Gauteng Family Friendly

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Kids in Gauteng

Jo'burg or "Jozi" has a number of fun and interesting activities for children: The Johannesburg Zoo in Parkview, with a farmyard section specially designed for under-sixes; feeding ducks in the city's green parks like Emmarentia, Zoo Lake and Gillooly's Farm; Gold Reef City's theme park and rides that include an Earthquake Tunnel and a Tower of Terror - there is a funfair for the under 10s; or stargazing at the Johannesburg Planetarium.

The smallest yet most densely populated province, known simply as ‘place of gold’ because of the discovery of a gold-bearing reef in the late 1880s that was to bring fame and fortune to many, Gauteng offers one of the best climates in the country - its crisp, clear and wind-free winter days the envy of the rest of the country, and its summer thunderstorms a kaleidoscopic relief to the heat of season. Gauteng indisputably revolves around its capital - Johannesburg. A concrete jungle it might be but it is also regarded as one of the greenest cities in Africa - a veritable urban forest with around 10 million trees and a number of green spaces, the most popular of which is a real family-friendly gem - the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens in the north-west of the city.

The Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary and Chamberlain Bird Sanctuary, both in Pretoria, are wonderful family day outings, as is Sammy Marks Museum - a beautiful Victorian mansion just outside Pretoria - the gardens alone are worth a jaunt out this way and include a maze. Tables under the trees are a wonderful way to enjoy tea.

Leisure Lakes in Midrand is a fantastic place to learn to waterski and wakeboard for the older kids, or if that outdoor activity doesn’t grab you then surely riding a hot air balloon or paragliding in the Magaliesberg will?