Lesedi Cultural Village by Fujiah Paranti

Lesedi Cultural Village 

Lesedi is a multicultural village set amongst the pristine bushveld and rocky hills less than an hour’s drive north of Johannesburg.


Lesedi is a multicultural village set amongst the pristine bushveld and rocky hills less than an hour’s drive north of Johannesburg. Situated at Lesedi are four traditional homesteads – The Zulus with their fighting sticks and cozy beehive huts, The Xhosa with their perfectly thatched rondawels and distinctive white blankets, the rhythmic drums and whistles of The Pedi tribe and the conical straw hats and thick, colored blankets of The Basotho.

FACILITIES
Families peacefully living their traditional lives inhabit each homestead at Lesedi. Additional huts for each village have been constructed in each homestead offering the unique opportunity of staying with a traditional rural African family – however, all home comforts have been catered for including cozy beds and beautiful bathrooms with showers, hot and cold running water and flushing toilets. There is a guided tour of the four ethnic homesteads – Zulu, Basotho, Xhosa and Pedi.

Lesedi Cultural Village accommodation.   ATTRACTIONS

But if you want to do more than just see famous places, if you would like to meet the people – particularly if you have a tight time schedule – then you can’t do better than visit Lesedi Cultural Village.

When South African icon Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu first christened South Africa the “Rainbow Nation”, he was referring particularly to its peoples and their varying cultures. From the Zulu and Xhosa, to the Afrikaners, the English and the Coloured people of the Cape, South Africa has a rich diversity of people and cultures.

Did you know that South Africa is the only country in the world to have 11 official languages?

Dancers at Lesedi Cultural Village.  

Lesedi Cultural Village is set amidst rocky hills and bushveld less than an hour’s drive from Johannesburg on the way to Sun City. When you visit, you won’t get to see all the cultures, but you’ll have close and personal contact with five of them – the Zulus, the Xhosa, the Pedi, the colourful Ndebele people and the mountain people, the Basotho.


The guests are treated to a Pan African Buffet in the Nyama Choma Restaurant. After dinner Guests are invited to gather round the fire outside the bar for a cultural surprise.

This entertainment starts off with some "Mamba Juice", a unique Lesedi potion accompanied by Storytelling, Participative Singing and Dancing or simply an opportunity to gather more information regarding the myths and traditions of the people of South Africa.

If time permits, a shopping experience of a lifetime awaits every visitor in the vibrant, living Ndebele craft market and Curio shop with its decorative walls and courtyards before departing.

ACTIVITIES
Activities Within close proximity you''ll find: Hartbeespoort Dam with an abundance of activities which include game drives, walking trails, guided Anglo-Boer history tours, craft markets, horse-riding, bird-watching, tennis, bowls and two excellent golf courses as well as a scenic cableway ride to the top of the Magaliesberg, and aquarium, bird-park and local zoo.


You’ll meet real people (not actors in fancy dress), go into real homes where people live, and listen to these people tell you about their individual cultures and daily lives.

Ndebele village at Lesedi Cultural Village.   The paint drawing were showing the local people are playing xylophone.

Overnight stays

This is how it unfolds if you opt for an overnight stay. You arrive in the late afternoon, and are taken to the particular homestead where you will be staying. Don’t be alarmed if you see a traditional beehive hut – inside it’s luxurious with all mod cons. You’ll meet the head of the household, who will then be your host and guide for the rest of your stay.

Accommodation at Lesedi Cultural Village.  

Then all the guests from the different homesteads make their way to the Ndebele village, where you’ll be given a welcome to Lesedi by all its inhabitants. This is followed by a short, but comprehensive, audio-visual presentation that introduces you to South Africa’s history and peoples.
Your host will take you on a guided tour of all the homesteads before it’s back to your “own” village for a wash and brush-up.

As the African sun sets, prepare yourself for one of the highlights of your trip when you go into the Ingoma – the dance boma – to watch some of the best African dancing you will see anywhere in South Africa.

The dancing is followed by an eclectic African feast. Choose potjiekos – a traditional meat stew cooked in a black cast-iron pot with samp (maize porridge) and beans – or chops, boerewors (beef sausage), steak or chicken from the braai; or test your taste buds and try crocodile, kudu or warthog.

The dining hall at Lesedi Cultural Village.  

There’s a craft market for those last-minute curios and handmade local arts and crafts.
Inevitably it is a bit “touristy”, but Lesedi Cultural Village is unique. Expect possibly the best authentic African experience in the country, one that provides warmth, depth and insight into our Rainbow Nation and its colourful diversity of cultures.

Admission

Rates are approximate.
Full home stay R1500 p/p sharing.
Day visitor R400 with full cultural experience, dance and lunch
Dance and lunch; dance and dinner R250 p/p.

Visiting hours

Monati Experience, the morning experience, begins at 11h30.
The Boma Experience, the evening experience, begins at 16h30.

Directions

Lesedi Cultural Village is on the R512 (the Lanseria Road) north of Johannesburg (and West of Pretoria) on the main route to Sun City and Hartbeespoort Dam.

In the neighbourhood

Sun City
Pilanesburg National Park
De Wildt Cheetah & Wildlife Centre
The Lion Park

prepared by:
FUJIAH PARANTI