Freedom trails: The best of SA's cultural tourist sites

From community-run museums to little township restaurants to tour businesses run by eager, talented entrepreneurs, South Africa is blessed with myriad tourist offerings. We highlight some of the best hidden gems in the land - along with some iconic attractions

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HECTOR PIETERSON MEMORIAL

This excellent museum remembers the day of June 16 1976, when police opened fire on protesting students in Soweto, sparking the uprising which shook the apartheid state to its core.

Housed in a double-storey red-brick building, the walls are lined with photographs and audio-visual presentations of that momentous day and the events that followed. Outside there is a garden of remembrance with the names of all those who died in the uprising inscribed on bricks. — PA

DETAILS: 8287 Khumalo Street, Orlando West, phone 011-536-0611

NELSON MANDELA'S HOUSE, VILAKAZI STREET

The modest house that was home to the Mandela family from 1946 to the 1990s is an important stop for those interested in tracing the footsteps of South Africa's most famous person.

While Mandela himself did not live here much - he was in hiding much of the time before his arrest in 1962 - his family did, and the great man himself came home for 11 short days after his release in February 1990. The house contains such exhibits as artworks and awards as well as pictures of the family dating back to the 1950s. — PA

DETAILS: 8115 Vilakazi Street, Orlando West, Soweto, phone 011-936-7754 or see www.mandelahouse.com

THE APARTHEID MUSEUM

Voted this week as the Best Museum in Africa in TripAdvisor's Traveller's Choice awards for 2016, the museum, with its moving and immersive displays, draws visitors into the country's fight for racial equality and its painful road to democracy. Through films, pictures and audio clips, you explore the liberation struggle and see the devastation caused by forced removals and political executions. Every South African should visit it.
— PA

DETAILS: Northern Parkway and Gold Reef Rd, phone 011-309-4700 or see www.apartheidmuseum.org

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CRADLE OF HUMANKIND

For a long view of our history, head to the Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng where, truly, you can stand in the cradle of humankind. Since 1947 the caves have yielded the remains of hundreds of Australopithecus africanus hominids who lived here nearly 3 million years ago. More recent discoveries such as "Little Foot" and the child "Karabo" have reignited the ongoing fascination for the site.

Start at the Maropeng visitor centre where an interactive journey takes you through the millions of years of our shared human history. Then head for the caves. Wonder Cave, estimated to be 5- to 10-million years old, is the third-largest chamber in South Africa. — PA

DETAILS: See www.maropeng.co.za or phone 014-577-9000

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SHAKALAND, NKWALINI VALLEY

Shakaland is a replication of a Zulu "umuzi" or homestead overlooking Phobane Lake in Zululand. More than just a cultural village, it has been called a "living monument" to Zulu culture where you can also spend the night in one of the beehive huts that dot the village.

During your stay, you will be entertained by traditional dancers, visit a sangoma and an inyanga - a traditional herbalist - and immerse yourself in Zulu culture. You will also eat traditional food and sip the superb home-brewed beer. — PA

DETAILS: Nkwalini Valley, off R66, Eshowe, phone 035-460-0912 or see http://aha.co.za/shakaland

THE ISANDLWANA BATTLEFIELD

This is where a great Zulu army under King Cetshwayo overran a British encampment at the start of the Anglo-Zulu War in January 1879, sending shockwaves throughout the Empire. The battlefield is a most evocative place, especially when the mist shrouds the rocky hillock that hunkers over the plain.

Who better to hear the story of that fateful day than from Lindizwe Ngobese, great-grandson of Mehlokazulu of the iNgobamakhosi Regiment, which formed part of the Zulu advance. Lindizwe is based at Isandlwana Lodge, a community-run hotel from where he runs tours that cover Zulu history and culture. — PA

DETAILS: Phone 034-271-8304, e-mail lindizwe.ngobese@gmail.com or see www.isandlwana.co.za

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ISITHUMBA ADVENTURES

iSithumba is an authentic Zulu village in the Valley of 1,000 Hills, on the banks of the uMngeni River. The key attractions are a network of biking and hiking trails and the village where you can visit the home of the headman and have a consultation with a sangoma. Afterwards, sit down to lunch with one of the families and learn about Zulu cooking. You can also spend the night in a local home to get the full flavour of the experience. — PA

DETAILS: Phone 031-322-6026/7 or see www.durbangreencorridor.co.za /explore/venues/isithumba

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THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S MEMORIAL AND ANGLO-BOER WAR MUSEUM

To make the depiction of the suffering of the Boers more relevant to the South Africa of today, more information on, for example, the black casualties of the second Anglo-Boer War have been added.

