If you’re coming to South Africa to visit Kruger, the Panoramic Route, or the Kalahari, you’ll probably find yourself flying into O.R.Tambo airport in Johannesburg. Why not explore the city a bit while you’re there with these quick suggestions. Enjoy!

Shop for handcrafted souvenirs

Get yourself over to the Rosebank Sunday Market, in Rosebank mall’s car park, where every Sunday from 9am-4pm they have a huge selection of stalls selling everything from trinkets to freshly pressed juice and stunning traditional paintings.

Learn about the countries dark past

At the Apartheid Museum, which shows the story of 20th century South Africa and the infamous aparteid system.

Ride a coaster in an old gold mine

At Gold Reef City; a theme park built in what was once a gold mine. There’s a nice selection of rides here, including five raging roller-coasters. You also get the chance to tour the old mine and even pan for gold!

Conquer your fear!

Head to the Soweto Towers for a chance to bungee, freefall, or rock climb down/up these >100 metres former cooling towers.

Take a day trip to Hartbeespoort

Located 50km from Johannesburg, Hartbeespoort could merit a list of its own (and it will get in due time). At the Hartbeespoort Dam you can picnic, hike, and experience many watersports in gorgeous surroundings. In the nearby Cradle of Humankind you can discover fossils and studies on evolution. And at the Elephant Sanctuary Hartbeespoort, you can touch, feed, and walk with these gentle giants. All in all a great days work I’d say.

Thanks for your attention, when you’re done with Johannesburg, consider heading to nearby Pretoria for some more exploration and discovery. Check out my quick suggestions here: