If you’re a regular here at Virtual Africa, you would know that we have a soft spot for World Heritage Sites.

We’ve had the privilege to shoot all 8 South African World Heritage Sites on behalf of South Africa Tourism a few years ago, but when the good people of the African Heritage Epic approached us with their grand idea, we quickly learnt that the first round was just a warm up.

We couldn’t believe our luck:

Their passion was to capture 55 (yes, FIFTY FIVE!!!) African heritage sites in the best ways possible!!

As part of the African Heritage Epic they’re busy creating documentaries, aggregating literature, making video’s and writing books about anything and everything that has anything to do with these amazing African sites.
But not only are they doing the research, they’re planning to visit each of these sites and have started doing so already.
Now it might sound like a small thing, but I’ll give you consider that the Aldabra Atoll 1200km South West of the Seychelles main island, Mahe, is one of the sites and the Valley of the Kings in Egypt is another – you realize why they call it the EPIC.

Anyway, our part in this is to help capture the sites in glorious 360º and we’ve been doing just that for the past few months.

We are happy to announce that the first 6 sites have been completed.

We have created 25 full screen 360º images of each of the heritage sites, each image with an embedded video clip to tell you more about what you’re seeing. (That’s a whopping 150 scenes, for those who are reaching for the calculators.)

In the light of September being Heritage month and 24 September, South African Heritage Day, it’s the perfect time to start sharing the ‘fruits of our labour’ with the world.

And where better to begin, than the beginning: The Cradle of Humankind.

Very important for maximum coolness: click on the square in the top right corner of the virtual tour below, also, click on the icon next the the gentleman to hear what he has to say.

Remember to subscribe to Virtual Africa, by dropping you email address in the space allocated to the right.
This will allow you to get updates on the other 150 images we have to share…..

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Google Earth layer with virtual tours of Madiba’s B-day places

We’re not really good at singing or writing poems – so we thought we’d make a map and some virtual tours.

Here’s a Google Earth layer that includes some of the places where our beloved Mr. Mandela has spent a few of his many, many  birthdays.

Among them the place where it all began – Mvezo, his first home in Soweto, his prison cell on Robben Island (of which I posted a virtual tour earlier) and the tiny rural town where he is celebrating his 90th with family and friends – Qunu.

We’ve included virtual tours and panoramic images for your viewing pleasure.

If you still don’t have Google Earth – this is as good a reason as any. Download Google Earth from here.

Then download and open the Madiba Birthday Places layer.

If you don’t have time to download Google Earth, simply go to our map section and select Robben Island in the drop-down menu to view a ’scaled down’ version.

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About a year ago, Virtual Africa sent some photographers out to Robben Island to create a virtual tour on behalf of South African Tourism. This virtual tour was included in the official SA Tourism Google Earth layer and we thought we’d share it with you here.

Robben Island has a unique and colourful history: Leper Colony, World War II fortress, Prison and now …. a museum, a place of remembrance.

If you haven’t been to this special place, put it on that list of “things-to-do-before-I-die”, buy a ticket and get it done!

You can read the history books and look at the pictures as much as you like, but it simply won’t prepare you for the experience of actually being there.

When you step off that ferry for the first time, you know you’ve arrived at a place of significance.

Walking the halls of the prison, peering into the cells, visiting the quarries where the prisoners had to work and listening to the stories of ex political prisoners is hugely educational, deeply depressing and wonderfully uplifting – all at the same time.

Nelson Mandela’s Prison Cell

View the full screen Panoramic

It’s also a place dear to my heart.

I had the privilege to visit the island in the 80’s, albeit as an uninformed schoolboy who didn’t even know who Nelson Mandela was, let alone that he was held up in his cell while was there.

I also had the privilege to be on the island on New Years Eve 1999/2000 – the so-called turning of the millennium – but this time I knew about Dr Mandela and this time he was back in his cell for a totally different reason – to light a candle as a symbol of hope.

Now I know your “things-to-do-before-I-die” list is probably a long one, so I thought we should try and help you make half a tick next to ‘Robben Island’ and maybe, if we give you just enough of a teaser, you’ll move Robben Island to the “things-I-have-to-do-before-2010″ list.

Click here to view the complete virtual tour of the island.

To view the panoramic images of Robben Island integrated into Google Maps, click on our map link (on the left) and choose Robben Island on the drop down menu – it’s the coolest way to explore.

We’ll see you soon ………

The famous cave at the limestone quarry where Mandela and others had their meetings.

Today, photographers aren’t allowed to use a flash to photograph Dr Mandela, because the long hours working with the limestone damaged his eyes and left them extremely sensitive to bright light.

(Click here to view the full screen panoramic)

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