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Tanzania Tourist Places to Visit in Tanzania, Dodoma East Africa, Africa

Tanzania is an African country, geographically positioned in the eastern part of the continent, sharing borders with Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi to the west and Uganda and Kenya to the north, while Tanzania’s entire eastern border lies on the Indian Ocean. Dodoma is the capital, while Dar es Salaam is the largest city of Tanzania.

Tanzania is home to the highest mountain of Africa, Kilimanjaro. The country of Tanzania is formed by the mainland Tanganyika and Zanzibar islands in the Indian Ocean. Located at 6.307° S 34.854° E, Tanzania covers a total area of 945,203 sq. km.

History of Tanzania:

It is believed that, the Hadza and Sandawe hunter-gatherers were the original settlers of Tanzania. The European colonization began in Tanzania in the early 16^th century by the Portuguese. The German conquered Tanzania in the late 19th century, ruled until the post–World War I, when Tanzania fell under the British rule and became independent on 9 December 1961.

Getting Tanzania:

Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro International Airport in Kilimanjaro are the two important airports of Tanzania. Tanzania can be reached by flight from Mumbai, Amsterdam, London, Zurich, Dubai, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg and Cairo.

The major cities of Tanzania are Kigoma, Mwanza, Dodoma, Tabora, and Dar es Salaam, are well connected each other by train and bus services. Buses are widely used for local travel in Tanzania and other options include taxis and rental cars.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Tanzania:

Kiswahili is a widely spoken language in Tanzania. Muslims (35%) and Christians (30%) cover the larger proportion of the country’s population. A corn based Ugali is the most common traditional dish in Tanzania.

The Tanzanian Shilling is the currency used in Tanzania. Tinga Tinga painting, introduced by the painter with same name, is a well known shopping item among visitors.

Must see in Tanzania:

Mount Kilimanjaro:

The Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the identities of Tanzania being the highest mountain in Africa. It also holds the dignity of the highest freestanding peak in the world located at a height of 5,895 metres. It can be climbed with the aid of a guided tour.

Serengeti National Park:

Covering a total of 14,763 km² areas of the Mara and Simiyu regions, the Serengeti National Park was established in 1951 and is one of the excellent safari destinations in Africa. Around 250,000 zebras and 1.5 million white bearded wildebeests migrate to park annually.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area:

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sprawling over an area of 8,288 km². The area is highlighted by a large volcanic caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater, which houses around 25,000 large animals, including black rhinoceros.

Tanzania National Museum:

The Tanzania National Museum is situated in the largest city of the country, Dar es Salaam, where visitors can get the complete information on the history and natural environment of Tanzania. It was founded in 1934.

Pemba Island:

Pemba Island is one of the islands forming Zanzibar Archipelago in Tanzania, situated around 50 kilometers from the Tanzanian mainland. There is an airport in Pemba and the island is famous among visitors as a great diving spot.

Other must see places in Tanzania include:

Makumbusho Village Museum
Zoological Gardens in Dar es Salaam
Askari Monument
Azania Front Lutheran Church
Karimjee Hall
Tarangire National Park
Mafia Island
Ruaha National Park
Selous Game Reserve
Lake Victoria
House of Wonders
Old Fort of Zanzibar
Hamamni Persian Baths
Lake Natron
Olduvai Gorge Museum

When to visit Tanzania?

Tanzania experiences a tropical climate with only dry and wet seasons. The best time to visit Tanzania is from June to August and January to February.

Where to stay in Tanzania?

Being home to a thriving tourism industry, Tanzania owns a grand hospitality industry with a wide range of accommodation centres like hotels, vacation rentals, BB and inns. Most tourist favor hotels are located on the Zanzibar Island. Some top end hotels in Tanzania (Dar es Salaam) are as follows:

Southern Sun Dar es Salaam
Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam
Sea Cliff Hotel
Tanzanite Executive Suites
Ledger Plaza Bahari Beach Hotel
Jangwani Seabreeze Resort
DoubleTree by Hilton Dar es Salaam
Mediterraneo Hotel & Restaurant
Kunduchi Beach Hotel and Resort
Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel
New Africa Hotel
Hotel Nikko Tower
Protea Hotel Courtyard
The Oyster Bay Hotel

Places to Visit in Somerset West, South Africa, Africa

Places to Visit in Somerset West, South Africa, Africa

Somerset West is a town belonging to the Western Cape province of South Africa, covering a total area of 61.37 sq. km. Administratively, Somerset West comes under the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality, is located around 50 km east of the heart of the city of Cape Town, one of the three capitals of South Africa, others being Pretoria and Bloemfontein.

Helderberg is a mountain overlooking the town of Somerset West. Somerset West is mainly famous as natural tourist destination, especially noted for the Helderberg Nature Reserve, which is home to many typical indigenous floral species including proteas and fynbos. The town is situated between 34°05′ S latitude and 18°51′ E longitude.

History of Somerset West:

Somerset West originated as a cattle post, founded by the Dutch soldiers in 1672, but it was founded as a town in 1822 and was named after Lord Charles Henry Somerset, an English governor of the Cape Colony in the early 19^th century.

How to get Somerset West?

Somerset West is catered by the Cape Town International Airport with scheduled flights from London, Singapore, Istanbul, Durban, Johannesburg, Mauritius and many other African and European cities. The airport is situated around 30 km northwest of the centre of Somerset West.

Due to its position within Cape Town, Somerset West is connected by both train and bus to all the major cities in the country. The local transportation of Somerset West is catered by buses, taxis and rental vehicles like cars and bikes.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Somerset West:

Somerset West is the home town of many famous artists, including composer, Chris McGregor and musician, De-Wet Nagel.

Shops are dozens in number in Somerset West and some nice food corners in Somerset West include:

Cattle Baron Steak Ranch
Blue Waters Seafood & Sushi
96 Winery Road

Things to do in Somerset West:

Golfing
Visiting wine estates
Day tours

What to see in Somerset West?

Helderberg Nature Reserve:

Opened in 1964, the Helderberg Nature Reserve occupies an area of 363 hectare, his home to a substantial number of animals, including buck and tortoises. Protea and fynbos are the main indigenous floral species found in the reserve.

Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum:

The Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum is situated in Lwandle, around 6 km south of Somerset West. It describes the history of the migrated Black people to Lwandle during the apartheid period, with artifacts dating from that time. It was established in 2000.

Vergelegen:

Being the oldest surviving wine yard of South Africa, Vergelegen is one of the identities of Somerset West. Originally established in 1700, Vergelegen is located on the outskirts of Somerset West and visitors can taste and purchase wine there.

Monkeytown Primate Sanctuary:

Located on Mondeor Road, the Monkeytown Primate Sanctuary is one of the very interesting places in Somerset West, where visitors can see and interact with more than 230 primates.

Golf clubs in Somerset West:

Blessed with rich and dense natural landscape, Somerset West hosts two well equipped golf courses, Somerset West Golf Club and Erinvale Golf Club, of which both are allowed for visitors to play.

List of other places of interest in and around Somerset West includes:

Lourensford Wine Estate
Morgenster Estate
Blue Rock Adventure Park
Flagstone Winery
Avontuur Wine Estate
Cape Town City Hall
The Castle of Good Hope
District Six Museum
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
South African Parliament Building
Two Oceans Aquarium
Groot Constantia
South African National Gallery
South African Jewish Museum

When to visit Somerset West?

Somerset West is a year round destination and the tour of Somerset West can be enjoyed best between October and May.

Where to stay in Somerset West?

