natal Beaches - Breathtaking and Exciting

Thousands of local and international visitors flock to the city of Durban each year, as it is known for its warm climate and exciting beaches, but all along the Kwa-Zulu Natal coast, visitors will find breathtaking beaches and secluded bays to enjoy the summer sun or escape the noise of the city. Host to some of the bigger surfing championships, Kwa-Zulu Natal is a hub for water sports and a variety of thrilling activities.

Some of the popular beaches and coastal stretches of Kwa-Zulu Natal, includes the legendary vacation getaway of Margate, the rugged coastline of the Wild Coast, North Beach, Umhlanga Rocks, Amanzimtoti, Dairy Beach, Ballito, Addington Beach and the breathtaking Dolphin Coast, where large schools of Bottlenose Dolphins can be seen from the shore. All along the coast, adventurers can enjoy activities such as surfing, fishing, swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling. The beaches of Kwa-Zulu Natal offer diversity, beautiful landscapes, wonderful wildlife experiences and the tranquility of the ebb and flow of the tides.

SAB World of Beer

A history of the brew

Delve into the history of beer-brewing in South Africa at the SAB World of Beer.

One of the world’s most ancient beverages is being brewed in Johannesburg's Newtown. Tour the SAB World of Beer and discover how humble grains transform into liquid gold.

A visit to South African Breweries (SAB) World of Beer museum in Johannesburg's Newtown Cultural Precinct offers fascinating insight into the history of beer - a much-loved beverage in South Africa and the rest of the world.

One of South Africa’s oldest companies, South African Breweries Limited (SAB), has been brewing beer since 1895, when the first miners began working the Witwatersrand’s newly discovered gold reefs.

SAB is the South African subsidiary and historical birthplace of SABMiller, one of the world’s largest brewers by volume, with more than 200 brands and brewing interests and distribution agreements in over 60 countries across 6 continents.

The company operates 7 breweries and 42 depots in South Africa with an annual brewing capacity of 3.1 billion litres. Its portfolio of beer brands includes brands rich in heritage such as the iconic Dutch beer brand Grolsch and South African beer favourites like Castle Lager, Hansa Pilsner and Carling Black Label

The brewing company celebrated its centenary in 1995, and to mark the occasion the SAB World of Beer was officially opened in Newtown – one of Johannesburg’s most prominent cultural and entertainment hubs.

The World of Beer is a popular visitor attraction and uses 3D movies, floating holograms and a 12m-high screen with surround sound to bring the story of beer to life. A R20 million upgrade to this facility was completed in 2007.

The World of Beer tour starts with an entertaining, highly informative history of beer making, from the earliest known evidence of beer brewing in Egypt and Mesopotamia, through to the honky-tonk beer halls of gold rush Johannesburg.

Visit a mock-African village and taste some traditional sorghum beer, experience the atmosphere of a typical township shebeen, walk through the on-site greenhouse and learn about the different plants used to make beer. From there, trace the actual beer brewing process, step-by-step on video before finishing your tour in the Tap Room, where you can enjoy 2 frosties on the house.

The SAB World of Beer is in the centre of the Newtown Cultural Precinct in downtown Johannesburg, conveniently located on one of the city's main taxi and bus routes.

The World of Beer is open Tuesday to Saturday between 10h00 and 18h00. Last tour starts at 17h00.

Approximately R25.00 per person.

The tour takes approximately 90 minutes.

Light pub-style lunches are available at the World of Beer's Tap Room pub. The Newtown area also has plenty of restaurants to choose from, from fine dining to fast food.

Some of Johannesburg's best live music venues are located in Newtown, as is the famous Market Theatre and Gramadoelas Restaurant.

SAB World of Beer
Tel: +27 (0)11 836-4900

In some cultures the words 'beer' and 'bread' have the same meaning.

SAB World of Beer in Newtown, Johannesburg

The SAB World of Beer offers visitors a chance to learn more about the history of South African beer. The tour ends with a complimentary tasting in the Tap Room.

Darling Wine and Art Experience

style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Helvetica, Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; background-color: rgb(11, 91, 155); ">Once a half-known annex to other wine regions (not even appearing on official wine maps!) Darling has since built on its status and is now a quality wine region in its own right.

Blessed with long, hot summer mornings in the lower lying areas to cool maritime influenced afternoon breezes in the hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Darling has fast gained a reputation for producing wines of stunning depth and intensity.

Predominantly dry land, the vineyards are a combination of trellised and bush vine. Deep, rich granite based soils with high moisture retention have led to significant plantings of low yielding vines with small thick-skinned berries.

