Must-See Places in South Africa
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The Cradle of Humankind, in Gauteng, is home to 40% of the world’s discovered human ancestor fossils. The Maropeng visitor centre offers impressive exhibits of the 3.5 million-year evolution of man, plus the opportunity to gaze at the stars as storytellers recount the daily life of our human ancestors. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a 40-minute drive from Johannesburg.

Vredefort Dome is the world’s oldest meteorite impact scar, or astrobleme. With a radius of 190km, it is also the largest and the most deeply eroded. Situated 120km south-west of Johannesburg, the astrobleme is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nelson Mandela’s Legacy Officially, there are places of interest throughout South Africa for tourists wishing to follow the iconic statesman’s life journey. Now a World Heritage site, Robben Island lies off Cape Town, and is where he spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. Tourists also make the pilgrimage to the Eastern Cape village of Qunu, which was both his home during his young years, and his burial place.

Vilakazi Street, Orlando West, Soweto, is the only street in the world that has been home to two Nobel Laureates, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Mandela’s house is now a museum. Also in Orlando West is the Hector Pieterson Memorial, commemorating youth resistance against apartheid.

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