So, amid the black granite slabs listing the names of the tens of thousands of white women and children who died in British concentration camps, is one engraved: "April ... M", or "Kind/Child/Ngwana", or "90 Africa" - presumably the number of black people named Africa who died.

Along with a war museum, the memorial boasts two rectangles of cement celebrating re-enactments of the Great Trek. The first, dating to 1938, is marked with wagon tracks and ox hooves; the 2013 slab has footprints and the tracks of a 4x4. — MAF

DETAILS: Monument Avenue, Bloemfontein, phone 051-447-3447 or see www.wmbr.org.za

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THE AFRICAN CAROUSEL

In the garden of the wondrous Oliewenhuis Art Museum, itself enough of a reason to visit Bloemfontein, stands the African Carousel, a piece of interactive public art comprising a troupe of magical creatures ranging from winged horses to colourful chameleons, all made by seven local artists.

The carousel took three years to complete and is an absolute delight. To a backdrop of fairground music, I rode around on a wooden turtle while looking at the other offbeat art that dots the museum's sculpture garden. — SS

DETAILS: Oliewenhuis Art Museum, 16 Harry Smith Street, Bloemfontein, phone 051-447-9609

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THE CHURCH CAVE

Near Ladybrand, close to the Lesotho border and set against a sandstone mountain, is St Augustines, a mission station established at the turn of the last century. But it's the cave behind the buildings that's worth seeing. There has been life in the cave since the Stone Age and there are ancient San paintings on the walls.

The cave provided the first Anglican missionaries a place to shelter and worship in the late 1800s. According to legend it was also the hiding place of the great Basotho prophetess Makhetha Mantsopa, who fled the Kingdom of Lesotho when threatened by her brother, King Moshoeshoe.

She found sanctuary - and Christianity - at the mission station. Today the cave is a pilgrimage site for followers of the Zionist Christian Church and a consecrated Anglican church. — SS

DETAILS: For a guided tour, call Steve Shone on 082-550-4555

BASOTHO CULTURAL VILLAGE

This beautifully designed village is styled around a courtyard and set against a timeline that represents the cultural, social and architectural lifestyles of the Basotho people from the 16th century to the present. It's a carefully constructed piece of living theatre in which you may be given a starring role - such as dressing for your "marriage" to the chief.

The tour starts in the chief's homestead with a sip of traditional beer, followed by a visit to the bone thrower for a reading. The tour is about engaging all the senses, whether it be touching household objects, tasting motoho (porridge made of sorghum) or dipadi (toasted ground maize) or listening to traditional instruments. — SS

DETAILS: The village is 55km from Harrismith. Book in advance through Mmasi Mosikatsana on 072-340-1277

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PAUL KRUGER COUNTRY HOUSE MUSEUM, RUSTENBURG

David Dewah tells a good story. A guide at the Paul Kruger Country House Museum (administered by the nearby Kedar Heritage Lodge), Dewah will keep you spellbound with tales of Paul Kruger, the Bafokeng people and the rich history of the area. The former farm boasts three beautifully restored buildings that offer a fascinating glimpse into the life of a VIP in rural South Africa in Victorian times.

Outside, Dewah takes us to Prayer Rock, where Kruger liked to commune with his God. There is a "throne" made of rocks where he liked to sit and where he had meetings with the Batswana king every morning. "He was a very religious man, Oom Paul. The only book he ever read in his life was the Bible." — AM

DETAILS: See www.recreationafrica.co.za/kedar

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MPHEBATHO CULTURAL MUSEUM

The community-run Mphebatho Cultural Museum is worth travelling a long way to see. The museum examines the culture and history of the Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela people who have lived in the Pilanesberg area for centuries. Located in Moruleng, just outside Pilanesberg Game Reserve, its displays include ancient Batswana artefacts and installations that explore the rich history of the Bakgatla people.

The stone wall enclosures of the first Kgosi Pilane's Iron Age settlement have been recreated in the grounds of what used to be a school. There are regular storytelling and poetry sessions in the boma and excellent guides on hand to show you around. Traditional food can be prepared on request. — PA

DETAILS: 499 Moruleng Boulevard, Moruleng, e-mail mphebatho@executivemail.co.za or phone 014-556-1194

LESEDI CULTURAL VILLAGE

Lesedi lies in the embrace of rocky hills at the edge of the Cradle of Humankind. It is both a hotel and a unique attraction in its own right, and it really should be on your list of overnight spots. Soak up the atmosphere and learn some of the history of the cultures of our Rainbow Nation. Our tour around the village by the animated and knowledgeable Mthunzi Goxa was delightfully informative.