There are plenty of upgraded hotels in Somerset West, offering amazing hospitality services with the blend of modern and traditional facilities and services, serving visitors wholeheartedly. The major hotels in Somerset West are as follows:

Erinvale Estate Hotel
NH The Lord Charles
Willowbrook Country House
Pepperwood Country Lodge
Somerset Lodge
4 Heaven Guesthouse
Blaauwheim Guest House
Cape Khamai Guest House
Room With a View B&B
Vrede Self Catering
KhashaMongo Guesthouse
At Winkfield House
Vredenburg Manor House
Bay View Somerset West
Topsy Turvy Guesthouse

Sandton Tourist Places to Visit in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, Africa

Sandton Tourist Places to Visit in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, Africa

Sandton is one of the opulent areas of South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg, situated around 14 km northeast of the heart of Johannesburg. The prosperous Sandston is widely noted as a shoppers’ paradise, home to a grand and recognized shopping centre, Sandton City, one of the largest in Africa. Nelson Mandela Statue is one of the most important landmarks of Sandston. Sandton coordinates with 26°6.42′ S latitude and 28°3.1′ E longitude and spans over an area of 143.54 sq. km.

History of Sandton:

The name Sandton is a blended form of its two suburbs Sandown and Bryanston. Sandton once had municipal status in 1969, but that melted with the reunification of local governments in South Africa. The Tswana people are one of the original settlers of Sandton prior to the arrival of Europeans.

How to reach Sandton?

O.R. Tambo International Airport is the airport serving all areas of Johannesburg, including Sandton. It is the most important airport of South Africa, handling flights to several global cities, including New York, London, Frankfurt, Mumbai and Paris. The distance of 30 km between airport and Sandton can easily be crossed by bus or airport taxi or pre-booked private transfer.

Minibus taxis are the prevalent options to get around Sandston that can be found at West Street or Maude Street.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Sandton:

Sandton is prosperous in all sectors, including culture, with a palatial Sandton Convention Centre, which is at Maude Street.

Sandton City is the primary option for shopping in Sandton, which is also famous as a great entertainment centre.

Things to do in Sandton:

Shopping
Your Africa tour
Visiting spa, casino and museums

What to see in Sandton?

Nelson Mandela Statue:

Situated at Nelson Mandela Square, the Nelson Mandela Statue is one of the highlights of Sandston. This bronze statue measures a height of 6 meters and is famous among all kinds of tourists, especially a favorite of photographers.

Sandston Gallery:

The Sandston Gallery is located on the Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton City shopping area, where both South African and international arts are exhibited regularly. It is open for visitors from 9AM to 6PM (Monday to Saturday).

Sandston Theatre:

Like many prominent cultural centres of Sandston, the Sandston Theatre is also situated on the Nelson Mandela Square. Classical South African shows are generally exhibited between 6PM and 9PM. Admission fee is R100.

Sandton City:

The Sandton City is an iconic shopping centre, considered as one of the largest shopping malls in Africa. Visitors can be visited this vibrant shopping centre between 9AM and 6PM (Monday-Saturday) and 10AM to 4PM (Sundays). The mall surely takes a whole day to explore.

Village Walk Shopping Centre:

The Village Walk Shopping Centre is relatively smaller than Sandton City shopping mall, but worth a visit. This pleasant and colorful shopping centre is located at Cnr Maude and Rivonia Rd and is generally open from 9AM to 6PM.

Other places of interest in and around Sandton include:

Montecasino
Liliesleaf Farm & Museum
Cocktails and Canvas
Orient Spa
Sandton Convention Centre
The Fairlawns Spa
Renaissance Spa
Old Kromdraai Gold Mine
Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens
Mandela Family Museum
Johannesburg Art Gallery
Top of Africa

When to visit Sandton?

Like the rest of Johannesburg, Sandston experiences a subtropical highland climate. From May to August is the best time to visit Sandston.

Where to stay in Sandton?

