The top 7 things to do in Johannesburg

Johannesburg is the mining and financial capital of South Africa even though its only takes up 1.4 of South Africa’s land area. Jozi as its fondly referred to by locals is still the biggest city in South Africa making hiring a car an important part of getting around the city if it’s your first visit.

Here are 7 great activities to do in Johannesburg.

Constitution Hill
1 Kotze Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Contact number: +27 (0)11 381 3100
Opening times: Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm (last tour at 4 pm), Wednesdays – The last tour departs at 1 pm, Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays 10 am – 3 pm. Not open on Good Friday, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Entrance price: R50 per adult and R20 for students.

A historical appearance in Johannesburg is Constitution Hill, here you will be shown and told about the social, political and cultural past of South Africa as well as the story about its freedom.

Next to that, at Constitution Hill, you can also find Johannesburg’s Old Fort Prison Complex, also known as Number Four. Just before the start of the democracy in 1994, thousands of people, including South African leading political activist Nelson Mandela, have been punished and detained here.

Gold Reef City
Northern Parkway, Ormonde, Johannesburg
Contact number: +27 (0)11 248 6800
Opening times: Open 24/7

One of the top places to get some entertainment for your whole family is Gold Reef City, they offer an activity for everyone. They are home to a theatre, casino, theme park and even to some of the best restaurants of Jozi.

Gold Reef City is located only 8 kilometers away from the city centre of Johannesburg.

Apartheid Museum
Northern Parkway and Gold Reef Road, Ormonde, Johannesburg
Contact number: +27 (0)11 309 4700
Opening times: Monday – Sunday: 9am – 5pm
Entrance price: R75 for adults, R60 for pensioners, students and children.

The Apartheid Museum is opened in 2001, it is a must visit if you want to know what the Apartheid was like.

The museum tells the story of their period of racial discrimination and the efforts done to overcome it.

Montecasino Bird Gardens
1 Montecasino Blvd, Johannesburg
Contact number: +27 (0)11 510 7000
Opening times: Monday – Sunday:  08:30am – 5pm.
Entrance price: R64 per Adult and R36 per child. Pensioners and children younger than 2 years enter free.

Over 1000 birds consisting out of 60 different species can be found in the Montecasino Bird Gardens. Besides, next to birds, the park is also home to reptiles, amphibians, and antelopes. 

The famous South African Cycads, a seeded plant with a long fossil history, can also be found there. One kind is even estimated being more than 2,500 years old.

Johannesburg Zoo
Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkview, Johannesburg
Contact number: +27 (0)11 646 2000
Opening times: Open Monday to Sunday, public holidays including Christmas and New Years. 8:30am to 5:30pm. Last entry at 4 pm.
Entrance price: R75 per adult and R46 for children, pensioners and students.

In 1904 the Johannesburg Zoo was opened, by then the zoo was home to only a few animals and only one or two of each kind. Nowadays, the zoo is home to over 320 species of animals.

Besides, with the educational center and several animal exhibits available, is it the perfect combination for your children to explore and at the same time learn about animals.

Soweto
Soweto, Johannesburg

Soweto, or South Western Township, a place mainly created for black laborers working in the mines and other industries in the city.

Nowadays, it has become a popular touristic attraction. With the possibility to visit the Orlando Towers and the Hector Pietersen Museum, which tells you the story of the uprising against apartheid in 1976, as well as having a dinner at Wandie’s Place, it has become South Africa’s most sought-after Township tour.

Johannesburg Botanical Gardens and Emmarentia Dam
Olifants Road, Johannesburg
Contact number: +27 (0)11 782 0517
Opening times: From sunrise to sunset
Entrance price: Free

The Botanical Gardens and Emmarentia Dam in Johannesburg is the perfect place for a nice walk, there is a lot to see on its 81-hectares area.

You can make a stop to make a picknick at some of the special gardens inside the Botanical gardens like at the Shakespeare Garden, Rose Garden, Hedge Demonstration Garden, Herb Garden and the main arboretum as well as the famous Emmarentia Dam.