SAR, Pretoria – The Purpure City I
Pretoria is located in the fertile valley of the Apies River at the foot of the Magaliesberg Mountains. Thanks to the vast number of Jacaranda trees in Pretoria, the city is often nicknamed the Jacaranda City, because the purple flowers give it a specific look.
Pretoria is about 50 kilometers from Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, but if you manage to visit both cities, you will certainly tell us that they can not be different. While Pretoria is the home of diplomats, state officials, city districts are neat, the population enjoys a relatively high standard of living, Johannesburg is almost the opposite.
In addition, Pretoria is an important industrial, educational and cultural center. It houses, for example, the University of Pretoria, founded in 1930, or the University of South Africa, which is one of the largest open universities in the world. Universities on this principle generally have very low qualifications for applicants.
Major tourist attractions include historic buildings, memorials, museums or beautiful botanical gardens, such as Pretoria National Botanic Garden.
This beautiful botanical garden, covering an area of 76 hectares, is located on the eastern outskirts of the city. The main thing that the garden presents to its visitors is the South African flora. The park is divided into two parts, the boundary of which forms the crest of the quartz. The northern part of the garden is warmer and the southerly colder. The garden is also home to nearly two hundred species of birds and several species of mammals and reptiles. After a tour that will take you a bit of time, you will definitely welcome some good tooth in the local Mokha restaurant.
After the botanical garden, we will visit another garden, this time zoological. That's even a little bigger. It covers a total area of 85 hectares and believe that you will spend it all day without problems. You will see reptiles passing through a giant aviary and the only inland aquarium in a country where, among other things, swims a sand shark.
Of course there are mammals. If you like your comfort, you can rent a golf cart or take a cable car at the zoo. And if you like a bit of adventure, zoo can be visited even at night, and even you can camp here.
GPS: 25°45'52.7"S 28°11'20.9"E
Text: Maxim Kucer
Photos: Wikipedia.org: NJR ZA, NJR ZA (2), Zakysant, JMK, NJR ZA (3), XcepticZP
Discussion at the article (0) |
Related Articles
South Africa: Rich Africa Corner I.
South Africa, Garden Route IV – Caves and Ostrich Farms
South Africa, Johannesburg I – To Art and History
South Africa, Johannesburg II – The Surroundings
South Africa: Other Places to Visit
South Africa, Bloemfontein – Into the Heart of Free State
South Africa - Stellenbosch and Visiting Penguins
South Africa - Across Northern Cape Province I
South Africa – Across Northern Cape II
South Africa, Garden Route III - Knysna
South Africa, Garden Route II – Tsitsikamma National Park and Animal Observation
South Africa, Garden Route I – Mossel Bay
South Africa - fascinating Drakensberg
South Africa – The Land of Everything
South Africa, Pretoria – Purple City II
JAR, Pretoria – Purple City III
South Africa: Rich Africa Corner II.
South Africa: Rich Africa Corner III.
Guide:
Important Information:
Information and warnings on travelling abroad is to be found HERE.