If you’re in Gauteng and in need of options for day trips that will make everyone in the family happy, Hartbeespoort could be just the answer. Located about 1.5 hours from Pretoria and Johannesburg, Hartbeespoort along with it’s popular dam offers lots of activities. Here are five things worth doing this summer.
Image sourced.
1. Attend the Nubian Music Festival
The Nubian Music Festival is back for the second time with a line-up of Africa’s finest musicians who will be performing live in a gorgeous setting. It takes place at Hartbeespoort Dam’s Eagle Waters Wildlife Resort from 14 to 17 December 2018, with the event promising an entire weekend of entertainment for the whole family. You can camp here in your own tent, or in upscale tented accommodation. Festival visitors will have access to pools, fishing facilities and water sports – find accommodation options at eaglewaters.co.za.
The main programme of the festival will take place on 16 December and will feature Zimbabwean legend Oliver Mtukudzi and Afropop perennial favourites Mafikizolo. Other artists who will keep the crowd dancing include Latin tinged hitmakers Mi Casa and Candy Tsamandebele who deliver sound that spans across house and traditional music genres. Afrocentric R&B and neo-soul will be represented by Lira, Donald, Afrotraction and Encore. Afro Jazz acts Selaelo Selota, Gugu Shezi and Nigeria’s Kunle Ayo complete the lineup. General access tickets cost R300 and VIP tickets go for R1,250 at Computicket.
Contact: nubianmusicfestival.co.za
2. Go on the Aerial Cableway Hartbeespoort
One of the most popular attractions in Hartbeespoort, besides the dam, is the Aerial Cableway which offers visitors panoramic over the Magaliesberg, Hartbeespoort Dam and surrounding areas. The cableway was recently revamped and besides the cableway ride, there’s a lot to do at the base station and at the top. Kids can wander along the Dassie Loop walkway, where educational placards describe points of interest seen from the top, or play in the KidZone, while parents enjoy some much-needed rest. Restaurants, express food stalls and a bar are all on-site, as are picturesque seating areas and bomas.
Contact: hartiescableway.co.za
3. Visit Ale House
Ale House is a craft beer restaurant that offers a variety of beers and pizza in a country setting overlooking the Magaliesberg Mountain, sure help the whole family relax away from the demands of city life. Ale House serves only a select pair of ales at any given time which is alternated during the course of the day so that you can enjoy some variety. Their pizza is our wood-burning pizza over made using fresh local ingredients.
Contact: alehouse.co.za
4. Go on a boat tour
For those looking to cruise gently on a boat while taking in the soul-refreshing scenery of the surrounds and the Magaliesburg mountains, the Hartbeespoort Damn offers the perfect place. Enjoy daily cruises or the famous Sunday Lunch Boat Cruise with the Harties Boat Company. They also offer a range of special cruises on public holidays. The boat routes take you from Kommandonek, passing Caribbean estate and Sandy Lane Golf Course to the Kosmos foreshore and the quaint Kosmos Village to the dam wall. The route goes past the Zoo and Snake Park as well as the Transvaal Yacht Club before hitting the open waters and cruising across to Eagle Waters and Pecanwood Estate and Golf Course, giving you a view of some of these fantastic waterfront homes. Enjoy all of this while sipping on bubbly and partaking in a buffet of gourmet finger food. Cruises are 2 hours long and cost from R445 per person. Book to confirm times and dates.
Contact: hartiesboatco.co.za
5. Try waterskiing and jet skiing
One of the best ways to enjoy the Hartbeespoort Damn, the most popular attraction in the area, is through heart-thumping activities that will completely immerse you in the water. Harties Watersports Centre offers rides on a wake snake, jetskiing, tube rides and speed boat cruises for adventure enthusiasts. Hot showers, change rooms, showers, wetsuits and life jackets are available. Vessels and skippers are S.A.M.S.A. registered, so you’ll be in good hands. Harties Watersports Centre is located inside the snake park and offers visitors the chance to see some of South Africa’s deadliest reptiles – behind safety glass.
Contact: hartieswatersports.co.za
