South Africa's Sun City

History

Sun City Resort & Hotels was conceived and built by South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner during the apartheid era, when the government of the day established nominally independent homelands or “bantustans” for various indigenous peoples.

One of these homelands, Bophuthatswana, was intended as an independent state for the Tswana people. With gambling illegal in South Africa at the time, Kerzner developed an imaginary “lost city” legend as the resort’s theme. Sun City officially opened on 7 December 1979.

Kerzner started as a manager of a small family-owned hotel in Durban. Through hard work and innovative marketing, he built Sun International into an international company with resorts in Africa and beyond, with Sun City among his most notable successes.

Because of different laws in the homelands, Sun City offered entertainment such as gambling and topless revues, which were illegal in South Africa. Proximity to Pretoria and Johannesburg made it a major draw for domestic tourists.

Wildlife

The Kwena Gardens crocodile facility sits at Sun City’s entrance and houses hundreds of crocodile. It offers educational tours and, at times, the chance to handle a baby crocodile. The on-site bird facility features species such as parrot, owl, and vulture. On the golf courses, you may glimpse a crocodile in the water hazards and a baboon on the fairways.

Two well-known reserves—Pilanesberg and Madikwe—are close to Sun City. Day trips are available directly from the resort, offering a classic bush experience minutes away. Both neighboring reserves contain the Big Five: elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, leopard, and lion. Other predators include cheetah, wild dog, and brown hyena. Zebra and giraffe are plentiful. More than 300 bird species are recorded.

Vegetation & Terrain

Sun City is not primarily a nature destination; it is a luxury resort and casino in South Africa’s North West Province. Between the Elands River and the Pilanesberg, the resort includes the Lost City, the Valley of the Waves, two internationally acclaimed 18-hole golf courses, multiple hotels and timeshare facilities, Sun Central (with the Sun City Superbowl and the South African Hall of Fame), and the Sun City Casino.

The resort features extensive water elements—fountains, pools, natural lakes, and the waterpark—with subtropical planting, including palm trees. Set in an ancient volcanic crater, it is surrounded by bushveld. Those seeking classic safari landscapes can visit Pilanesberg or nearby reserves. Landscaped for entertainment, the resort’s theme drew inspiration from the 1885 novel “King Solomon’s Mines” by H. Rider Haggard.

Activities

The resort offers two international-standard golf courses designed by Gary Player. The Gary Player Country Club hosts the Nedbank Golf Challenge; many of the world’s best have competed here. The Lost City Golf Course is unique for the 13th-hole water feature that’s home to crocodile.

Sun City features an animal farm, an aviary, the Motseng Cultural Village, and the Valley of the Waves. The animal farm lets kids meet domestic and select wild animals. The aviary houses a large collection of birds from around the world. The Motseng Cultural Village is a living museum of local heritage. The Valley of the Waves delivers slides, rides, a giant wave pool, and an artificial beach.

The casino offers slots and table games, from cards and roulette to bingo. In the Salon Privé, high-rollers can test their luck against the house for significant stakes, with attentive service throughout.