Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
and surroundings
H O T E L , v i ll a s a n d s pa
s o u th
a f r i c a
Index
Johannesburg City, Soweto and Pretoria Tours
Shopping Experiences
Origins Centre
Elephant Sanctuary
Apartheid Museum
Constitution Hill
Dining
Qunu Restaurant and Luke Dale Roberts X the Saxon
Theatre
Auto & General Theatre On The Square
Joburg Theatre
Mining Tours
Gold Reef City
Cullinan Diamond Mine
Jewel Africa at The Pivot at Montecasino
Natural History
Victory Theatre
Origins Centre
Lion Park
Pilanesberg Game Reserve
Johannesburg Zoo
Pretoria Zoo
Golf
Steyn City Golf Course
Johannesburg
Welcome to Johannesburg, one of the worlds largest urban forests.
The Gauteng region is an all-year-round destination that enjoys
excellent weather throughout the seasons, with moderately cool,
dry winters and hot summers with the cooling relief of sporadic
thundershowers.
Johannesburg, the powerhouse of South Africa, is a city steeped
in a rich cultural and political history, which attracts both business
and leisure travellers. This vibrant city has a lot to offer visitors, from
historic sights of political importance, traditional ties or cultural
connections, to museums, art galleries and craft markets.
The Soweto Tour explores the cultural melting pot of South Africa
and follows the road that led to the end of Apartheid and the
dawn of democracy. The tour includes a visit to the Nelson Mandela
Museum, the original Soweto home of Nelson Mandela in Vilakazi
Street. Vilakazi Street is the only street in the world to have housed
two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, namely the late former President
Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. Also on
the itinerary is the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum, where
the state-of-the-art multi-media centre depicts scenes leading up to
the student uprising of 16 June 1976.
In addition, the tour offers a local craft experience at the Handiworx
project or the Soweto Green, as well as a visit to an informal
settlement, a day care centre and Baragwanath Hospital. There is
also an optional cycle tour from Phomolong.
Footsteps of Mandela
Soweto Tour
Situated to the south-west of Johannesburg is Soweto, one of the
worlds most famous townships and an important monument to
Apartheid. A sprawling, self-sufficient home to millions, the spirit
of Soweto resonates in a plethora of shebeens.
The tour takes visitors to the Nelson Mandela Museum, the original
Soweto home of Nelson Mandela, as well as the former home of
Desmond Tutu in Vilakazi Street, Orlando West.
Apartheid Museum
The Apartheid Museum tells the story of the triumph of the human
spirit over adversity. The museum is a superb example of design,
space and landscape, offering the international community an
insight into South Africas past. The exhibits have been assembled
and organised by a multi-disciplinary team of curators, film-makers,
historians and designers. They include film footage, photographs,
text panels and artefacts illustrating the events and human stories
from the Apartheid era.
Goodman Gallery
The Goodman Gallery is well known for offering a frequently
changing programme of thought-provoking exhibitions by various
artists throughout the year.
Stevenson Gallery
The Stevenson Gallery has an international exhibition programme
with a particular focus on regions. In addition to exhibiting gallery
artists, it has also brought in the work of celebrated artists and has
in the past participated in international art events.
Shopping Experiences
The areas surrounding the Saxon are recognised as world class
shopping destinations, offering a wide variety of shopping
experiences, from designer boutiques to local artefacts and curios.
The most exclusive shopping malls, including Hyde Park, Melrose
Arch, Rosebank Mall, Sandton City, and Nelson Mandela Square
are just a few minutes away and The Pivot at Montecasino are a
mere ten to fifteen minutes by car.
If you are interested in buying specialised products such as jewellery
or African artefacts, the Concierge can arrange for reputable
designers and agents to assist you in the comfort of the Saxon.
Dining
Johannesburg offers an exciting culinary journey with renowned
restaurants and eateries offering local delicacies and international
cuisines. The Saxon is home to Qunu Restaurant and Luke Dale
Roberts X the Saxon, our experiential dining restaurant.
The city offers visitors a wide choice of award-winning restaurants
to suit any palate. Johannesburgs local gourmet and craft markets
have created exciting new platforms showcasing the best local
artisan produce. These are popular meeting places where you
can enjoy the finest local speciality foods in a vibrant atmosphere.
Please consult the Saxon Concierge for the best advice and
recommendations should you wish to visit some of the local
Johannesburg restaurants, bistros or gourmet markets.
Theatre
South Africa has a thriving visual and performing arts community
and Johannesburg showcases many innovative homegrown
productions. Theatregoers are spoilt for choice, with Johannesburg
often hosting major international shows as well as a year-round
programme of world class local theatre productions. Theatres
include Auto & General Theatre On The Square, Joburg Theatre,
Peter Toeriens Montecasino Theatre and Studio, Victory Theatre,
Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City and the Market Theatre in Newtown.
Mining Tours
Gold Reef City
Situated near the central business district of Johannesburg,
Gold Reef City has been built around a former gold mine as a
reconstruction of the early days of Johannesburg during the gold
rush era.
Natural History
Maropeng Cradle of Humankind
Situated an easy 1 hours drive from Sandton, this internationally
acclaimed tourist attraction highlights the universal relevance of
the Cradle of Humankind as our ancestral home. The tour visits
the Sterkfontein Caves, where the earliest hominid fossils dating
back over 3 million years were discovered. At Maropeng you can
experience fascinating, interactive representations of the origins of
the earth and life on our planet. A boat ride takes you back 3 billion
years through the elements that started life on the planet, and your
journey continues through a 150 metre interactive virtual cave.
Origins Centre
A visit to the Origins Centre explores the beginning of life on our
planet. This museum celebrates the history of modern humankind,
telling the story of the emergence of human beings and their
evolution into humanity as we know it. The tour is of interest to
both adults and children and is a must see on the itinerary of
anyone passing through Gauteng.
Elephant Sanctuary
Small groups of visitors are guided on foot through the Elephant
Sanctuary, situated to the north-west of the Hartbeespoort Dam,
with guides providing in-depth information and an insight into the
world of the African elephant. You are introduced to the elephants
and you can touch and interact with them, followed by a short
trunk-in-hand walk, which is an unforgettable experience. Guests
also get the opportunity to feed the elephants and learn more about
their anatomy, as well as their intricate ways of communicating
with one another.
Lion Park
This tour to the Lion Park situated just north of Johannesburg offers
you the opportunity of meeting the king of the wild. Admire the
lion cubs, white lions and get to see the hyenas and wild dogs.
You can even get your picture taken with an irresistible lion cub.
Visits to the Lion Park are to be pre-booked.
Johannesburg Zoo
Originally established in 1904, the progressive Johannesburg Zoo
is set on 81 hectares and is home to over 2 000 animals. The
zoo is dedicated to the accommodation, enrichment, husbandry
and medical care of wild animals and is one of the few places in
the world where you can see the white lion. Enjoy the views of
Westcliff, one of the old exclusive baronial residential areas of early
Johannesburg.
Pretoria Zoo
Pretoria Zoo is the largest zoo in the country, situated on 85 hectares
and home to more than 7 000 mammals, reptiles, fish and birds.
The zoo was originally established in 1899 and received national
status as South Africas National Zoological Gardens in 1916.
Attractions include South African fur seals, the gorilla enclosure,
the aquarium, a reptile park and the endangered Komodo dragon.
Guests can enjoy the meandering paths and take a seven-minute
cableway ride for an aerial view of the zoo.
Orlando Towers
Originally the site of a coal-fired power station, the Orlando
Towers have become one of the most distinctive landmarks in
Soweto and the site of the worlds first bungee jump between two
cooling towers. There is an open-air viewing platform that offers
spectacular views of Soweto and Johannesburg. The towers are
used for extreme sports such as bungee jumping, abseiling, zipline,
pendulum swinging and more.
Golf
The fantastic year-round weather and exceptional golf courses
make Johannesburg a golfers paradise. The city has a number of
golf courses that have hosted the European PGA Tour and South
African golfing events.
36 Saxon Road Sandhurst Johannesburg 2196 PO Box 567 Saxonwold 2132 South Africa
Telephone +27 (0)11 292 6000 / +27 (0)87 375 7777 Email info@saxon.co.za Website www.saxon.co.za