Ratanga Junction

Ratanga Junction

Ratanga Junction, just outside of Cape Town, is Africa's first large-scale theme park and is only 3 years old. Thankfully, it didn't adopt a Disney attitude by making, say, Masai warriors look cute and marketable. Ratanga is basically a park with a lot of rides, and with the falling rand it's also one of the best bargains around. The park has over 26 rides, from nausea-inducing sheer drops to mellow rides for children and the faint of heart (or those who just had lunch).

The park has a white-water-rapids ride and several roller coasters, including the Tarantula and the Bar One Bushwacker. The Hippo Hollow area is especially for younger children and has a Ferris wheel and crocodile boats. Ratanga also has its own cast of (merchandisable) characters, with veddy British names like Archibald Bird and Lady Cynthia Bird. Another added bonus is that Ratanga Junction is located next to Canal Walk, the largest regional shopping center in Africa.

Admission is 85 rand ($7) for adults and 39 rand ($3) for children.

Ratanga Junction
Century City, Cape Town
South Africa
Phone: 0861 200 300