In 2016, South Africa was the country that started it all! I had only taken family vacations to nearby states until that point but my brother was headed back on a second trip to South Africa and I asked to come along. It was an incredible journey that ignited my love of travel and photography. Having the opportunity to go on safari as well as learn about the country’s history made for the trip of a lifetime.
In October, we took a direct flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa (approx. 15.5 hours). For someone who had never flown longer than 3 hours, that was jumping in the deep end! Not counting flights, we had 9 days in country. My brother-in-law, who was already there, picked us up at the airport in a rental car and we were off.
Roundtrip flight from Charlotte to Johannesburg
2016 Price: $1,491
I was able to travel for so long because the exchange rate made most of our expenses affordable. It was about 14 South African Rand to 1 U.S. Dollar. The exchange rate is roughly the same in 2019. Below I have included the prices we paid in 2016 where I had the information. 2019 prices are included for those fees and tickets that I did not have a record of as reference.
Quick tip for long flights – bring moisturizer. I have very delicate skin and by the time we got off the plane, I had dozens of little cracks and cuts on the backs of my hands that took days to heal. I never travel without lotion now, no matter the distance.
Pretoria
We spent our first few days in Pretoria visiting historical sites and getting used to the time change. We stayed at Brooklyn Guesthouses where we rented out 2 private rooms in one of the guest houses.
Private rooms in guest house
2016 Price: R300 per person per day (approx. $20)
Union Buildings
One of our first stops the day after we arrived was the Union Buildings, the official seat of the South African government. The Union Buildings sit on a hill and give a lovely view of the city. Here locals set up tables to sell their wares – this is a great place to buy souvenirs from the actual creators at a good price rather than in a store at a tourist spot. There is also a statue of Nelson Mandela that is over 29 feet (9 meters) tall.
Church Square
After that we drove to the Church Square in the historic city center. This area was originally a market and church yard, hence its name. You can park along the street and easily walk around the square. We were able to see Ou Raadsaal (Old Council Chamber) and the Palace of Justice. We stopped in Café Rich before we left and I tried an Appletiser, a local brand of sparkling apple juice. That became my go to drink for the rest of the trip, along with the grape flavor – Grapetiser.
One night we had dinner with a couple who ran an Airbnb property in Pretoria that my brother-in-law had stayed in prior to our arrival. It was nice to spend some downtime with people who actually lived there. A home-cooked meal is always a good thing in my book and they were incredibly kind and welcoming.
Voortrekker Monument
The last spot we visited near Pretoria was the Voortrekker Monument. The monument commemorates the Voortrekkers, Dutch for pioneers, who left the Cape colony by wagon trains during The Great Trek. The granite structure offers winding staircases and a marble frieze depicting the history of the Great Trek. The lower floor holds a cenotaph (empty tomb) which can be viewed from the main level and from above through the sky dome at the top.
For more detailed information about the Voortrekker Monument, check out this blog from my 2020 visit.
Soweto / Johannesburg
Mandela House
We drove about an hour to Soweto to soak up history. As expected, there were many people wanting to see Mandela House. It is a small matchbox house so you have to wait to go in groups of 20 or less but it was restored beautifully. The rooms are filled with original furniture, photos and memorabilia. You can see the bullet holes and scorch marks on the outside walls from attacks on the residence.
Mandela House
2019 Price: R60 per person per day (approx. $4) for international visitors
Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum
Not far from Mandela House is the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum. Prior to our visit, I didn’t know much about the student uprising in 1976. What started as a peaceful protest by high school students about inadequate education and the mandatory use of Afrikaans in black schools ended in gunshots. Twelve-year-old Hector Pieterson was one of the first to be killed by police fire. The museum is incredibly informative and gives a stark recollection of the time.
Hector Pieterson
2019 Price: R30 per person per day (approx. $2) for international visitors
Apartheid Museum
We also visited the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg which explains the rise and fall of apartheid. The experience starts with your ticket randomly classifying you as either ‘white’ or ‘non-white’ and indicating that you use the associated entrance. There are several permanent exhibits that showcase the history of race classification, through the 1976 protests and Nelson Mandela’s release, to the end of apartheid and the first democratic election in 1994. The flow and storytelling remind me of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.
Apartheid Museum
2019 Price: R100 per person per day (approx. $7) for adults
I had no idea how affordable things were! Excellent story telling. Looking forward to hearing and seeing more stories.
This was great! For someone who has never seen this part of the world, I thoroughly enjoyed reading and seeing the sights. You make it sound very doable to those who are not sure about new places out of their comfort zone. Looking forward to more posts. Thanks for sharing