Kempton Park

Description

Kempton Park is a city located between Pretoria and Johannesburg, in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The city is located fairly close to Johannesburg and is home to Africa’s busiest airport - OR Tambo International Airport. Kempton Park was named after the Bavarian town of Kempten, where the town's founder was born. Kempton Park has numerous entertainment and sporting facilities, sites and shopping opportunities. Because it is located so close to the international airport, visitors will be able to find plenty of accommodation in the city. The city is located next to one of South Africa’s largest townships - Tembisa. Muslims will be able to find a couple of Muslim-friendly facilities, like halal restaurants and prayer areas in Kempton Park. Because Johannesburg is quite close by, Muslim visitors can also visit the city for meals and prayers.

Although Kempton Park does not have that much to see or do, there are plenty of attractions located just outside the city.                                      

One of Kempton Park’s best kept secrets is the Modderfontein Conservation Park. This park covers an area of about 899 hectares and was set up to demonstrate that industry and nature can co-exist. Apart from being home to a number of dams, grassland, wetlands and hills, it is also home to approximately 253 different bird species, like the fish eagle, blue cranes crimson breasted shrike, crested eagle, as well as other birds of prey. The park also has a small population of zebras, black-backed jackal, black wildebeest, redbuck and highveld springbok and more. There are also organized walks and bird watching tours that visitors can take if interested.

Tourists must also pay a visit to the Kempton Park Golf Course. The golf course is located just a couple of minutes from OR Tambo International Airport and was a designed by renowned golfing architects. The course is great for beginners as well as for professionals. Visitors can take a golf lesson or two while here.

Visitors looking to stay outdoors as much as possible could also try sandboarding on one of the mine dumps just outside the city.

Because of its proximity to Johannesburg, those visiting Kempton Park can also visit the numerous attractions the city has to offer. The Johannesburg Zoo, Apartheid Museum, Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum, the Nelson Mandela National Museum and Constitution Hill are just a few of the many must-visit attractions in Johannesburg.

Nearby Airports

The closest international airport to Kempton Park is OR Tambo International Airport. This is Africa's busiest airport and is actually located in Kempton Park, approximately 13 kilometres from the center of the city. This international airport is conveniently located and easily accessible.

Halal Restaurants

Steers/Fishaways is one known Halal restaurant in Kempton Park. However, it is best for Muslims to make sure the food is Halal/free of non-Halal items, before dining anywhere. There are also Halal restaurants in Johannesburg which Muslim tourists can visit. These restaurants serve dishes from India, Pakistan, America, the Middle East and so on. If unable to locate Halal food in Kempton Park, Muslim visitors could dine at vegetarian or seafood restaurants after making sure the dishes do not consist of any non-Halal items.

Mosques

There is a mosque in Kempton Park, namely the Kempton Park Musallah; which is located opposite OR Tambo International Airport. Since the city of Johannesburg is located quite close by, Muslims tourists could also use the services offered at the mosques in Johannesburg. 

Things to Do and See in Kempton Park

• AECI Dynamite Factory Museum
• Kempton Park Golf Course
• Outdoor activities
• Hunyani Snake City
• East Rand Mall
• Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate
• Deli and Arts & Crafts Market
• Visit Johannesburg
• Modderfontein Reserve