Best Things to Do in Johannesburg, South Africa

The largest city in South Africa and the economic and cultural centre of the continent in Johannesburg. This practical Culture Trip guide examines some of the top sights and activities that ensure an unforgettable visit to the City of Gold. It is frequently known as "Joburg" or "Jozi," and it attracts a wide range of people, including history buffs, influential people, and people who value trees because it boasts the largest urban forest in the world.

Six attractions make up the city's central area. These six travel hotspots showcase all Johannesburg has to offer, making it a well-liked travel destination around the globe. Your tour won't be complete if you don't stop at each of these places. By taking advantage of the affordable flights from UK to Johannesburg, travellers can experience all the wonderful things this city has to offer. So, let us start exploring these best places, as Johannesburg offers many more activities than you might think.

1. Apartheid Museum:

A fantastic method to become familiar with a country is to visit one of its historical museums. This is one of Johannesburg's most well-liked sites. The Museum of the Revolution in Havana, Cuba, the Museo de Los Derechos Humanos en Chile, and the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg are all must-see destinations.

You will receive an admission ticket that randomly designates you as white or non-white when you arrive. Depending on the skin tone, the entrance is varied. Just to set the tone for the remainder of the visit, Paper clippings, papers, videos, photos, and other historical artefacts combine in the expansive exhibit to walk you through Apartheid's history. Nelson Mandela has a whole exhibit all to himself.

2. Roller Coaster Ride (Gold Mine):

Explore the historic mining homes on display while taking a tour of an actual, abandoned underground gold mine through the museum (the only such tour in the city). While it has a trampoline park, a 10-pin bowling alley, the Lyric Theatre, a movie theatre complex designed to seem like a Victorian train station and a casino, The 18 exhilarating roller coasters and water attractions at Gold Reef City, one of South Africa's biggest and most popular amusement parks, are what draw the people.

3. Explore Soweto:

South Western Townships, also known as Soweto, received the name in 1963. In the late 1800s, the area served as a brief enclave for workers at gold mines before becoming a black Johannesburg ghetto with forced apartheid settlement. In 1976, the violent uprising in Soweto over Afrikaans-only education grabbed headlines worldwide. The Soweto Towers and the recently renovated Credo Mutwa Village are two must-see sights (with its Zulu and Sotho homesteads).

4. Visit Neighbourhood Market:

Neighbourgoods Market, one of the city's most promising student neighbourhoods, debuted in 2011 and has since expanded to include more than simply excellent food from around the globe. It is just one of the best things to do in Johannesburg and a great place to hang out with friends. The market is housed in a sizable structure with an Edoardo Villa-decorated facade. Can find the actual market at the parking lot down below. Beautiful city views can be seen on the second story, and vintage shops and jewellery stands can be found on the rooftop.

5. Art Gallery:

Even those with limited free time should plan a visit to the Johannesburg Art Gallery. The gallery, housed in the storied Joubert Park, has 9,000 pieces on display in its halls and gardens, making it the greatest public collection of sculpture and art in Sub-Saharan Africa. Admire works by Picasso, Rodin, and Dali while learning about local artists like Walter Battiss, JH Pierneef, and Gerard Sekoto.

6. Pilanesberg National Park:

The wildlife in the park is highly diverse since it is situated in a crater of an extinct volcano that sits in a region between the Kalahari Desert and the Lowveld. Go to Pilanesberg National Park if you feel like leaving the city. This is an excellent site to watch animals and much easier to visit than Kruger, being only a 2.5 hour drive from Johannesburg. The Big Five, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, wild canines, and many bird species are expected to be spotted.

The Cradle of Humankind is widely acknowledged as the origin of humanity. Australopithecus africanus, the first fossil of a hominid ever found, is on display at the Maropeng Visitor Center. Thirteen excavation sites make up this Unesco World Heritage site, which is 40 minutes by car from Johannesburg's downtown. Also nearby are the Sterkfontein Caves, the site of the world's longest-running paleoanthropological excavation.

7. Or Pretoria:

South Africa's administrative capital, is just 55 kilometres and less than an hour's drive from Johannesburg, so it might as well be on another planet. The city is filled with lovely gardens; go there in the spring to see the jacaranda trees' vibrant colours. The National Botanic Garden, Freedom Park, and the Voortrekker Monument and Heritage Site are must-see attractions.

So, take a cheap flight to South Africa from the UK as soon as possible, and explore some of the stunning places.