It is difficult to find budget hotels in Sandston as it is a highly affluent suburb with plenty of top end and mid range hotels. So budget travelers are needed to reach surrounding areas of Sandston to get convenient accommodations. Some top end hotels in Sandston include:

Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa
DaVinci Hotel and Suites
Michelangelo Hotel
AtholPlace Boutique Hotel
Radisson Blu Hotel Sandton
Faircity Falstaff Hotel
Holiday Inn Sandton
Michelangelo Towers
Cedar Park Hotel & Conference Centre
Faircity Quatermain Hotel
Garden Court Sandton City
Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel
The Regent Luxury Apartments
Southern Sun Katherine Street Sandton
Moloko Executive Apartments and Hotel

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, Africa

Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa, belonging to the province of Gauteng. It falls under the City of Tshwane, is situated around 65 km north of the country’s largest city, Johannesburg. Pretoria is popularly called as the ‘Jacaranda City’, referring abundant of Jacaranda trees in the parks, gardens and on the streets of the city.

Pretoria is a lovely and friendly city, adorned by numerous historic colonial structures, administrative buildings, botanical and zoological gardens, promoting Pretoria as one of the prominent tourist destinations in the country. Pretoria is located at 25°44′46″ S 28°11′17″ E, around 1,270 meters above sea level, covering an area of 687.54 sq. km.

Brief note on Pretoria’s history:

Marthinus Pretorius, a leader of the Voortrekkers, was the founder of Pretoria, in 1855. Pretoria was designated as the capital of the South African Republic on 1 May 1860 and it officially gained city rights on 14 October 1931. Pretoria received its name from the Voortrekker leader and a national hero, Andries Pretorius, the father of Marthinus Pretorius.

Getting Pretoria:

Being one of the national capitals, Pretoria features an upgraded transportation infrastructure. Pretoria is served by OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, located around 45 km south of the midpoint of the Pretoria city. Taxis are always being ready to serve visitors at the airport and visitors can also choose bus for inexpensive airport travel.

Pretoria is connected to all the important South African cities by both train and bus services, including Johannesburg and Nelspruit.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Pretoria:

Pretoria is a museum city with more than a dozen museums and also many famous South African bands, including Seether, Zebra & Giraffe.

Shopping centres are dotted all around Pretoria and also visitors can visit traditional shops to bag South African specialties. Mid range restaurants in Pretoria generally charge between R60 and R120 for meal.

Things to do in Pretoria:

Mountain biking
Hiking
The Blue Train tour
African Tracks Safaris
Visiting spas

What to see in Pretoria?

The Union Buildings:

Designed by Sir Herbert Baker, the Union Buildings is a landmark site, situated on 2 Church Street, functioning as the residence of the South African President. Garden surrounding buildings is an added attraction.

National Zoological Gardens:

Located on 232 Boom Street, the National Zoological Gardens is a site with various attractions, including large mammals, aquarium, and reptile park. Camping can also be enjoyed within the park on Friday and Saturday nights. Entrance fee is R36.

National Cultural History Museum:

The National Cultural History Museum is a perfect place to know the complete culture of South African people, from the Iron Age to modern days. It is situated on 149 Visagie Street in Pretoria.

Pretoria Art Gallery:

The Pretoria Art Gallery is open for visitors from 10:00 to 17:00 (Tuesday-Sunday). It is centered on displaying the importance of modern and contemporary arts of South Africa. Admission fee is R20. It is worth a visit.

Groenkloof Nature Reserve:

Being the world’s second oldest nature reserve, the Groenkloof Nature Reserve is one of the highlights of Pretoria. Apart from animals like antelope and giraffes, the reserve also offers 4×4 drive, mountain biking, walking and many other exciting activities.

Other places of interest in Pretoria include:

Wonderboom Nature Reserve
Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary
State Theatre
Friends of the Rail
Klitsgras Drumming Circle
Kruger House Museu
Botanical Gardens
Voortrekker Monument and Fort Scanskop
Sammy Marks Museum
Melrose House Museum
Freedom Park

When to visit Pretoria?

Pretoria can be visited year round, though the majority of people prefer September and October to travel Pretoria to enjoy the natural phenomena of the blooming of jacaranda trees.

Where to stay in Pretoria?

Pretoria holds dozens of world class hotels with superior amenities that are located in all parts of the city. Pretoria is also a great destination for budget and mid range travelers who can find their accommodation in any suburb of Pretoria. List of the top end hotels Pretoria include: