Lesedi Cultural Village

Lesedi Cultural Village featuring interior views and art
Experience the life of an African village, learn about time-honored tribal customs, watch dance performances and sample traditional African cuisine. 

Set amid rocky hills and picturesque woodland is the enriching Lesedi Cultural Village. Share the warm hospitality of Africa’s tribal cultures while discovering their daily activities and customs. Watch live music and dance performances then enjoy a traditional African buffet.

The village showcases five of South Africa’s many ethnic groups: Basotho, Ndebele, Pedi, Xhosa and Zulu. Watch a multimedia presentation about the origins of South Africa’s people, and understand why Desmond Tutu christened the country the Rainbow Nation. Join a knowledgeable villager and visit the homesteads of each of the represented groups. See drumming, spear throwing and stick fighting demonstrations. 

Enjoy performances by West African marimba players, a wooden percussion instrument similar to the xylophone. Listen to the sounds of maskandi, Zulu folk music common in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. Go to the ingoma boma dancehall, where members of the village’s groups put on a fascinating display of rhythmic drumming and dance. Marvel as the Pedi women perform a hip-shaking rain dance and Zulus execute giant pirouettes across the stage.

Dependent on the timing of your visit you’ll have the chance to appreciate various dining experiences. Sample a nyama choma, an African buffet of meats such as crocodile, ostrich and warthog. Experience the flavours of North African cuisine while sat cross legged at a floor table. Chat with villagers in a shebeen, a tavern that originally served as an unlicensed drinking venue.

Stay overnight in a luxury hut of one of the five homesteads. Wake up to the soothing sounds of traditional tribal instruments such as the maskandi guitar and squash-box. 

Situated in the northwest of South Africa’s Gauteng province, the Lesedi Cultural Village is a 35-minute drive from Pretoria. Johannesburg is about a 50-minute drive away. Renting a car is a convenient way to get here and allows the chance to visit nearby attractions, including the scenic Hartbeesport Dam. The village also offers a shuttle service from hotels in Johannesburg.

Tours of the village last about three hours and there are two programmes per day. Find admission fees and the tour schedule on the village’s official website. 

Popular places to visit


Top Hotel Deals

Holiday Inn Express Sandton Woodmead, an IHG Hotel
Holiday Inn Express Sandton Woodmead, an IHG Hotel
3 out of 5
Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Sandton, Gauteng
Holiday Inn Express Sandton Woodmead, an IHG Hotel
Seasons Sport and Spa
Seasons Sport and Spa
4 out of 5
Farm 116 Hartbeespoort, Old Rustenburg Road, Hartbeespoort, North West
Seasons Sport and Spa
Palazzo Hotel
Palazzo Hotel
5 out of 5
Montecasino Boulevard, Fourways, Sandton, Gauteng
Palazzo Hotel
Piazza Hotel Montecasino
Piazza Hotel Montecasino
3 out of 5
Montecasino Boulevard, Montecasino Complex, Fourways, Sandton, Gauteng
Piazza Hotel Montecasino
Pivot Hotel Montecasino
Pivot Hotel Montecasino
4 out of 5
Montecasino Boulevard, Fourways, Sandton, Gauteng
Pivot Hotel Montecasino
City Lodge Hotel Fourways
City Lodge Hotel Fourways
3 out of 5
Cnr Montecasino Blvd & Witkoppen Rd, Fourways, Sandton, Gauteng
City Lodge Hotel Fourways
Blueberry Hill Hotel
Blueberry Hill Hotel
4 out of 5
3 Blueberry St, Honeydew, Randburg, Gauteng
Blueberry Hill Hotel
Protea Hotel by Marriott Midrand
Protea Hotel by Marriott Midrand
4 out of 5
14 Street, Noorwyk Exit 20, Midrand, Gauteng
Protea Hotel by Marriott Midrand
Courtyard Hotel Waterfall City
Courtyard Hotel Waterfall City
4.5 out of 5
Karkloof Crescent, Midrand, Gauteng
Courtyard Hotel Waterfall City
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.