Pretoria, nicknamed The Jacaranda City, has a reputation for being a boring place, and though when compared to Cape Town, the Garden Route, and other South Africa classics that may be true, Pretoria actually has quite a rich background, as well as amazing natural surroundings, giving it enough to stand up for itself as somewhere worth travelling to.

Pro tip: come between late September to mid November to see the city’s iconic Jacaranda in full bloom.

Take a river hike:

Hennops hiking trail is a nice little trek along the Hennops River. The main part of the hike is the Dassie Trail which is only 2km long. It goes past some nice caves and has multiple river crossings including one on a self-operated cable car.

Visit the Voortrekker Monument:

You can’t miss the site of the Voortrekker Monument when driving in from Johannesburg. If you have time, take the opportunity to see it up close. The view from the monument is quite… Monumental. 

Visit the zoo:

No matter your age, everyone loves a good zoo day.The Pretoria Zoo (known as the Pretoria Zoological Gardens), is a particularly nice zoo to stroll through, due to it being built on a hillscape with a river running through. There are many classic zoo animals for the kids to enjoy, and for the adults, why not rent a golf cart and cruise around for an hour.

See the Union Buildings:

For some great architecture and the best views of the city (especially in Jacaranda season), head to these now iconic government buildings in the North of Arcadia.

See some Lions at the Lion and Safari Park:

Around a half an hour drive or so from Pretoria you’ll have the chance to get up close with the kings of the jungle. You also get the opportunity to feed giraffes, which is a weird but cute experience.

Do some Mountain Biking:

At Wolwespruit Bike and Trail Park, take a dabble at mountain biking through some lekker woods. They’re also some good hiking trails to be found here.

Take a walk through nature:

Pretoria has a few nature reserves where you can go on trails and potentially see some wildlife out in the open. The best places to go are: Fairy Glen Nature Reserve, Groenkloof Nature Reserve (which is actually the oldest in South Africa), Rietvlei Nature Reserve (the only one with rhinos), and Moreta Kloof which (for me at least), has always had by far the best wildlife spotting (I’ve gotten within feet of Ostriches, Kudu and many types of antelope there). Of course, with all of these, please be careful and respectful of the wildlife, and don’t litter or play loud music, for their sake and your own.

Go bowling:

The Fun Company, in the sprawling Menlyn Mall, is a family complex with bowling, mini golf, arcades, snooker, darts, and ping pong. A great day out for the family and an even greater night out for friends.

Pet a cheetah!:

At the Lion and Cheetah Sanctuary in Roodeplaat, you get the chance to touch and interact with fully grown cheetahs, the fastest animal on land! Besides that obvious highlight, there are lions, hyenas, and servals that you can see (no interactions though). Book or call before to avoid disappointment.