Search inspiration

An aerial view of Johannesburg on a blue sunny day.

The Johannesburg skyline. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Three Perfect Days: A trip to Johannesburg

Hemispheres StaffSeptember 20, 2024

Day 1

See as much of the city as possible

Day 2

Head out on safari

Day 3

Village visits and a second chance at animal sightings

Johannesburg is a place of big contrasts. Decades after the end of apartheid, South Africa’s largest city blazes with creativity and ambition. It’s also the perfect launch point to see some of Africa’s most majestic wildlife and terrain, and a quick drive to the place all humans can trace their origins (also known as the Cradle of Humankind). In this way, “Joburg,” or “Jozi,” is a rich mix of the metropolitan and the natural, and we’re here to tell you how to explore both.


Know before you go


Before leaving for Johannesburg, there’s a few things you should be aware of:

  • The best way to get around is by renting a car or calling an Uber or taxi.
  • The national currency is the rand, but South Africa is a very card friendly country. However, we do recommend you keep small amounts of cash on hand.
  • There are no vaccinations required to enter the country, but there are some recommendations from the CDC.

Day 1

See as much of the city as possible

An aerial view of Soweto on a cloudy day.
Soweto Township in Johannesburg. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Johannesburg is 600 square miles, so there’s no way to see it all in one day. But we’re going to try to do as much as we can. First up is Soweto, a township created in the 1930s when the government began separating Black residents from white ones. Also known as “a city within a city,” Soweto has everything from red slate-roofed homes, to barbershops in tents and goats for sale on the side of the road.

The Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto honors the more than 170 students killed in the 1976 Soweto Uprising. This event started as an organized, peaceful protest by students who wanted classes in their own language, but it suddenly turned into violence. The museum is filled with photos, oral testimonies and historical documents.

A brown sign pointing the way to the Mandela House.
Nelson Mandela lived in what is now called the Mandela House from 1946-1962. Photo courtesy of Felix Lipov and Shutterstock.

Also in Soweto is the Mandela House. Now a museum, this two-room structure was originally where Nelson Mandela lived from 1946 until he was imprisoned in 1962. Also near Soweto is the Apartheid Museum, which opened 10 years after apartheid ended. Inside there are works symbolizing political prisoners executed by the government, photographs of the reality inside Black classrooms during this timeperiod and artifacts from protests.

After taking in the history of Joburg and South Africa, it’s time to see its creative hub. In Maboneng (a neighborhood downtown) you can go on a street art tour with One Day Africa. There’s art of Black freedom fighters, of King Goodwill Zwelithini (the late monarch of the Zulu nation) and of pop singer Simphiwe Dana by the artist Dbongz.

For food throughout your day of museums and walking tours you have a few options: Proud Mary inside the voco Johannesburg has modern eats like oxtail croquettes and lamb kofta. For a fancier meal, Les Créatifs turns South African ingredients and French inspiration into a fine dining experience.

For your stay on day one, head to the Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa in Sandton. Past guests include Oprah Winfrey and Nelson Mandela. Mandela stayed there to finish his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, after being released from prison in 1990.

Day 2

Head out on safari

A heard of impala cross a dirt road in front of a safari.
Impala cross the road in Kruger National Park. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Head to Kruger National Park via a short, 75-minute flight on a nine-seater prop plane. Where you land depends on which safari you booked. We recommend &Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge. Ngala is a 37,000-acre privatized game reserve within Kruger National Park’s 4.9 million acres.

An elephant stands in the brush as a woman takes a photo out of a car window.
In Kruger National Park you may see elephants, kudu, lions and leopards. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Before heading out to see the animals, you have to go through orientation first. Then you’ll be loaded onto a Land Cruiser with a driver and a spotter looking for animals. When you go on safari there’s usually one specific animal your group looks for, but those plans can change depending on a lot of factors like weather, prey and predators, and migration patterns.

A heard of giraffes eat the greenery surrounding them.
Giraffes are one of the most common animals to see on Safari in South Africa. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The most common animals you come across on safari in South Africa are lesser-known than the big cats: wildebeests, kudu, Southern yellow-billed hornbills, impala, warthogs, zebras, elephants, giraffes and hyenas. Another thing worth looking at on safari? The night sky. The stars light up the dark just as much as the moon.

Safari isn’t all about driving around and looking at animals, though. You also stop for cocktails, or sundowners. Try a glass of Amarula, a South African cream liqueur made from the fruit of the marula tree.

Also, meals are all provided by your safari. So, you’ll get the chance to sample local favorites from top-notch chefs. They also provide your accommodations for as long as you’re in the bush.

Day 3

Village visits and a second chance at animal sightings

Two female and one male lion walk through the savannah.
The lion pride at Kruger National Park is called the Birmingham Pride. Photo courtesy of Anna-Carina Nagel and Shutterstock.

Ngala’s wake-up call is early, 5:30 am. The sun is still creeping up over the savanna and this is your chance to catch sight of some animals early. African wild dogs, one of the world’s most endangered animals, and the lions of Ngala (also known as the Birmingham Pride) both tend to be up at dawn. The Birmingham Pride has a pride male, several females and cubs (including three rare white lions).

An impala stands in the brush.
Impala, or antelope, can run up to 55 miles per hour, which comes in handy when escaping predators. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Before heading to the village your guide may invite you to take part in an antelope dung spitting contest. And they’re not joking, it’s a real thing. There’s even a world championship. The rules are pretty simple: the farthest spitter, wins.

Colorful beaded jewelry hangs on a display.
In the village of Welverdiend you’ll find craft markets selling handmade jewelry. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Nearby &Beyond is the Shangaan village of Welverdiend. There are several shops, but one is a craft market where 14 women make jewelry (including brightly colored necklaces made from telephone cords), carved wooden animals and more.

Drummers play small drums at their feet.
Muchongoyo comes from the Ndau word meaning “to stamp one’s foot”. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

You can also see a rhythmic, acrobatic muchongoyo dance performance. One man plays drums, while a dozen boys and young men in traditional attire stomp and clap and kick their feet high in the air.

For your final night’s stay you can book &Beyond’s Treehouse. It’s 4-stories, solar powered and has a retractable roof giving you a good look at the stars. You’ll enjoy the stillness and silence, interrupted only by the occasional sounds of animals.

Book your next adventure