There are five traditional homesteads - Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Basotho and Ndebele - where you may spend the night. We slept in cosy Zulu huts kitted out with all the amenities for a very comfortable stay. Dinner included specialities such as bobotie, pap en vleis and crocodile stew, served in the Tswana Letsatsi lapa with a huge bonfire in the middle and soft river sand underfoot. — SJ

DETAILS: On the Pelindaba Road, about 23km from Hartbeespoort, phone 087-740-9292 or see www.aha.co.za/lesedi

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SUDWALA CAVES

The caves are one of Mpumalanga's more deserving attractions. Guides will tell you the story of Somquba, a Swazi royal, who once hid out here with his followers and hundreds of cattle while he battled his brother for the throne. I was amazed at the size of the underground chamber in which Somquba, his people and their cattle lived - no wonder they could not be found, nor driven out.

I did not, however, have the courage to embark on the four-hour tour to the Crystal Chamber, deep in the cave system. Those who do say it is one of the best experiences of their lives. If you are fine with small, dark spaces, and don't mind getting dirty or wet, you should go. — PA

DETAILS: www.sudwalacaves.co.za

MATSAMO CULTURAL PARK

This Swazi traditional village is a vibrant attraction at Jeppe's Reef, near the SA/Swaziland border. It is a recreation of an authentic village that preserves Swazi history and culture, where you can see a traditional way of life. There are dancing, drumming and singing performances, or you can sit down with one of the people who live there for demonstrations of cooking, weaving or beadwork.

There is a very good curio shop and a wonderful restaurant overlooking a dam. When you've eaten, lay your head down in one of the beautifully built traditional beehive huts - each with aircon and showers ensuite. — PA

DETAILS: Phone 063-076-2527 or email dudu@matsamocustoms.com

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SHANGAAN CULTURAL VILLAGE, HAZYVIEW

Shangana is a traditional village created and built to preserve Shangaan culture, customs and identity. Guides take you through the village and offer a glimpse into how life once was for the Shangaan people. You can stay for lunch or visit in the afternoon, after which the village chief will invite you to an evening of dinner and dancing. — PA

DETAILS: Phone 013-737-5804/5 or see www.shangana.co.za

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THE SOL PLAATJE MUSEUM

The museum occupies the house where Sol Plaatje lived during his final years and, legend has it, where he wrote Mhudi. It covers the important points of Plaatje's life, such as his voyage to England to protest the 1913 Native Land Act and the fact that he served as a court interpreter during the siege of Mahikeng during the Anglo-Boer War. Definitely worth a visit. — PA

DETAILS: 2 Angel Street, Kimberley or call 053-833-2526

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KALAHARI-ORANJE MUSEUM

This low-key museum, housed in a church built by Reverend Christiaan Schröder in 1875, contains some surprises. One is its collection of manual printing presses; the other is an exhibit on the "Upington 26", the group charged collectively for the murder of a community policeman in 1986.

Among the exhibits are the superb "matchstick" ships built by trialist Barry Bekebeke during his years in prison. And outside is a beautiful life-sized bronze donkey sculpture, dedicated to the animal that did so much work in the "green Kalahari". — PA

DETAILS: 4 Schröder Street, Upington, 054-331-2640

"THE MCGREGOR"

Founded in 1907 "the McGregor's" attractions cover botany, geology, ethnography, rock art and local history. Much of the collection concerns the diamond rush and the Boer siege of the town in 1899, told with dioramas and fascinating pictures. There are also fantastic scenes of Xhosa people trekking with their cattle and our early ancestors hunting bushpigs by a long-lost river. It is the kind of place where you could get lost for hours. Highly recommended. — PA

DETAILS: 5 Atlas Street, Kimberley, phone 053-839-2700 or see www.museumsnc.co.za

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NELSON MANDELA MUSEUM

Learning about world icon and former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela comes easy if you visit the Nelson Mandela Museum in Qunu, near Mthatha. The museum is a short walk from his home and place of rest by the Mbashe River. It celebrates his international gifts and tells his stories.

