5:00 – 8:00 PM

Visit the iconic area of Soweto (meaning Southwestern Township), home to Vilakazi Street. A globally renowned historic hub, Vilakazi Street is the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates lived: Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

This richly diverse, vibrant, bustling street features Mandela House Museum and authentic restaurants like Sakhumzi. It serves as a key, energetic tourist destination reflecting South Africa’s history.

The nearby Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum commemorates the role of students in the fight against Apartheid in South Africa and preserves the memory of the 1976 Soweto uprisings.

Lunch

Set high up on the rocky Witwatersrand, The Westcliff Hotel feels like a chic hillside village despite its location in the middle of South Africa’s largest city. Take a ride up the glass elevator to view the nine sun-splashed villas woven with courtyards, fountains, and gardens, or simply step out onto a balcony to enjoy a quiet moment to admire the endless treetops that stretch out before you.

Visit Victoria Yards, which aims to redefine the Johannesburg inner-city landscape. It is a lively community of approximately 50 creative tenants. There is a Gin Distillery for tasting and a tour. Originally a New York style laundry, the property has a rich history dating back to 1913. The 20,000-square-meter site has undergone many additions and transformations over the past 100+ years. This dedicated space for artisans and craftspeople to create, share, and work hosts the artist James Delaney, Tshepo Mohlala of TSHEPO Jeans, and creative tenants. Take the opportunity to purchase unique and authentic gifts to take home with you.

Visit the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre. Founded in 1971 and renamed in 2010 to honor its founder, this nonprofit conservation facility is dedicated to the survival of cheetahs and other endangered species. It offers daily guided tours and special cheetah runs, showcasing animals such as cheetahs, King Cheetahs, African wild dogs, caracals, and vultures. The centre is renowned for its breeding program that ensures genetic diversity, the successful release of captive-born cheetahs, and its academic contributions with over 80 research publications. Now led by Ann’s nephew, Eric van Dyk, the centre continues her vision, relying on donations, sponsorship, tours, and adoption programs to sustain its conservation efforts. How about adopting a Wild Child?

Lunch

Enjoy contemporary South African cuisine at Silver Orange Bistro, an exceptional restaurant set in Hartbeespoort on a lush, green citrus orchard called Altyd Mooi (Afrikaans for “always beautiful”) run by the same family since 1978. Silver Orange Bistro was established in 2004. With strong European influences and African flair, each dish is carefully created with flavors that complement one another. Using fresh, local ingredients, the menu changes with the season.

After lunch, journey to the Cradle Boutique Hotel, located within the Greater Cradle Nature Reserve. The privately owned 9,000-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site is a unique ecotourism destination boasting two active paleoanthropological sites still unearthing both hominid and animal fossils. Visit the Malapa Museum and take a game drive through the Greater Cradle Nature Reserve.