Dis lekker by die see, and although you won’t find white sand and crashing waves in Pretoria, you can certainly get enjoyably soaked at a number of water parks around the city. Scoff if you think it’s koekerig, but acting like a kid at a water park is actually loads of fun at any age. Goofing about in an aquatic playground is great for bonding with family and friends, and just grabbing some loaf time when you can.
Water parks in Pretoria are pretty evenly distributed and offer a huge variety of tubes, streams and sheer plummets to cater for everyone.
Let’s start with a water venue built only by time, and great for classic “goofing off by the lake-stroke-dam” leisure hours. Wonderboom Nature Reserve’s Water Hole isn’t the main attraction at this pokey reserve, of course. The Wonderboom itself is over 1000 years old, and most people come to marvel at the copse of trees that so dominate the landscape. This is truly one of the most chilled water parks in Pretoria.
Those with the need for a veld feel when unwinding will enjoy picnicking, lying around and traversing the giant water hole. No wild rides, just you and the wilderness, but at a day tariff of less than 40 bucks, it’s a no-brainer if you like your water fun in a wildlife setting.
Always popular Cedar Junction in Zwavelpoort has a more mixed theme, with train rides and general fun activities for kids, making it a one of the more unique water parks in Pretoria. Rather than a dynamite super-tube water park, this is a mixed-use arena with water as the strong, central theme. Kids on the premises never get out of their swimming costumes, so you can definitely spend the days in the pools, and there are some slides and other thrills for kids to make loads of splashing fun.
StokeCity Wake Park comes with different water fun options. Here, you can avail yourself of a variety of services at their Cable Park, where water-skiing, knee- and wake-boarding are all enabled by being pulled along by a system of cables. Basically what kids would build if they had a million dollars at age six, the venue is awesome for a mixture of pure fun, refreshing splashing and learning a new skill.
There is also a stand-up paddling pool and the open water swimming course leaves you with a wonderful mixture of adventurous fun and a sense of accomplishment.
Zambibush Resort is probably the closest thing to most people’s imaginings of a water park - high rides and spiraling super-tubes that provide thrills and big splashes. There’s loads of space, it’s a big place, and also a petting zoo, with dedicated kiddies and adult pools. Zambibush also hosts kids’ birthday parties and other events. They’ll help organise the catering, entertainment and the whole shebang. With lapas dotted around all pools and surrounds, this is a perfect venue for parents to braai and snore while the kids go bananas.
Getting back to big water, Harties Watersports is another venue that lays on some excellent fun activities. Tired of seeing all of those boat trailers heading to the dam on a Friday? Get your own slice of water sport fun and go grab a tube, speedboat, pleasure cruise or parasail ride here.
It’s normally busy (you access the venue inside the Hartbeespoortdam Snake and Animal park) as it’s an option that allows everything from kids being dragged across the dam on a tube to booze cruising for adults who want to soak up the ambiance, but without getting wet.
