Things to Do in Gauteng

Giddy up with Cullinan Adventure Outrides. Horses are suitable for beginners to more experienced riders. Rides usually take an hour and a half for a maximum of 10 people. Book your outrides and stay at Cullinan Backpackers.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Menlyn is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

One of the largest indoor venues in Pretoria, the Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria is host to a number of big live music concerts and exhibitions. The Main Arena has hosted popular events such as the Metro FM Awards Show, Godly Revolution Music Concert, Baba Indaba Expo and advert productions for Coke and Nestlé. A range of facilities offer versatility and seating for 80 to 4 500 people. Large events are supported by the VIP areas, holding rooms, theatre, board rooms, media room, rehearsal studio and other facilities. Well situated between Centurion and Pretoria, access to Heartfelt is convenient and there is ample on-site parking. +27 (0) 12 651 2251.

One of the top ten zoos in the world, The National Zoological Gardens of South Africa offers animal lovers a staggering 9 500 animals to view. Situated on 85 hectares in the heart of ‘Jacaranda City’, it’s the largest zoo in the country and is home to mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians alike. The spacious grounds house some rare species of antelope, white rhino, elephant, hippos, lions, cheetah, gorillas and even bats!Over 600 000 people visit the zoo every year, and there’s so much to see. It’s worth enquiring about what tours are on offer. You can hire a golf cart or take the Zoo Choo-Choo Tractor Train if you’re not up for the six kilometres of walkways. For a birds-eye view, take the cableway and ride above the zoo and on both sides of the Apies River.The largest inland marine aquarium in the country, The Aquarium and Reptile Park, also form part of the zoo facility. Kids will love watching the endangered Komodo dragon, ragged-tooth sharks and other weird and highly poisonous beasties.Dotted around the zoo are a number of picnic spots where you can relax under giant shade trees. Braai facilities are available at the picnic area on the banks of the Apies River. You can also opt for a sit down meal at the restaurant.Visiting hours:Open seven days a week, 365 days a year. Tickets are sold from 8:30 to 16:30 daily and the zoo closes at 17:30.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Vereeniging is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Cresta is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

Linked to South Africa's largest Pick n Pay Hypermarket, East Rand Mall is conveniently situated seven kilometres away from OR Tambo International Airport.Here visitors will find a large assortment retail options with over 180 stores representing all of South Africa's major chain stores and numerous minor specialised stores.East Rand Mall also offers a wide-ranging assortment of entertainment facilities ranging from a nine-theatre Cinema Complex, restaurants, coffee shops, and a tempting Food and Entertainment Mall.Undercover parking consists of 1 500 undercover bays with an additional 3 000 open parking bays. Disabled parking bays are conveniently situated at each entrance.

Cafe Barcelona is a dynamic live music and entertainment venue offering restaurant and pub facilities. For over 10 years Cafe Barcelona has supported the music scene embracing famous names as well as unknown bands. Some well-known perfomers include The Parlotones, Karen Zoid, Arno Carstens, Albert Frost, Valiant Swart, Fokofpolisiekar, 16 Stitch, Watershed, Louise Carver, Koos Kombuis, Jan Blohm, Jackhammer and many more.

Brooklyn Mall is situated in the heart of the diplomatic area of Pretoria's affluent eastern suburbs. This dynamic centre provides an elegant shopping venue with more than 170 retail stores. Pleasing to the eye and spacious, shoppers are assured of a relaxed shopping experience as well as a tempting assortment of restaurants, entertainment, products, and speciality shops. Fashionistas will find all the International brand shops, elite designer boutiques and luxury specialty stores. Foodies will find a dazzling array of culinary delights and more than 23 top notch restaurants and coffee bars. Nine Ster-Kinekor cinemas and five Cinema Nouveau movie theatres provide the latest block-busters and acclaimed art films. Shoppers who are keen to get some sun and fresh air will enjoy a round of Adventure Golf in the lush gardens. Trading Hours: Monday to Friday 09:00 – 18:00 Saturday 09:00 – 17:00 Sunday 09:00 – 14:00 Public Holidays 09:00 – 17:00

The Irene Trading Post is more than just a shop – it's an experience! The store specializes in antiques, novelties, art, gifts and various pieces of locally made furniture. The owners only support small entrepreneurs, artists and crafters – offering visitors and the artists an opportunity to connect. Their unusual tea garden aims to inspire and revitalize everyone’s own creative juices. Delicious cakes and light lunches, all home cooked, are on offer. In winter the wood burning stoves are fired up and soups and homemade bread is available. Kids are welcome – the bunnies love being fed. Open 7 days a week from 09:00 – 17:00. www.irenetradingpost.co.za

