Nairobi to Johannesburg Adventure

Approximate Distance: 286 km
Estimated Travel Time: 8 hrs (including border crossing)

The journey begins early with a brief welcome meeting in the morning (7am) before we travel south from Nairobi (approximately at 8am) through the Masai lands into Tanzania, to our camp outside of the town of Arusha. Spend some time exploring the town and its bustling markets, before settling down at our campsite for the night.

Arusha, also known as Tanzania’s “safari capital”, is undoubtedly the most important center in northern Tanzania. With many protected national parks, reserves, and mountains nearby (on a clear day, you can see Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance), Arusha is a modern town, and with its markets, services, and fine location, it is a great base for your safari trip.

Arusha officially became a city on the 1st of July 2006. The primary industry of the region is agriculture with large vegetable producers sending high-quality produce to Europe. The city and its environs are also spotted with large coffee plantations, adding to the area’s charm. Though in recent years, due to the coffee crisis, many local farmers have been badly hit, and now subsistence farming is the most common source of livelihood.

Arusha, who owes its name from the local Wa-arusha people who resided here for hundreds of years, is historically and politically significant city within East Africa. In 1961 the official documents ceding independence to Tanzania were signed by the United Kingdom in Arusha. Six years later the Arusha Declaration of Self Reliance in Tanzania was signed. On the 4th of August 1993 the Arusha Accords were signed by representatives of competing factions in the civil war in neighbouring Rwanda. After the Rwandan genocide, the UN Security Council decided by its Resolution 955 of 8 November 1994 that Arusha should host the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The establishment of the tribunal with its employees has influenced the local economy of Arusha. The tribunal is expected to end its mandate in 2008.

Approximate Distance: 320 km
Estimated Travel Time: 8 hrs (including game drive into Serengeti)

After breakfast, we begin our 2 night/3 day excursion to the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, two of Africa’s premier wildlife areas. Changing to specialized 4WD 7-seater safari vehicles, we are met by experienced safari driver/guides, who will ensure us wonderful wildlife encounters. Our safari vehicles each have sliding windows and a large pop-up roof, perfect for game viewing. They are smaller than our overland truck, and will allow us to maneuver easily through the wildlife areas. As the vehicles are smaller than our overland truck, our group will split up among several vehicles,.

The Serengeti is to Tanzania what the Masai Mara Game Reserve is to Kenya, though with an area of 14,763 sq km, it is actually over 7 times as large! The area where you will be staying and game viewing is in the central Serengeti 'Seronera' area, which lies in the southeast of the National Park. Because of the sheer size of the National Park other areas will not be accessible during your stay.

As we drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and on to the Serengeti National Park, en route you will begin to experience the sheer vastness of this territory, and you will marvel at the multitude of animal and bird life while cruising through this acacia-spotted savannah. The next day, we continue your search for the "Big 5" - lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino - while taking in the vastness of the Serengeti plains with a game drives through out the day.

Approximate Distance: 160 km
Estimated Travel Time: 5 hrs (including game drive out of Serengeti)

Before leaving the Serengeti, enjoy one last morning game drive to see the animal kingdom come to life in this incredible expanse of grassland savannah. You will return and break camp, and journey to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, famous for Africa's best game viewing. The views from the Ngorongoro Crater rim are stunning, and there is an ever-present abundance of wildlife, due to the permanent water supply on the crater floor. You will arrive at your campsite at the crater rim in the late afternoon.

The 8,300 km² Ngorongoro Conservation Area is named after its central feature, the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, and arguably its most spectacular natural arena. Ngorongoro Crater has often been described as one of the wonders of the world, not only because of its inherent geological significance, but also because it serves a quite extraordinary natural sanctuary for some of Africa’s most dense population of large mammals. The Ngorongoro was part of the original Serengeti National Park proclaimed in 1951, but it was made a separate conservation area in 1956 so that the Masai could graze their cattle there. The Ngorongoro Crater became a World Heritage Site in 1978.

Land in the conservation area is unique to Tanzania as it provides protection for the wildlife whilst allowing human habitation. The landscape is made up of a blend of volcanoes, grasslands, waterfalls and mountain forests, where the wildlife is extensive. The southern and eastern boundaries are approximately defined by the rim of the Great Rift Valley, which also prevents animal migration in these directions. The annual ungulate migration passes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with wildebeest and zebra moving south into the area in December and moving north in June. The area has healthy resident populations of most species of wildlife.

