Top Activities to do in Johannesburg

Published On : 04 Sep 2024

Johannesburg is in the Gauteng province and is the largest city in South Africa and the economic hub of the country. Boasting the history and gold miners that populated the city in the past, towering skyscrapers, and a mixture of the African and other continents’ cultures, Joburg, or Johannesburg, as the locals prefer to call it, is a great place to visit. Here are some of the top activities and attractions to check out when visiting Johannesburg.

Explore Apartheid Museum
Visiting the Apartheid Museum allows one to learn many things about apartheid in South Africa. Exhibits, photographs, artifacts, movie clips, etc. will help the visitor understand the Black South Africans’ plight as well as the apartheid system that dominated Lesotho’s neighbor up to the end of the twentieth century. Visiting the museum and bringing viewers face to face with this dark period in America's history is an important though somber experience.

Spend time sightseeing in Soweto.
Soweto is a town situated southwest of Johannesburg and which came into existence during the apartheid era. Originally a barren wasteland that was turned into a squalid settlement, it has evolved into a thriving population, which represents the struggle against apartheid. You can go sightseeing here and some of the places of interest include Nelson Mandela’s former residence currently the Mandela Family Museum, the Hector Pieterson Memorial, and Freedom Square. These are places that remember people’s ability to fight oppression.

A must-do is to take the Cableway to the top of Table Mountain.
For the excellent scenery of Johannesburg, consider the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. It will take you directly to the top of a three thousand five hundred feet flat-topped mountain that stands majestically over the city. In the center of the summit, there are paths leading to the viewpoints; however, if one wishes to walk further, a hike is also possible. This is a great natural viewpoint from which one can gaze at the city that is Joburg, do not miss it.

Let Your Credit Card Weep at Sandton City
Sandton City is one of the largest shopping centers in Johannesburg which embraces more than 300 stores all under one roof with a touch of luxury. Spend an afternoon strolling through fashion retailers, clothing designers, jewelry stores, furniture and home decor, and other high-end stores. You will also get numerous places to grab a bite when you feel like you need to be relieved from your chores. As a shopper, you could ask for the visitors’ package at the customer service desk to get even more perks such as shuttle services and vouchers to cafeterias.

Take a tour of the museums in Jozi.
Johannesburg boasts a fascinating stock of museums that offer an understanding of various aspects of the South African context. Some of the best museums are The Origins Centre- an ethnographic museum that deals with early human history The Workers’ Museum – a social history museum that details the history of the labor movement in South Africa The Gold Reef City Museum – a cultural museum that offers a fascinating look at the gold mining history through a man-made village.

It's time to go for a day trip and Pretoria is a perfect place to explore!
Pretoria is located a mere one hour’s drive from Johannesburg and hence, visitors can easily organize a day tour. Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital and the fifth largest city in the country, entices visitors with a boulevard lined with purple flowering Jacaranda trees and public gardens. Several places are a must-visit and these include the Union Buildings which is a breathtaking architectural masterpiece where Mandela was inaugurated, the Freedom Park with its serene memorial gardens, and the Voortrekker Monument which commemorates the trekker’s journey of the early Afrikaner settlers.

Grab a Bite to Eat or Have a Night Out in Melville
Located slightly north of the city center, Melville, an artsy locale that bustles with restaurants, cafes, bars, and bookstores lining its primary thoroughfare, really gets lively at night. You would want to grab a delicious dinner and drinks at this artsy borough before parting at Johannesburg’s best clubs. Or just wine and dine the night as you watch live performances in Great Eastern Food Bar, take pictures with friends outside Ambicafé, or listen to great tunes in the vinyl jukebox of Lucky Bean.

Wine and dine at restaurants and attend a concert of an artist of your choice at Gold Reef City.
Besides, Gold Reef City is not only or primarily an educational facility where you learn about Joburg’s history of gold mining. This also provides a theme park complex that has a casino and multiple stages for live performances. South Africa has its music acts that perform different genres ranging from pop, jazz, gospel, and more at the Lyric Theatre. The Mbomo Awards Show is so rich in African traditions that you will be amazed to see the real African songs and dances.

To visit the Cradle of Humankind
The world heritage site – The Cradle of Humankind comprises a vast system of limestone caves that have provided the world with many hominin fossils. Just an hour’s drive from Johannesburg, the latter is home to excavation sites, informative museums, and even real fossil sites for those interested in paying a visit. Visitors should go to the Sterkfontein caves which contain fossilized remains of prehumans including Mrs.Ples, estimated to be 2.5 million years old.

Safari at a Game Reserve
Most people do not know that it is possible to view the Big Five game animals within Gauteng Province and specifically within the vicinity of Johannesburg. Private wildlife conservancies such as Pilanesberg National Park or Lion Park have special packages that are provided to anybody interested in going on a safari or even spending a night in one of their camps. Take nature walks that will provide a close encounter with wild animals such as lions, leopards, elephants, lions, and rhinos, or wake up in the morning to see zebras feeding a few meters from your room.

That gives you ten of the top attractions and activity experiences out of Johannesburg. And with this city guide by your side, brace yourself for the rich cultural, historical, fun-infused, and naturally bestial vibrancy of this great city we lovingly call Joburg. Just a sure you leave enough space in your suitcase to market souvenirs and artifacts that can be found in Rosebank, Sandton, and other shopping mall areas in the city.