Menlyn Park Shopping Centre offers over 300 stores, 37 restaurants and a wide variety of entertainment.All this in an upmarket area of Pretoria’s eastern suburbs makes it a popular shopping and entertainment spot for Tshwane dwellers.Conveniently situated, the centre is just a short distance from the N1 Highway and just five kilometres from the N4.Shoppers will find all the major chain stores under one roof including Hyperama, Woolworths, Truworths, Stuttafords, Foschini, Game and NuMetro.Ten features of this entertainment hotspot include an Imax Theatre, outdoor events arena, play park and the planet's first rooftop drive-in cinema, go-karts, 3D NuMetro Cinema, Festival Market, FLY Me helicopter rides, fufi-slides and quad bikes.

Situated in the heart of Pretoria is Duncan Yard, a distinctive boutique lifestyle centre and must-do lunch spot. Here visitors amble through quaint stores and eateries along cobbled stone walkways and castle turrets. The alfresco centre provides a unique shopping experience with over 15 restaurants and shops. Its picturesque location is reminiscent of a rustic Italian village and provides a refreshingly exotic experience. Renowned for the popular Papa’s Real Food restaurant and the Deli on Duncan’s delectable array of delicacies, Duncan Yard also features an enticing selection of stores offering boutique clothing, jewellery, indoor and outdoor décor, and carpet and florist services. Both the beauty and hair salon are idyllically situated for complete relaxation and pampering. Trading Hours: Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:00 Saturday 09:00 – 15:00 Sunday 10:00 – 14:00 Public Holidays 10:00 – 14:00 www.duncanyard.co.za +27 (0) 12 362 2224 / 4054

Firehouse, Exclusive Gift and Accessories DestinationFirehouse is an exclusive retail destination store for gifts and décor accessories stocking a selection of local and some imported products with a preference for locally produced and organic wares. Bringing to consumers and corporations unique products produced in South Africa. “We adore the talent of our local designers and support the up-liftment and sustainability of previously disadvantaged communities,” says co-owners Roberta Caon and Simona Panayiotou.Caon and Panayiotou have created a space of refined understated elegance filled with home essentials, luxuries, gifts and exclusive art pieces. The atmosphere instils serenity through colour, visual display and warm notes of world music. The visitor feels enticed to meander through the store thrilled by the discovery of each new item and pervaded by the feeling of “must have it, can’t leave without it”.Caon and Panayiotou aim to have fun while doing something that they are passionate about in an honest and fair way.“We believe in building long term relationships with suppliers and clients. We support local enterprise because we love the creativity that is on offer and we believe and encourage self employment and sustainability with respect for our people and our environment. We want to distinguish ourselves as a gift and decor store by offering products of design beauty created with love in our land, through suppliers that cultivate a philosophy of sustainable living and fair trade,” say Caon and Panayiotou.Firehouse offers an experience that the client will remember and share by offering beautiful and exclusive products with incredible customer service, during and after sales. The store is set apart through unique and gorgeous gift wrapping and presentation.The Firehouse team has put together a range of exclusive products and met with most of the product owners in person to establish a relationship and have established the history and culture of the companies with which they are doing business.

The University of South Africa, or UNISA as it is commonly known, is a distance education university with the main campus and headquarters in Pretoria. You cannot miss the gigantic, mind-blowingly ugly buildings.With over 200 000 students enrolled, it is highly regarded and is one of the largest universities on the planet.Founded in 1873, UNISA was initially an examining agency for Oxford and Cambridge universities as well as something of a ‘mother ship’ to other establishing universities in South Africa. In 1946 it became a distance education university, offering certificate, diploma and degree courses up to doctoral level. It was able to remain interracial during the years of apartheid largely because it was a distance education university. Famous students and professors include:Nelson Mandela, former President of South AfricaDesmond Tutu, South African cleric and political activistRobert Mugabe, current president of ZimbabweAhmed Kathrada, South African politician and anti-apartheid activistTokyo Sexwale, South African businessman and former politician, anti-apartheid activist, and political prisonerWalter Battiss, South African abstract painter and creator of the quirky 'Fook Island' concept, UNISA Professor of Fine Art.