Approximate Distance: 200 km
Estimated Travel Time: 5 hrs (including game drive in the Crater)

After breakfast we embark on a half-day crater tour. The rich pasture and permanent water of the Crater floor supports a resident population of more than 20,000 to 25,000 large mammals. They are not confined by the crater walls, and can leave freely; they stay because conditions are favourable. Since most of the crater floor is grassland, grazing animals predominate: zebra, gazelles, buffalo, eland, and warthogs. The swamp and forest provide additional resources for hippos, some of Tanzania's last remaining black rhinos, giant-tusked elephants, waterbucks, reedbucks and bushbucks, baboons and vervet monkeys. All these animals in turn support large predators such as lion and leopard, and scavengers such as hyena and jackals.

After this fabulous experience within the crater, we have to leave the wildlife behind us and start heading back to Arusha, where we will set up camp for the night.

Approximate Distance: 680 km
Estimated Travel Time: 11 hrs

Depart Arusha, passing the majestic Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, and head towards the capital, Dar Es Salaam. The city started as a fishing village in the mid 19th century before becoming a port and trading centre.

Dar Es Salaam - Arabic for “Abode of Peace” (a word closely related to the familiar “Yer u-salem” in Israel) - is the largest city in Tanzania. With a population estimated around 2,500,000, it is also the country’s richest city and an important economic centre.

Life in Dar es Salaam revolves around the huge harbour, with the business district fanning out from here in a series of fascinating side and main streets. The cruise liners, cargo ships, and traditional dhows dot the habour while the bustling fish market of Kivukoni Front comes alive in the morning as the dhows offload the night’s catch.

Day 6 - Estimated Travel Time: 3 hrs (ferry ride)
Day 7 - Estimated Travel Time: 4 hrs (including 2hr Spice Tour)
Day 9 - Estimated Travel Time: 2 hrs

After arriving on Zanzibar, spend the remainder of the day exploring Stone Town, the heart of the island. It has an intriguing maze of narrow, cobbled lanes hemmed in by Arabic buildings. The best way to see the Stone Town is, literally, to get lost. You can spend hours just wandering the alleys and squares, drinking potent coffee from pavement vendors, or buying sweetmeats from scores of tiny cafes. At this point you may be joined by other G Adventures travellers who are starting their tour here on Zanzibar. A group meeting with your tour leader for this portion of your trip is scheduled for the early evening. Please look for information from your tour leader on the hotel bulletin board regarding the time of this meeting.

Zanzibar Island, 'the spice island,' has an extremely interesting history and culture as it was the centre of the slave and spice trade in the 1800s. Zanzibar is one of the most fascinating places in East Africa, despite a heavy increase in tourism since the early 1990s. Thanks to an ambitious and far-reaching preservation programme funded by UNESCO and the Aga Khan, many famous old buildings have been restored, or are in the process of being renovated.

The following morning we head north to Nungwi for two days/ two nights at one of Zanzibar's major highlights. Here you can either relax on the idyllic white-sandy beaches, take an optional diving/snorkeling excursion, or take a wander through the village of Nungwi.

No visit to Zanzibar would be complete without a visit to the spice plantations - an activity that is included on our way north to Nungwi on Day 7. Your senses will be aroused as you will receive a detailed description on the assortment of spices (black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, breadfruit, jackfruit, vanilla, lemon grass) and their various uses. It was the wonderful spice plantations that brought the beginnings of Zanzibar’s infamous slave trade dating back to the 1840’s.

On our fourth day on the island, we head back south to Stone Town, for our final night on this enchanting island. It's your last chance to shop and/or enjoy all that Stone Town has to offer. This maybe the last night for some of your travel companions as some will be finishing their G Adventures tour here on Zanzibar.

