Skip to main content

My Ultimate List of Things to do in Hartbeespoortdam in South Africa

 
Jasmyn Farm Stall and Windmill Restaurant.
Visiting the Hartbeespoortdam area is like visiting your favourite candy store with a surprise around every corner - with beautiful scenery.  This is definitely one of my preferred places to visit in the North West Province.  Situated in the Bojanala region, it offers visitors magnificent views of the Hartbeespoortdam, the Magaliesberg  mountain range and  a taste of life in the South African countryside, yet with all amenities nearby.  The dam wall was constructed in 1925 making it an amazing 88 years old.  Its shoreline is about 56 km when it is full and is a sought after destination for weekend getaways and day trips with visitors enjoying para-sailing, windsurfing, water and jet skiing.  For those who have the courage, other activities include paragliding, hang-gliding, hot air ballooning, scenic drives and hikes through hills and valleys. A nice way to explore the whole area is via the Heritage Route which starts at the dam, goes north to the Pilanesberg National Park up to the Madikwe Game Reserve in the north. Places we love to visit are, amongst others:
 
The Lesedi African Lodge and Cultural village where visitors can enjoy cultures and traditions of the people of Africa with a very authentic experience.

The Harties Cableway, which is under new ownership,  caters for the whole family with picnics, splendid views, an educational walkway (1 km) and a restaurant, the Bugatti Express,  for those who want to treat themselves to a nice meal.  Many grooms proposed to their brides here at the Cableway because it is such  a romantic area.

The Snake and Animal Park, a private park with a great variety of species, including all the big cats, chimpanzees and reptiles. Regular regular snake, seal and animal handling demonstrations are held at the seal pool.  The entry fees are very expensive, but since this is a private park which is well maintained, this is understandable.

Once in the Snake and Animal Park, treat yourself with one of the daily cruises on the dam which depart every 30 to 45 minutes.  Tickets can be bought online or at the ticket office at the far end of the Park.  Follow the directions once inside the park.

Experience true South African hospitality at Tant Malies Winkel where you can treat yourself to a South African braai or some traditional South African dishes.

Visit the Jasmyn Farm stall and Windmill Restaurant. You can buy a wide range fresh of fresh products and frozen prepacked meals at this well visited Farm stall.  The Windmill restaurant next door is also very popular amongst both locals and visitors.

Go for a day trip to the Eagle Waters Wild Life Resort and experience some water sports, arts and crafts and game while enjoying a beautiful view of the dam.

Eat at the popular Squires  on the Dam restaurant with a very extensive menu consisting of grills, sea food and meat dishes.
 
Hartbeespoortdam is within easy reach from both Johannesburg and Pretoria and is the ideal getaway for families, the adventurous and young at heart.  It offers numerous bed and breakfast and self-catering accommodation with plenty of restaurants.
 
View of the Harbeespoort dam from Kosmos Village.




View of Kosmos Village from the dam.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Remarkable Train Rides for Kids in Pretoria

Mini trains at Cedar Junction Theme Park. Want to take your children for an outing? The school holidays or weekends can be the ideal time to take them for a train ride to keep them busy. Pretoria has some remarkable train rides to offer.   Having a young kid myself, I know how exciting it is for them to ride on the trains and to hear their sound.  But you can also take them for a ride in a real train. Here is my list of favourite train rides in Pretoria. Centurion Society of Model Engineers Each Sunday the Centurion Society of Model Engineers meets and offers rides on their mini locomotives with little carts for a small fee. These ride are really value for money with some interesting scenery. They can be found each Sunday at Kwikkie Crescent Street, Zwartkops, very close to the Centurion Gautrain station. Barry rides most Sundays in Centurion, except for the third Sunday of each month. Below to the right is one of the many steam trains. Children love to ride

The Ultimate Guide to Child-friendly Restaurants in Pretoria

Pretoria has several child-friendly restaurants but it is not always easy to find one that also has good food and service.  I have been a regular visitor to child-friendly restaurants in Pretoria for almost 11 years.  My top child-friendly restaurants in Pretoria not only have great food and service, but also playgrounds and activities that would keep children busy. Even though there are several other child-friendly restaurants in Pretoria, my list was chosen based on my own experiences.  They are (in no particular order of preference): C'est la Vie in Centurion C'est la Vie playground . C'est la Vie (translated that is life ) in Centurion is definitely a favourite in that it has great food and lots of fun activities to keep children busy.   It boasts a centrally located coffee shop and separate play areas for young and older children.   A water slide and three wheels go karts for the older children add to all the fun. Children aged two and younger may play

Things to do in Pretoria: Top Places to visit

Photo credit: There are some great things to do in Pretoria if you are a first-time visitor.  Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa and situated in the Gauteng province.  It is very close to Johannesburg and the Oliver Tambo International Airport. Although it is a big city with a population of about 2.3 million, it is still small enough to create a feeling of being in a large town. The best time of the year to visit Pretoria is in October and November when all the Jacaranda trees are in full bloom (the reason why the city is also known as the Jacaranda city). Here are my top 5 places to visit in Pretoria if you are a first-time visitor to the capital: The Union Buildings Source: South Africa Travel Net. The Union Buildings Visiting the Union Buildings should be first on your list of things to do in Pretoria.  These buildings form the official seat of the South African government and also house the offices of the Presidency.  Already built