The Youth and Heritage Centre offers an interesting tale of how it was made from a combination of remains of Mandela's primary school, an old church and granite rocks. Guests can walk though the pastures where Madiba was a shepherd as a young man. — GM

DETAILS: Phone 047-532-5110

IMONTI TOURS, EAST LONDON

Award-winning tour guide Velile Ndlumbini founded Imonti Tours in 2002 as a community-based development programme to help create jobs and provide a future for people in tourism. People come from all over the world to travel with him and to hear stories of life and history in the Eastern Cape. He offers trips to the famous Duncan Village and Mdantsane township as well as tours to the Nelson Mandela Museum in Qunu. — PA

DETAILS: 9 Chamberlain Rd, East London, phone 083-487-8975 or see www.imontitours.co.za

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AUNTIE EVELYNE'S PLACE

For a plate of proper bord kos made by loving hands, you can't beat Auntie Evelyne's spot in this little hamlet near Graaff-Reinet. Evelyne cooks whatever is in season so it could be Karoo lamb bredie, a chicken pie or cabbage slow-cooked in tomato smoor. There will also be ginger beer and the best vetkoek you will ever taste. — PA

DETAILS: 4 Kloof St, Nieu-Bethesda, phone 083-873-5526

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KHAYA LA BANTU VILLAGE

At this traditional Xhosa village, visitors are welcomed by a group singing traditional songs and men hammering out a thrilling beat on drums. With that immersive welcome, you are taken on an adventure into traditional Xhosa life - the bright clothing and textiles, the lovely beadwork, a display of stick-fighting - and the famous long-stemmed pipes, while you learn about the Xhosa rituals and culture. Then it's time for a sip of home-brewed mqomboti and a traditional lunch. — PA

DETAILS: Mooiplaas, 40km North of East London, phone 043-851-1011

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MAKAPAN'S CAVES

The Makapan Valley is a great find for those with a taste for history. The world heritage site is a complex of intermeshed and neighbouring caves, whose story begins many thousands of years ago and carries on right into relatively recent struggles between the Ndebele, Xitsonga and Afrikaners. — YM

DETAILS: Contact the Arend Dieperink Museum at 015-491-9735

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MODJADJI CYCAD RESERVE

For a walk through some unspoilt terrain believed to have existed since prehistoric times, stop by the Modjadji Cycad Reserve in Modjadji, Tzaneen. It is home to the largest concentration of a single cycad species in the world, which only adds more allure to the area so wrapped up in the mystery of the Rain Queen, Modjadji, after whom the forest and surrounding villages are named. Take a short hike up the hill where you will experience the full glory of the cycads, which can grow to 13m. — TZ

DETAILS: See magoebasklooftourism.co.za

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BAKONE MALAPA OPEN-AIR MUSEUM

If you have ever been curious about how the antecedents of Limpopo's Basotho population went about their daily lives, then Bakone Malapa is for you. Just outside Polokwane, the museum is built in the style of a traditional Basotho village of 250 years ago.

Guides show you the minutiae of how the Bakone, a northern subset of the Basotho, made beer, fire and lived. It features homes made of cow dung, mud and thatch. The tour also sheds light on the relations the Bakone had with the Ndebele and Tsonga as well as colonialists. — YM

DETAILS: For more information contact 073-216-9912

MAPUNGUBWE

A national park and Unesco world heritage site, Mapungubwe was home to the first indigenous kingdom between 1075AD and 1300AD. For centuries, artefacts left behind by this early civilisation - which suffered its demise due to climate change - lay hidden atop Mapungubwe Hill.

The museum has several on display, including the famous golden rhino. The 30,000ha site is also at the point where SA meets Zimbabwe and Botswana at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashi rivers. The view is spectacular. — TZ

DETAILS: See www.sanparks.org/parks

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ROBBEN ISLAND

As important a stop as the Apartheid Museum on South Africa's "freedom trail", a visit to the island is worth the expensive boat ride over the bay. Here you will get a glimpse into the horrendous conditions under which the political prisoners lived - the tiny, cold cells, the blinding light off the sand in the quarry, the freezing ocean winds. It is a timely reminder of how far South Africa has come since those dark days. — PA

DETAILS: See www.robben-island.org.za

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BO KAAP COOKING TOUR

The Cape Malay Cooking Safari is a proper look into the lives of the people of the Bo Kaap. You start with a visit to the Bo Kaap Museum before heading through the streets while you shop for the ingredients you need for lunch - ginger, coriander, cardamom and cinnamon.

The workshop takes place in a local home where you will learn how to make samoosas, make a proper Cape Malay curry and the finer points of mixing masala. Then: eat your work! — PA

DETAILS: See www.andulela.com/malay_cooking_tours.html

MABONENG TOWNSHIP ART TOUR

Run by a keen young entrepreneur named Siphiwe Ngwenya, this fantastic programme has helped turn over 70 township homes across South Africa into public galleries.

You can take a walking tour of Langa, Gugulethu or Kayamandi townships during which you will first stop in at the gallery then visit people in their homes. The tours are about looking at great art and graffiti walls, tasting local food and hearing people's stories.
—  PA

DETAILS: Phone 021-824-1773 or e-mail ngwenya@maboneng.com or see www.maboneng.com

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