Remember that Zanzibar is a Muslim society, and immodestly dressed women, or men in shorts, will get harassed and cause great offence in Stone Town. In Nungwi, customs are a little more relaxed, but passengers are encouraged to be respectful of the islands culture and still cover up when walking around. Never try to take a photograph without asking permission. The polite way to ask is “Tafadhali (pronounced tougher-thaarli) naomba ruhusu kwa kupiga picha yako.” Many guidebooks say the correct phrase is “nataka kupiga picha yako”, but this is incredibly rude, the equivalent of saying “give me your picture”.

Approximate Distance: 200 km
Estimated Travel Time: 9 hrs (6 hr drive + 3 hr ferry ride)

Catch the ferry back to Dar Es Salaam and continuing travelling west to Ruaha River in Ruaha National Park, which is part of an extensive and undeveloped ecosystem.

Approximate Distance: 322 km
Estimated Travel Time: 5 hrs

Continue the journey south to Iringa, and spend the night just outside of town.

Historically, Iringa was a centre of colonial administration. During German occupation, the German military constructed the town as a forti.ed defence against marauding Hehe tribal warriors intent on driving them out of the region. Gangilonga Rock, a site just outside of the town, is a legendary spot where the Hehe chief at that time, Chief Mkwawa, met with his people and decided how to fight the Germans. Iringa was also the site of several battles during the First and Second World Wars, and Commonwealth War Graves are located just outside of town.

Day 12 - Approximate Distance: 534 km ; Estimated Travel Time: 9 hrs
Day 13 - Approximate Distance: 235 km ; Estimated Travel Time: 5 hrs

Cross into Malawi, which is known as 'the warm heart of Africa.' Spend three days relaxing on the shores of 'the Lake of Stars' taking long beach walks and swimming in the crystal clear water. Snorkel or scuba dive among the tropical fish (at your own expense). As you snake down the shores of Lake Malawi, visit various lakeside camps to overnight.

This is Malawi’s main attraction and covers one fifth of the country. It is the third largest lake in Africa and is about 500km long. The lake has more fish species than any other lake in the world with around 600 different species. The largest family is the chichlids, which are exported all over the world to pet shops etc. The lake is also known for its good snorkelling and diving. The locals depend on the lake for fishing and survival and use dug out canoes to fish from and set out long nets. There are many different ethnic groups all speaking their own language, most are Christians and the rest have traditional beliefs as do most African countries

Up in the hills above Chitimba Beach is a mission station named after David Livingstone. In 1859 Livingstone reached Lake Malawi when he was trying to put an end to the slave trade. He then returned in 1861 accompanied by seven missionaries. They opened a mission station in the south lake area, but suffered from malaria, illness and conflict with slavers. In 1864 the surviving missionaries withdrew to Zanzibar. Livingstone then returned to the region in 1866 as part of an expedition to find the source of the Nile.

In 1869 he pushed north and was out of contact for two years. He was found by journalist Henry Stanley on the banks of Lake Tanganyika in 1871 and Stanley uttered the words “Dr Livingstone I presume.” Livingstone continued on his mission and died at a village called Chitombo in Zambia in 1873. His death rekindled a desire in missionaries to come to Malawi and eventually after setting up missions in various bad malaria areas, they set up a mission called Livingstonia in the high-lands of the eastern escarpment (with no malaria) It is still in operation today.The mission station is described as a small piece of Scotland transported into the heart of Africa.

Approximate Distance: 200 km
Estimated Travel Time: 5 hrs

Today we head to the sleepy capital of Lilongwe, at one time a small village on the banks of the Lilongwe River. Check out the craft stalls and bustling markets in Old Town or just sit back and relax, finding your groove in 'Malawi time'.

Approximate Distance: 200 km
Estimated Travel Time: 4 hrs

Traveling west, we cross into Zambia and head to the capital of the Eastern Province, Chipata. Previously known as Fort Jameson, Chipata is a popular refueling station for overlanders heading to South Luangwa National Park. Take the opportunity to change some money for your time in Malawi, or visit the Down Shops - traditional Zambian shops owned by the small Indian population who call Chipata home.

Approximate Distance: 544 km
Estimated Travel Time: 10 hrs

Today’s long journey across rough and bumpy roads takes us to a private game farm just outside of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Here you can marvel at the Zebras, Buffaloes, and the Boks that roam the property, or relax by the pool or at the rest camp’s bar.

