JohannesburgSouth Africa: What to do and what not to do during your trip

With a population of over 5 million peopleJohannesburg is the largest and most important city in South Africa and despite being the country’s economic centerit is not the capital. The city was founded by the British in 1886 and became known as the “city of gold” due to the large amount of gold extracted in the area.

Considered a great option for those who want to learn more about the country’s historyit is in Joburg or Jozi (as it is called by the locals) that is located South Africa’s largest airportwhich is also the busiest of the whole continentand it means that the city is the gateway and main hub for other countries like Mauritius IslandSeychellesNamibia and Madagascar.

Here you will find out what to do in Johannesburghow to get therewhat is the best time to visitwhere to go on safarisget some ideas of restaurantswhere to staytips for a safe trip and more.

What you need to know about Johannesburg

Useful information:

As we have already mentioned in our article about Cape Townhere are some super useful information to visit the country:

• Brazilians do not need a visabut they must present their passport and the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis with the yellow fever vaccine;
• The country has 11 official languages but almost everyone speaks English;
• South Africa’s currency is Rand (ZAR);
• Voltage: 220V;
• Plug: 3 round pin;
• Country code: +27

Don’t forget to get a travel insurance! Check it out why we recommend SafetyWing Travel Insurance.

Things to do in Johannesburg

Here are the main things to do in JohannesburgSouth Africa.

Mandela Square

One of Johannesburg’s main attractions is Mandela Squarean open-air plaza with a statue of Mandela dancing. It’s located in the middle of Sandton City shopping centre: a complex of shopsrestaurantshotels and exhibition centers which is considered the largest mall in Africa.

Soweto and Mandela’s house

Soweto (the name comes from South Western Townships) is one of the most famous neighborhoods in the Johannesburg suburb because it was the focus of demonstrations against the racial segregation regime.

Currently Soweto has the third largest hospital in the worldChris Hani Baragwanath Hospitaland FNB Stadiumthe largest stadium in Africa.

It was in this district that Mandela spent many years of his lifeso one of the most visited spots is his housewhich was turned into a museum and that also tells a bit about the history of Apartheid.

Carlton Centre

Known as the “Top of Africa“this 223-meter-high building that has 50 floors is located in the city center and offers a panoramic view of the city.

The upper floor is open to visitors (entrance R30) and is certainly a great option to enjoy the sunset.

Apartheid Museum

If I had to recommend only one place to be visited in JohannesburgApartheid Museum would be it. The Apartheid period marked the country’s history and the museum seeks to raise awareness of this historical fact.

The experience starts from the entrancewhere each person receives the ticket according to the color of their skin that also indicates which door should be used.

Constitution Hill

It is where the Constitutional Court is locatedthe highest judicial court in the countryand the Old Fort Prisonthe prison complex that had Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi as prisoners.

Rosebank

This is the neighborhood where the African Craft Market is located: a market full of shopsgreat to buy souvenirs from South Africa. There are also options for handicrafts from other countries like ZimbabweNamibia and Congo. The market is close to Gautrain’s Rosebank Station.

Safari in Johannesburg

To do a safariI recommend Kruger National Park and Pilanesberg National Park.

Krugerthe most famous and most sought after in the countryis located in Hoedspruit regiona 6-hour drive from Johannesburg.

Pilanesbergwhich is located in the crater of a volcanois a little closerjust 220 km from Johannesburg airport (a little more than 2 hours by car). If you don’t have much timethis is a good option for a day trip.

For both of them it is possible to rent a car and drive through the park without a guidewhich makes the tour much cheaper. As for the accommodationsthere are options for all sorts of budgets and also the possibility of camping or staying in lodges.

I went to Kruger in 2018 with a company called Viva Safari and the tour’s cost was R7500. At that timeI hired the safari for 3 days and 2 nightsbut after my experienceI confess that I think it is better to stay for at least 3 nights. The longer you staythe more chances you have to see your favorite animals.

HonestlyI think it’s better to go on a safari with a guide. That way you can learn a lot more about the animals and have a better chance of seeing them.

If you prefer to rent a cara tip is to follow a car that has a guidebecause this should increase your chances to find the animals.

What not to do in Johannesburg

As important as to indicate what to do in the cityit is to mention what not to do.

As we support sustainable tourismwe recommend not taking selfies with animals and not to visit the Lion & Safari Park and/or the Zoo.

If you want to see the famous wildlife of this part of the worldjust go on a safari and practice observation tourism.

If you want to know a little more about this issuewe recommend you to read this article about the best practices in wildlife tourism and to watch the IGTV below where we explain why some attractions should be avoided:

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Where to eat in Johannesburg

A lot has changed since I was in Johannesburg (last time in 2018)but in recent searches I discovered some restaurants that have been highly recommended there. Here are some of them:

• Marble Johannesburg
• Kōl Izakhaya
• Mozambik Linksfield
• Just Teddy

Where to stay in Johannesburg

Johannesburg is a big city with many different neighborhoods. Everything is quite distant and transportation is far from efficientso it is very important to know where to stay.

A great option is the Sandton neighborhoodwhich is full of attractions and with many hotel optionsbesides being one of the stops of Gautrain. Although this is considered a safer areawe do not recommend walking around any region in Johannesburgespecially at night.

In this areawe recommend the ONOMO Hotel Johannesburg Sandtonformer Signature Lux hotelwhich has a great cost-benefit and it is very well located. And for those who want a more exclusive experiencethe options are the Saxon Hotel Villas & Spa and Sandton Sun and Towers.

Some trendy hostels that are worth checking out are Curiocity (the most popular among backpackers) and Lebo’s Soweto Backpackers.

Hotels near the airport

If you prefer to stay close to the Johannesburg airportI recommend the Sunrock Guesthouse. The hotel has a great structure: the bar and the restaurant are super stylishthe pool is huge and I was also surprised by the size of the bathroom. They offer a free airport transfer service and there is also the option of having a nice dinner cooked by South African women (at extra charge).

For those who like hostelsanother suggestion in this area is Lakeview Backpackers.

Custom travel itinerary to South Africa

Would you like a personalized itinerary? Just email [email protected] requesting a quote and providing your nameWhatsApp contact numberexpected travel datenumber of travelersand a brief summary of what you hope to experience at the destination.