Aha Lesedi Cultural Village

At the village, you can admire the riotous color schemes of tribal beehive huts, experience traditional dances and foods, talk with individuals from different tribal backgrounds, and even stay overnight. Many half-day Lesedi cultural tours are available from Johannesburg and Pretoria. Some tours combine visits to Aha Lesedi with stops at the Apartheid Museum, Pilanesberg National Park, and the Cradle of Humankind.

• Dining options include the Nyama Choma Restaurant, the Nile Room, and the Tswana Letsatsi Lapa.

• For guests staying at the property, the village offers game drives, walking trails, and guided Anglo-Boer history tours.

• The on-site craft market is an excellent place to purchase authentic souvenirs.

Aha Lesedi is roughly an hour’s drive north-west of Johannesburg, and makes a good stopover on the way to Sun City. Overnight accommodation is available that reflects the authentic housing styles of each ethnic group.

Visitors typically arrive on a half-day guided tour from Johannesburg or opt to stay the night in a traditional homestead. The overnight stays include a dance show in an African lodge, meals, and other optional activities. The best times to visit the Johannesburg area are from March to May and September to November. These low season months ensure fewer crowds, warm and dry weather, and lower prices.

Those wishing to immerse themselves in a true African experience can stay overnight in a traditional beehive hut, with all the modern conveniences supplied. The head of the household will act as a guide and take visitors to the traditional "boma" or dance show, followed by a meal that includes traditional African foods such as potjiekos (a meat stew cooked in a black cast-iron pot with maize porridge), or even crocodile, kudu, or warthog.