Lusaka, like many African capitals, is a bustling metropolis developing around its colonial roots, its socialist history, and nowadays its drive for independence. It’s an example of how many African cities are trying to find their “independent” way in a world that’s surging ahead. Situated in the southern part of the country, Lusaka is considered one of the fastest growing populations in Africa, and is the governmental and administrative centre of Zambia.

Approximate Distance: 543km
Estimated Travel Time: 7 hrs

We will spend the last two days of our tour here, a great base to see both some natural wonders and take part in some exciting activities. Get up close (at wet from the spray) while awing at the immense Victoria Falls, raft the whitewater of the mighty Zambezi, for the more adventurous, bungee jump with the Victoria Falls in view.

David Livingstone was born on March 19, 1813 in the village of Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. He first studied Greek, medicine, and theology at the University of Glasgow and while working in London, joined the London Missionary Society became a minister. He originally planned to gain access to China through his medical knowledge. The Opium Wars, which were raging at this stage with no signs of peace on the horizon, forced Livingstone to consider other options. From 1840 he worked in Bechuanaland (present-day Botswana), and in the period 1852–56, he explored the African interior, and was the first European to see the Mosi-oa-Tunya waterfall (which he renamed Victoria Falls after his monarch, Queen Victoria). Livingstone was one of the first Westerners to make a transcontinental journey across Africa. The purpose of his journey was to open the routes, while accumulating useful information about the African continent. In particular, Livingstone was a proponent of trade and Christian missions to be established in central Africa. His motto, inscribed in the base of the statue to him at Victoria Falls, was “Christianity, Commerce and Civilization.”

The town of Livingstone is a regional transport center, being located near the borders of Botswana and Zimbabwe, and serves as a base for the many visitors to see this part of Africa, and the impressive Victoria Falls, a mere 12km from Livingstone.

The Victoria Falls waterfalls occur in a country that is perfectly flat. From its source on the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Zambezi River meanders for 1300 km across the wooded plateau of Zambia, eroding for itself a shallow valley on its mild descent to the site of the falls. The river eventually found a weak spot on the lower lip of the surface over which it passed, and forced a passage which was steadily deepened into an exit gorge. During the last half million years the river has scoured out eight of these cracks across its bed. The Victoria falls occurs where the river is 1688 m wide, presents the spectacle of an average maximum of 550 million liters of water a minute tumbling over the lip of the trench in five main falls, the Devil’s Cataract, Main falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow falls and the Eastern Cataract.
The highest of these is Rainbow falls, on an average 108 m high. A peak flood sees 750 million liters of water in one minute hurtling over the falls.

The name Zambezi comes from the Tonka tribe, also meaning Great River, but the Sotho-speaking Kololo people of the upper reaches of the river gave it the well-known name of Mosi o a Thunya (smoke that rises). The Lozi people call it by the same name but translated it into smoke that sounds. The Ndebele call it aManza Thunqayo (the water that rises like smoke). The Namibian people call it Chinotimba (a noise-making place like the distant sound of digging).

Approximate Distance: 120km
Estimate Travel Time: 4 hrs (depending on ferry crossing)

Depart Livingstone at approx 8am and proceed towards Chobe National Park, staying just outside of the park near the town of Kasane. Take an optional game drive in the park, or an afternoon sunset boat cruise along the Chobe River - your best opportunity to view hippo, crocodiles and watch many elephants wallow in the water.

Kasane is situated on the banks of the Chobe River, near its mouth. This is where the Chobe and Zambezi rivers meet, creating a border area of four countries – Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Chobe National Park is Botswana’s first national park, and is situated along the Chobe River. It has one of the largest concentration of wildlife in all the Africa continent and one of the world's last remaining sizable wilderness area. By size, this is the third largest park (11,000 sq km) of the country, though it is definitely the most diverse and spectacular.

The park is probably best known for its spectacular elephant population: with over 120,000 it has the highest elephant concentration of Africa. Moreover, most of them are probably part of the largest continuous surviving elephant population on Earth. The elephant population seems to have solidly built up since 1990, from the few initial thousands. By chance, they have not been affected by the massive illicit exploitation of the 1970's and 1980's. Elephants living here are Kalahari elephants, the largest in size of all known elephant species. Yet they are characterized by rather brittle ivory and short tusks. Damage caused by the high numbers of elephants is rife in some areas. In fact, concentration is so high throughout Chobe that culls have been considered, but are too controversial and have thus far been rejected. During the dry season, these elephants sojourn in Chobe River and the Linyanti River areas. During the rain season, they make a 200 km migration to the south-east region of the park. Their distribution zone however outreaches the park and spreads to north-western Zimbabwe.

