{"id":76062,"date":"2017-11-30T08:54:32","date_gmt":"2017-11-30T06:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/76062\/4-gauteng-daycation-destinations-teeming-brilliance-african-wild\/"},"modified":"2017-11-30T13:26:48","modified_gmt":"2017-11-30T11:26:48","slug":"4-gauteng-daycation-destinations-teeming-brilliance-african-wild","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/news-headlines\/2017\/11\/30\/4-gauteng-daycation-destinations-teeming-brilliance-african-wild\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Gauteng #Daycation destinations teeming with the brilliance of the African wild"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gauteng is less concrete jungle and more African bush than almost any other major metropolitan region on earth, and with the immense range of truly fantastic wildlife #Daycation destinations to choose from, we thought we\u2019d highlight a few popular favourites. Before jumping into our top 4 picks, we\u2019d just like to remind everyone about the importance of road safety over the festive season. To be #SaferThanSafe these holidays, get some expert advice from your nearest Dunlop Zone<\/a>\u00a0or check out Dunlop’s\u00a0Red Hot Rubber Sale<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Jewel of Gauteng Wildlife \u2013 The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Situated on an expanse of 16\u00a0000 hectares of untamed Highveld bush, the Rhino and Lion park is widely regarded as a reserve that competes with the best in the country in terms of its mesmerising wildlife. The list of animal attractions is as long as it is impressive: along with lions, white rhinos, rare white and Siberian tigers, cheetahs and wild dogs, one may also spot black wildebeest, gemsbok, springbok, black eagles and Cape vultures. The reserve also offers a chance for children to interact with cubs in an animal cr\u00e8che. And then there are the simply adorable pygmy hippos\u2026<\/p>\n

Walk with nature\u2019s gentlest giants \u2013 Elephant Sanctuary Hartebeespoortdam<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Elephants have long been an object of hypnotic mystery. Their bodies are colossal and their tusks menacing; but, despite their power, these mammoths are rarely aggressive and seem as inwardly tranquil as they are tender. A chance to walk hand-in-trunk with these majestic creatures should be grabbed with grateful hands. Situated just outside Gauteng to the west of Pretoria, the Elephant Sanctuary specialises in respectful and kind interactions with these gentle giants.<\/p>\n

Concentrated brilliance \u2013 Pretoria\u2019s Dinokeng Game Reserve<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Perfect for a #Daycation, the Dinokeng Game Reserve packs an entire week\u2019s worth of game viewing into just a few breath-taking hours. Situated about 30 minutes\u2019 drive to the north of the capital, the reserve is designed to offer those of us who can\u2019t afford a Kruger trip, a chance to marvel at members of the Big 5. As the game ranges freely across the reserve, there is, unfortunately, no guarantee that you\u2019ll spot all 5 on a given day \u2013 but you certainly won\u2019t leave feeling disappointed!<\/p>\n

Animal Cities \u2013 The Johannesburg and Pretoria Zoos<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Viewing animals in a zoo is undoubtedly very different from the game reserve experience. But, for a sheer variety of fauna (including exceptionally rare species viewed in close quarters) there are very few places in South Africa that can compare with the Johannesburg and Pretoria zoos. Of particular note are the evening\/night tours conducted by both. At the Jozi zoo, children can observe exotic creatures like glowing scorpions on the Moonlight Tour, while adults on the Night Tour can immerse themselves in magical nocturnal species.<\/p>\n

Wherever your #Daycation takes you \u2013 drive safely<\/h3>\n

Once again, road safety over the festive season is of paramount importance, so ensure that you fit only high quality tyres. Take a moment to Request an Online Quote<\/a> from Dunlop \u2013 it\u2019s quick, easy and completely free.<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gauteng\u2019s vast urban and industrial landscapes power much of our national economy – but don’t forget that absolutely stunning wildlife is never more than a stone’s throw away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7971,"featured_media":76063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Caxton Central","cxt_disable_google_ads":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2],"tags":[9574,2861,9344,9530,9575],"class_list":["post-76062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-news-headlines","tag-daycation-in-gauteng","tag-dunlop","tag-dunlop-daycation","tag-red-hot-rubber-sale","tag-wildlife-destinations-in-gauteng"],"category_labels":{"Category":"News","SubCategory":"Local news"},"tag_labels":["#Daycation in Gauteng","Dunlop","Dunlop #Daycation","red hot rubber sale","wildlife destinations in Gauteng"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7971"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76062"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76062\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}