Celebrate SA’s rich heritage at some of the country’s oldest attractions during Tourism Month
South Africa has a plethora of attractions that have been elevating the cultural experiences of travellers.
Some of these places have stood the test of time without losing value and surviving from generation to generation. These places have a history or a story to tell, providing value for the visitor.
Tourism is important to the economy, which is why the sector should be nurtured for sustained and inclusive growth.
South Africa is doing a commendable job in its efforts in sustainable tourism and preserving the heritage of these attractions.
As we celebrate Tourism Month and Heritage Month, here are some of the country’s oldest attractions.
Cango Caves
According to legend, the Cango Caves in the Precambrian limestones at the foothills of the Swartberg range near the town of Oudtshoorn, in the Western Cape Province were first discovered by a herder in search of lost cattle, and subsequently explored by local farmer Jacobus van Zylin in 1780, after whom the first hall is named.
The caves have been known to man since the Early Stone Age, with each year bringing further investigation and exploration. In those early days, the caves were explored by man using self-made candles, often burning the roof of the caves.
The Cango Caves bears evidence of early San inhabitation with the entrance to the caves originally rich in ancient bushman art. The San left the area roughly 500 years ago, unfortunately, the paintings have been damaged through the ages.
The Cango Caves became a popular tourist attraction in the 1800s already, however many visitors broke off and damaged the dripstone columns.
The Governor of the Cape at the time, Lord Charles Somerset, published the first Caves Regulation in 1820, which was designed to protect the environmental resources of the caves and ban the collection of souvenirs.
Today, the site still accepts visitors from all around the country and the world.
Howick Falls
Howick Falls is a waterfall on the Umgeni River, just northwest of Pietermaritzburg, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
It is the second-highest waterfall (after Tugela Falls) in South Africa, with a drop of more than 300 feet (about 100 meters) into a large pool.
European explorers saw the falls for the first time in the early 1800s whilst they were looking for routes from the coast to the interior of Africa.
The falls and a nearby town were named after the country estate of Henry George Grey, 3rd Earl Grey, a nobleman who was Great Britain’s colonial secretary from 1846 to 1852.
The locals call the waterfall KwaNogqaza, which means “place of the tall one”. Many tourists visit Howick Falls every year. They can admire the waterfall from a platform or hike down to the pool.
Cradle of Humankind
The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site lies about 50km northwest of Johannesburg, an area of rolling grassland, rocky outcrops and river courses typical of this land before it was overtaken by urban sprawl.
The Cradle of Humankind is one of eight World Heritage Sites in South Africa. Here the landscape is dotted with subterranean limestone caves that have turned up a rich fossil record for human evolutionary studies.
These findings have led to the “Out of Africa” theory, estimating that most human ancestors originated from one general spot…Africa.
It’s here where you get to see history in the flesh, or should we say bone. Tens of thousands of visitors from across the world come here to see first-hand the fossil record that lies in the network of limestone caves beneath the surface.
Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Park
iMfolozi Park lies in the heart of the Zulu Kingdom, where ancient trails lead through the thornveld and along the mighty rivers of Africa’s oldest established wilderness area.
Once the exclusive royal hunting ground of King Shaka, (where the first conservation laws were put in place), this rich tapestry of natural and cultural history still beats with the rhythms of Africa.
Hluhluwe and iMfolozi Game Reserves were formally established as game reserves in 1895 and today, along with the Corridor Reserve proclaimed in 1989, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park covers some 96 000 ha and contains an immense diversity of fauna and flora.
The iMfolozi section in the south is characterised by wide open spaces and is a natural treasure store of fascinating fauna and flora with species including the Big Five.
Bourke’s Luck Potholes
Millennia of violently churning waters at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur Rivers have carved giant holes, known as “Giant’s Kettles” out of the sandstone banks, leaving the smooth and beautifully coloured Bourke’s Luck Potholes.
The potholes are named after a man named Tom Bourke, who discovered signs of gold in the canyon in the 1880s but misjudged the region.
Just further south of where he had first panned for gold, is where many men later “struck gold” and enjoyed the riches of the land. Sadly, Tom Bourke never found gold.
The rivers flow more gently these days, allowing visitors to view this fantastic natural feature in all its glory.
Intertwined walkways and bridges offer multiple viewpoints, and a small Visitors Centre supplies various displays of the plant life and animals of the area, along with a scaled model of the Blyde River Canyon.
Groot Constantia Wine Estate
The farm Groot Constantia dates back to 1685, when the land was granted to Simon van der Stel, thus making it one of the oldest commercial wine farms in South Africa.
Its Orientation Centre in the Jonkershuis complex contains panels, objects and archaeological displays that provide an overview of Groot Constantia from the past to the present, including slavery on the estate.
Carriages are on display in the Coach House and in the historical wine cellar, while the Wine Museum exhibits wine storage and drinking vessels from antiquity to the early 20th century.
The Homestead, with its exhibition of furniture, paintings, textiles, ceramics, brass, and copperware, provides an insight into the life of a successful 18th to late 19th-century Cape farmer.
Groot Constantia continues to produce legendary wine and the farm is an important part of World Wine Heritage and a world-class international tourism destination.