The 5 cellars that make up the Darling Wine and Art Experience, namely,Cloof, Darling Cellars, Groote Post, Ormonde Vineyards and Tukulu are no stranger to top honours at wine shows and have rapidly earned a reputation of superior quality.

This area with its unique terroir, owing to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and its remarkable moisture retaining soils, is poised for an exciting future.

Much like the annual rains which herald the start of another miraculous wild flower season, the wine scene in and around the country hamlet of Darlingis flourishing with a sense of purpose that hints at the promise that lies ahead.

One of South Africa's most exciting wine districts, the area offers a lot more than just wine…. A unique habitat, people and range of activities turn a day or a weekend into an experience that you’ll never forget. From cellar tours (sampling a wide range of award-winning wines) and winery restaurants(including gourmet BBQs) to theatre, museum, galleries and the slow measured pace of West Coast life.

Wine lovers can now experience for themselves the appeal and promise of the Wonderful Wines of Darling.

Come see for yourself why it's called Darling!

Agulhas, Southernmost tip of Africa

style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Helvetica, Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; background-color: rgb(11, 91, 155); ">This windswept, rugged coastal plain has been proclaimed the Agulhas National Park. Excursions include nature trails and a unique trail that traverses the southernmost tip of the African continent. There is an environmental educational centre and a splendid museum and interpretative centre.

Agulhas is also a great place for viewing the massive Southern right whales that migrate to the bay to calf and frolic in the bay between July and November each year.

A prime tourist destination, Agulhas also boasts one of the oldest workinglighthouses in South Africa. The massive lighthouse, built in 1848, is fully operational to this day and well worth a visit. The mighty lights have a range of almost 60 kilometres.

Portuguese seafarers named Africa's southernmost tip, "Cape of Needles" due to the fact that a compass shows no real deviation between true north and magnetic north at this spot, and because of the jagged, needle-sharp rocks along the coastline.

The waters near the coast are quite shallow and the best fishing grounds in South Africa. They are called the "Agulhas Bank" and are less than 100 metres in depth. Only after 250 kilometres out to sea does it drop steeply.

Associated with the region is the legendary Cape of Storms where many a ship en route to the east via Cape Agulhas was shipwrecked in the stormy seas. The Zoetendal, Birkenhead and Armiston are some of the many shipwrecks along the coastline. At low tide the wreck of the Meisho Maru rises up above the water.

Archaeological middens are reminders of a successful hunter-gathering culture which dates back thousands of years to when the Khoi-khoi people trapped fish using cleverly constructed tidal traps.

As yet there is no accommodation in the park. 

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, founded in 1913 is world renowned for the beauty and rich bio diversity of the Cape flora it displays against the grand eastern slopes of Table Mountain.

Spread over 528 hectares, it is the largest of South Africa's 8 national gardens and one of the world's leading botanical gardens. It is a living display featuring 4 700 of the estimated 20 000 species of indigenous South African flora, and close to 50 per cent of the Peninsula's floral wealth dotted all over its rolling lawns, intermingled with streams and ponds and well-laid out pathways for easy walking.

A great favourite with both locals and visitors alike, Sundays in summer sees hundreds of visitors, picnic basket and blanket in hand, converge on its lawns for magical sunset concerts. In winter, Silvertree Restaurant in the gardens have weekly concerts with local musicians. Their winter line-up runs until mid-October. Equally popular are the craft markets held at the Stone Cottages on the last Sunday of every month (except June, July and August) and the walking and hiking trails criss crossing the terrain.

A year round drawcard, the garden is as busy when the days turn cooler when it becomes the favourite haunt of horticulturist from around the world and flora-knowledgeable visitors eager to see fynbos in its natural habitat. The months between August and October are considered by those in the know to be the best time to visit as the king of fynbos, the King protea is in full bloom and can be seen in all its splendour.

The cultivated garden covering 36 hectares displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of the country.

The Botanical Society Conservatory enables Kirstenbosch to display South African plants which cannot be grown in the outdoor gardens. Here, under one roof, you will find plants from high mountain peaks, shady forests and hot, dry deserts. The main house, dominated by a large baobab tree, features succulents from the arid regions of southern Africa. Special collections of bulbs, ferns and alpines are displayed in smaller corner houses.

A major tourist attraction and a pleasure on the eyes, it is not hard to understand why Kirstenbosch has won 29 gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, or why visitors keep returning to its rich diverse green slopes.

It is nature at its most splendidly beautiful.