Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Overview
Johannesburg is a bustling metropolis full of sporting, artistic, and fashion events. There are activities available, for every kind of traveler. To understand more about the history of apartheid, visit the Soweto township and sign up for one of the many cultural heritage excursions offered there. The Apartheid Museum also provides a thorough overview of South Africa's turbulent past. Visitors will be welcomed by activities like zoos, hot air balloon rides, and shopping out in the posh suburbs.
Johannesburg is sometimes referred to as Joburg, Jozi, and the City of Gold it is home to one of the largest man-made forests, with more than 10 million trees that have been planted to provide shade for the city's suburbs. The city has a perfect climate, with days that are neither humid nor overly hot, mild and windless in the summer (November to February), and crisp and clear in the winter (June-August). The largest and busiest airport in Africa, OR Tambo International Airport serves as a regional hub for international aircraft.
It is worthwhile to spend 48 hours here because there is so much to see and do. We advise private guided trips to cultural hotspots like the art and design sector, as well as walking and cycling tours that let you get used to the city's comfortable year-round sunshine. Expect top-notch dining establishments, opulent shopping centers, award-winning spas, and a variety of hotels all situated in an authentically African city.
Highlights
- Explore the beautiful Gold Reef City.
- Visit the luxurious city of Sandton.
- Enjoy the sight of the spectacular big five at the Pilanesberg national park.
- Explore the Cradle of humankind.
- Visit the biggest townships in Africa.
Why Go?
Visit the Apartheid museum in Johannesburg. The Apartheid Museum uses images, artifacts, newspaper clippings, harrowing human testimonies, and moving cinema to dramatically tell the tale of apartheid. Visitors are surrounded by the sights and sounds of the apartheid era as they go through the sobering permanent displays on an emotional tour of South Africa's past. Visit Liliesleaf Farm Museum, the historic gathering place for the leaders of the liberation movement, if you're interested in learning more about South Africa's struggle for freedom.
Eight kilometers outside the city center, Gold Reef City transports you back in time to the days of the gold rush with a number of exhilarating theme park attractions and informative exhibitions. You may explore a defunct shaft of the Crown Mines, one of the richest gold mines in the world. Children adore the trampoline park, ten-pin bowling alley, and thrilling theme park rides, such the Anaconda roller coaster, which twists and turns. The park also has a petting zoo and attractions specifically designed for little ones. Gold panning, carnival games, and putt-putt golf complete the activities.
When to Go?
Visit between March to May and between September to November, which are the ideal months to travel to Johannesburg. These off-season months include fewer visitors, lower pricing, and often pleasant and dry weather. But keep in mind that due to its location in the Southern Hemisphere, Johannesburg experiences summer from December to February and winter from June to August. As a result, the region's prime season, which is characterized by a lot of tourists and expensive accommodations, happens in the summer. However, once the weather starts to cool off in March, the city empties out and hotel and flight costs plummet, making the winter a great time to travel on a budget in Johannesburg.
Where to Go?
The Southwestern Townships, also known as Soweto, is located 20 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg and provide a window into the heart of the struggle for liberation. Black laborers were kept far from the city center in this area of deliberate segregation, many of them in corrugated iron shacks. It also served as the starting point in the fight for democracy. The Soweto Uprisings of 1976 aimed to topple the apartheid regime in this region before spreading to the rest of the nation.
The best way to explore Soweto is on a full-day tour. You will have the chance to tour the renowned Vilakazi Street and the former residences of two Nobel Peace Prize winners, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, as well as the shanty settlements where the residents live with the assistance of a competent guide. Visit the Soweto Orlando towers, a facility for vertical adventures and a popular tourist destination. Swinging, bungee jumping, climbing, abseiling, rap jumping, and a zip line are among some of the popular activities the facility offers.
Sandton, South Africa's largest and wealthiest city's major financial, retail, and corporate neighborhood, is a prime example of the fast-paced, high-flying lifestyle of Johannesburg. Meetings between Sandton's wealthy, designer-clad residents frequently take place in the mall's expansive restaurants and cafes, which also provide great options for those in need of some retail therapy. The neighborhood is easily accessible from OR Tambo International Airport and offers a wide variety of lodging, the majority of which are sizable luxury hotels. This is where most tourists who only need one night's lodging in Johannesburg stay.
Other highlights include escorted walking tours through the Art Deco mining district, discovering young African street culture in Maboneng or Newtown, touring Pilanesberg national park where you'll sight the amazing big 5, or even traveling further to the Cradle of Humankind to see fossils and the origins of humanity.
For more information on where to visit during your stay in Johannesburg please get in touch with us, and one of our travel experts will be in touch.
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