This incredibly popular square with its impressive statue of Nelson Mandela is an awesome place to chill between frenetic bouts of shopping. Relax at one of the many surrounding restaurants, enjoy the sunshine, and watch open air performances and the passing traffic of people. The square incorporates a theatre, a library and is attached to the well-known Sandton City Shopping Mall. A must on your trip to Jozi!

Cresta Centre is conveniently placed in the middle of the affluent residential suburbs between Sandton, Randburg and the Johannesburg CBD.The extensive, elegant mall features three levels – each one offering an extravagant assortment of contemporary products, services and entertainment.Upbeat and market driven, this proactive 33-year old shopping centre has sustained its reputation in an environment that has an overabundance of retail choices.Easy parking and accessibility, an upbeat atmosphere and a diverse selection of merchandise continue to make it a popular one-stop shopping experience all under one roof.Opening hours:Monday to Thursday open until 18:00Friday until 19:00, Saturday until 18:00 and Sunday until 15:00Public Holidays open until 15:00Selected major and national stores trade over and above the stated hoursEntertainment venues, restaurants and sidewalk cafes are open daily till late

Africa's Greatest Shopping AdventureEastgate Shopping Centre is situated in the suburb of Bedfordview, on a prime site on the major freeway between Johannesburg International Airport and Johannesburg City Centre. Easily accessible from the high way, this super regional shopping centre is home to over 280 stores catering for all tastes and lifestyles. This ultimate shopping destination offers an out of this world retail experience, attracting an abundance of local and international shoppers. In addition to numerous smaller speciality stores, Eastgate is anchored by South Africa’s leading major retailers, including Checkers Hyper, Game, Edgars, Stuttafords and Woolworths.A large Ster Kinekor Cinema complex and a host of restaurants situated in an open air piazza area, make Eastgate the ideal venue of choice for the entire family. Eastgate’s evolution as a trend setting destination continues with the introduction of its high fashion quarter and action wear zone. “Eastgate offers everything for everyone, from popular brands, amazing Friday night entertainment and loads of fun for the entire family”. Eastgate Shopping Centre... Africa’s Greatest Shopping Adventure.

Shop till you drop, get a bite or catch a show. Be spoilt for choice at Fourways Mall, a large retail shopping centre with cinema complex, supermarket, restaurants offering a unique and exciting shopping experience to the community and tourists alike. Fourways is conveniently situated in the heart of one of Jozi's most prestigious suburbs with easy access to the N1 freeway connecting Johannesburg and Pretoria as well as excellent link ups to Johannesburg International Airport.

The University of Pretoria, fondly called ‘Tucs’ by students, is ranked as the leading research university in South Africa. Also one of the top three universities in the country, it draws a large number of new students every year, with 39 000 students enrolling in 2010.The university has six campuses and numerous operational sites such as the Pretoria Academic Hospital. The Hatfield campus has a beautiful setting and attractive historic buildings, making it one of the more striking universities in South Africa.Visitors usually make their way to the Ou Lettere building to view the amazing archaeological finds from Mapungubwe. Here you can see the gold rhinoceros, jewellery, figurines, pottery and other artefacts at least 700 years old.The Hatfield campus has contributed to the reputation of Hatfield as the most vibrant suburb of Pretoria with numerous trendy cafés, bars and restaurants.

Undulating golden grassy hills, vleis and a brilliant blue dam characterise the Rietvlei Nature Reserve. Situated 18 kilometres from the centre of Pretoria, the reserve is an idyllic home to 1 600 head of game – and you can spot them easily from your vehicle.Blesbuck, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, eland, Burchell's zebra, waterbuck, reedbuck, springbuck, mountain reedbuck, steenbuck and grey duiker all roam the open plains.Don’t forget to pack a picnic basket – the Marais Dam is a great place to take a break from driving. There’s a fabulous bird hide, shady spots where you can braai and ablutions. While you munch your boerewors roll you can watch the antics of the hippos and waterbirds. Twitchers are usually delighted by some new bird to tick off at Rietvlei Nature Reserve.And that’s not all – brown hyena, black-backed jackal, ant-bear, aardwolf, porcupine, springhare and bush pig can often be seen on guided night drives. These trips end at the popular Rietvlei Nature Reserve Lapa for a memorable braai under African stars.You can also have amazing encounters with white rhino, cheetah, leopard and buffalo on guided hiking trails and horse riding trails. Day and weekend trails are on offer. Booking is essential for all activities.