Chobe National Park is also known for its lion population, who on occasion do hunt the elephants. The original inhabitants of this area were the San bushmen (also known as the Basarwa people). They were nomadic hunter-gatherers who were constantly moving from place to place to find food sources, namely fruits, water and wild animals. Nowadays one can find San paintings inside rocky hills of the park.

Approximate Distance: 300km
Estimated Travel Time: 5 hrs

Continue south towards the village of Nata, situated on the edge of the impressive Makgadikgadi Pans - remnants of Africa's largest inland sea. As the largest expanse of 'nothingness' on earth, the pans have an area the size of Switzerland, and are clearly visible from outer-space. What is known today as the Makgadikgadi Pans is only a relic of what used to be one of the biggest inland lakes Africa has ever seen - Lake Makgadikgadi. The Makgadikgadi pan consists of two main pans, Namely Ntwetwe and Sowa pan, both of which are surrounded by myriad smaller pans. Although it is totally devoid of any water, people used to live there before it was declared state land. Villagers where allowed to graze their livestock inside the boundaries during dry season.
A visit to the pans is limited due to the weather and the water on the pans.
We stay 50km north of the pans at Elephant sands.
Go on an optional gamewalk in the conservation area of the state forests. This is a hunting area and all of the big 5 are present. It is well known for the Elephants that roam the area and they even get into the camp for a quick drink of water out of the swimming pool.

Approximate Distance: 400km
Estimated Travel Time: 8 hrs

Journey south through Botswana to Palapye. A growing town on the Gaborone-Francistown road, Palapye was originally called Phalatswe (meaning 'Many Impalas' in Sekgalagadi).

Approximate Distance: 400km
Estimated Travel Time: 8 hrs

Cross into South Africa and head for Polokwane, the provincial capital of Limpopo. Polokwane was founded in 1886 by Voortrekkers and is now a busy centre serving the surrounding agricultural and mining communities.
We overnight at Polokwane Game Reserve. The Reserve is characterised by open savannah and almost entirely dominated by themed grass with the odd smattering of acacia trees. Since its proclamation in the early 70s the Polokwane Game Reserve has established itself as one of the leading municipal conservation projects in South Africa. It supports viable populations of rare game species including Tsessebe, Sable Antelope and the White Rhino. Go and explore the park on foot by yourself and unwind after a long day’s driving or sip a sundowner while listening to the wild sounds of Africa.

Approximate Distance: 280km
Estimated Travel Time: 6 hrs

Get ready for spectacular wildlife! Learn about animal tracks, plants and stars on your afternoon conservation walk at Ilkley Reserve, a campsite in the Greater Kruger area.

On the optional tribal village tour you will get a view on the history of the Shangaan people and their tradition followed by traditional dancing by the villagers.

Welcome to big game country! The world-renowned Kruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Search for lion, elephant, rhino and many other animals in one of Africa’s greatest wildlife areas on your full-day game drive in our own vehicle.

Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld (low-lying bush land), this national park of nearly 2 million hectares. Kruger National Park is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies. Notably as well is its mixed biological, historical and archaeological significance.

The Kruger National Park is truly the flagship of the South African National Parks, and it is home to a huge array of plants and animals. With over 145 species of mammals, it is possible to see all the classical African big game, including elephant, black and white rhino, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, warthog and many antelope species. Large carnivores include lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and spotted hyena. There are also many smaller mammals of equally enticing species.

Some of the bird life here cannot be found elsewhere is South Africa, as 507 species reside in the park. Hornbills, Starlings, Vultures, Rollers, Bee-eaters and Shrikes typify the ubiquitous avi-fauna, and birders can look forward to pursuing the big 6 (Saddle-billed Stork, Kori Bustard, Martial Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Pel’s Fishing Owl and Ground Hornbill). Eagles are common: Bateleur, Martial, Black-breasted Snake, Brown Snake, African Hawk, African Fish and Tawny are all regularly seen, and in summer: Wahlberg’s, Steppe, Lesser Spotted. The Park’s numerous water points make for excellent birding, while the rest camps and picnic sites are exceptionally rewarding for birders.

