Phokeng, Bojanala Region
Lying just south of Sun City and the Pilanesberg, Phokeng lies close enough to Johannesburg to provide an easy day trip, or an easy overnight stay en route to Sun City.
An added attraction to this part of the world is that much of the area has maintained a country feel, and the harassed can easily melt into a more sedate lifestyle with little fuss and hardly any travel time.
Phokeng has served as the capital of Royal Bafokeng kings since the 1600s. The name is derived from the Sesotho ‘Phoka' or ‘dew' and means “place of dew”, which apparently had something to do with their spending the winter months in North West, where there was evidence of dew in the mornings, and summer in Lesotho. Although a contradictory explanation of the name derivation refers to a grass known as ‘phoka', the seeds of which the Bafokeng people were forced to eat during a severe drought.
Just five kilometres outside of Phokeng lies Paul Kruger's historic farm, now a museum. State President of the South African Republic (Transvaal), the Kruger National Park is also named after the man known fondly as ‘Oom Paul'.
A little further afield, if you're a fan of gambling, are the Sun City Casino and the Valley of Waves, a very popular attraction for children. The Pilanesberg National Park lies on the edge of a massive volcanic crater, one of only three such craters in the world, and well worth a visit.
Over 6000 head of game were introduced to the park during Operation Genesis - a translocation programme that has reversed the trend in Africa of rapidly declining wildlife resources. The park and the province are a world-wide phenomenon for this far-sighted take on conservation.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Kedar Heritage Lodge
Kedar Heritage Lodge, Conference Centre and Spa offers visitors the perfect escape from the hectic pace of modern living. Situated in the North W...
TshiBerry Bed & Breakfast
TshiBerry Bed & Breakfast offers accommodation in Phokeng in the North West Province. Choose from our classic rooms sleeping two adults and our s...
Kudu's Rus Game Lodge
Situated in a malaria free area, the privately owned Kudu's Rus Game Lodge offers self-contained units ideal for couples and smaller groups. The ...
Amritz Private Lodge and B&B
Amritz Private Lodge and B&B offers lovely bed and breakfast accommodation in the area of Boshoek. We are only an hour away from Pretoria and abo...
Things to do in the area
Magaliesberg Canopy Tour
Staying at any of the Magaliesberg accommodation spots is a treat for so many reasons. The area is characterised by the looming rugged faces of o...
Noteworthy attractions
Borakalalo National Park
An abundance of wildlife and prolific birdlife (more than 350 bird species) can be viewed in the Borakalalo National Park and the park is also a ...
Kgaswane Mountain Reserve
Perfect for weekend hiking because of the easy access from both Johannesburg and Pretoria, Kgaswane Mountain Reserve is littered with beautiful r...
Madikwe Game Reserve
Madikwe Game Reserve is about 70 000 hectares of bushland, about 3 hours' drive from Johannesburg. It is one of South Africa's largest and most p...
Pilanesberg National Park
The Pilanesberg National Park, which covers some 55 000 hectare, is the fourth largest in southern Africa. This malaria-free park is perched on t...
Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve
Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve, just 90 minutes from Johannesburg and 30 minutes from Sun City, is dominated by broken bushveld and is a renowned are...
Gary Player Country Club
Continually ranked the best golf course in South Africa, the Gary Player Golf course sets the standard. It is arguably the most famous course in ...
Lost City Country Club
Situated over a hill from the Gary Player Country Club, the Lost City's layout is different in character. With the wide fairways and receptive gr...
Royal Bafokeng Stadium
Formally known as the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, this stadium is situated in Rustenburg, which is a charming town at the foot of the Magaliesb...
Sun City Resort
The extravagant Sun City Resort complex is known the world over as a tourism hotspot. The Lost City is the obvious highlight of the Sun City comp...
Find accommodation in Phokeng
FIND / South Africa Accommodation / North West Province Accommodation / Bojanala Region Accommodation / Phokeng Accommodation