Ghost tours

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South Africa's ghost tours - atmospheric, haunting, fascinating.

© Chris Marais

Classic South African ghost tours normally begin with a stiff drink in an atmospheric pub somewhere sinister. Then your guide clears his throat, looks darkly about and begins to tell his chilling story.

This country has lots of atmospheric pubs, legendary places, guides with ticklish throats and stories, stories, stories.

There are stories of San massacres in the Moordenaars (Murderer's) Karoo, head-lopping in Victorian Simons Town, lone Scottish pipers wandering about Anglo-Boer War battlefields, restless spirits clanking about the robber baron mansions of Johannesburg, sexy see-through hitch-hikers, toll-keeper ghosts, hangman-ghosts, husband-poisoning ghosts and then some old gent in a red smoking jacket sitting quietly in the corner of a lounge in Pretoria.

In years gone by, paranormal tours were left to a village guide to gather together an interested party and take them around the neighbourhood. In fact, that still happens, and those tours are fun.

Then came the illusionist with a knowledge of science, Mark Rose-Christie, and he established the Mystery Ghost Bus Tours of South Africa. Now the game is on. South Africa's paranormal tours will never be the same again.

It's dramatic re-enactment, meticulous research, creation of atmosphere and good old crackerjack story-telling time again, as these Mystery Ghost Bus Tours are popping up all over South Africa.

This new and improved South African ghost tour begins with a drink, an introduction to the history, science and variety of ghosts, some dramatised tales and then visits to the actual site of dark deeds and visitations.

Another stop for a stiff drink and some grub, and then you're off on a dowsing rod mission to detect 'the ones with unfinished business'. The night ends with a visit to the local cemetery – always a bit of a thrill.