Full Day Pretoria City & Cullinan Mine Day Tour

Arrival / Itinerary

Guests will be met at a location of their choice in either Johannesburg or Pretoria. Pretoria is named the Jacaranda City for the thousands of Jacaranda trees which line its streets in the midst of spring. When the trees are in full bloom, the city is transformed into a purple wonderland. The agenda for the tour of the city's highlights will include a visit to the Union Buildings that, due to their setting against the slopes of Meintjieskop, afford a commanding view of the city. The buildings currently house the office of the South African president. The buildings were designed by the famous British Architect Sir Herbert Baker, and are regarded as one of the country's architectural masterpieces.

Other places visited include the Voortrekker Monument, which bears testament to a nation's pioneering spirit, and the period museum commonly known as Melrose House. The significance of Melrose House is that it is the location where the Anglo Boer War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging in 1902.

The afternoon takes the tour to the east of Pretoria and the town of Cullinan, where the world's largest diamond was discovered in 1905. This great diamond weighed in at an incredible 3 106 carats in the rough. It was transformed by the Asscher Brothers in Amsterdam to the magnificent stones which grace the British Crown Jewels today. A tour of the mine will provide visitors with insight regarding the process of how these precious stones form under great pressure and heat. The tour will also demonstrate the full mining process, including cutting and polishing. The visit to Cullinan Diamond Mine is followed by a transfer back to a location of your choice in Pretoria or Johannesburg.