The interaction between man and bush is evident in the Kruger National Park, from the bushman rock paintings to the majestic archaeological sites like Thulamela and Masorini. This is also regarded and preserved as a treasure, as they represent the cultures, people, and events that played a big role in the history of the Kruger National Park.

With Kruger being so vast it naturally has a tremendous botanic diversity. Simplistically the park can be divided into 16 macro eco-zones. The northern half of the park, north of the Olifants River is predominantly mopane veld, while south of the Olifants the ecozones are thornveld. There are 336 tree species in the park.

On 26 March, 1898, South African President Paul Kruger signed a proclamation for the founding of a government game park in the Eastern Transvaal, between Crocodile and the Sabie Rivers. As a large animal habitat, this area was at the time an extensive hunting grounds, but mosquito and Tsetse fly populations however, prevented human settlement in the area. The area stayed untouched until after the Anglo-Boer, when the new British administration accepted the idea of a game sanctuary and appointed a warden for what was called Sabie Game reserve. They appointed Major James Stevenson-Hamilton, who was the first to raise the idea that the area should be opened for animal viewing by the public, instead of the proposed plan of opening it for hunting.

The first road in the newly named Kruger National Park was laid down from Sabie bridge to the Olifants River, the second from Sabie Bridge to Pretoriuskop and the third from Sabie bridge to Crocodile bridge. The first three tourist cars entered the park in 1927, using the entrance at Pretoriuskop. Among the passengers was a seven-year old, Douglas Jackaman, who was so impressed by what he saw that he later became a camp manager in the park.

No accommodation was provided for the visitor, they made their own camps in thorn-bush enclosures. Visitors also carried weapons for their protection. In 1944 a cordon system was introduced between the park and local farms to decrease the impact of foot and mouth disease on the parks wildlife. Stevenson-Hamilton retired through the years of the Second World War, through which time the park was closed. The park was again opened to the public in 1946 under new control.

The Kruger National Park is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (with a total area of 35 000 square kilometers). This peace park links the Kruger with Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

The memorandum of understanding for the creation of the peace Park was signed on 10 November 2000 as the Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou Transfrontier Park. In October 2001 the name was changed to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

Fences between the Parks have started to come down allowing the animals to take up their old migratory routes that were blocked before due to political boundaries.

Approximate Distance: 400km
Estimated Travel Time: 8 hrs (includes game drive out of Kruger)

We travel today to Johannesburg, the economic heart of South Africa and the largest city. Our finishing point hotel is located outside of the city of Johannesburg near the airport, but take some time on an excursion to Soweto or to the famous Apartheid Museum.

George Harrison discovered gold near present-day Johannesburg in March 1886 on the Witwatersrand. Surveyors were instructed by the government to lay this farm out as a future town. They completed their work on 03 Dec 1886. The name Johannesburg was written for the first time on their plans of streets and stands.

Only five days after the completion of the survey the first 986 stands were auctioned, and the first building to be erected was a corrugated iron hut. Within 12 months, Johannesburg was the second largest town in Transvaal, and by the middle 1890s there were 20 separate mining companies working from headquarters in Johannesburg.

The Transvaal government granted Johannesburg municipal status in 1897. Later, the city became almost deserted with the advent of the Anglo-Boer war on 11 Oct 1899, as trainloads of refugees fled. Johannesburg was placed under martial law, to protect the existing claims. After the war, the labour shortage led to a proposed suggestion to import Chinese labour. The first load of 1055 Chinese labourers arrived in 1904. By 1905 they numbered 46,895. In December of 1905 the British liberal party ( who just won the national elections) suspended the Chinese recruitment. Between 1903 and 1997, 55,877 miners had been killed in mine accidents. In the same period 47,229 tons of gold had been produced.

Johannesburg officially became a city in 1928, and by 1960 it had more than 1 million inhabitants. Today, Johannesburg is fondly known as eGoli, or place of gold.

Depart Johannesburg at any time.