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Discover the "Big Five" as part of your South African trek
Things to do in Johannesburg
CITY OF GOLD: JOHANNESBURG
Besides being a practical jumping off point, Johannesburg – aka Joburg or Jozi to the locals – is the best place to see the "real" South Africa and to get a sense of the startling changes of the past decade. Most tour companies that offer two-week trips (see our preferred agencies, below) include at least one or two nights in Joburg. Home of the largest gold reef ever unearthed (whence its sobriquet), Joburg has thrived as a mining town since 1886 and it remains the economic hub of South Africa.
Because the urban sprawl of Joburg encompasses more than three million people (and six million trees) in a 635-square-mile area (almost double the size of New York City) a good way to get your bearings is a trip to the 50th-floor observation platform of the Carlton Centre (daily 9am–8pm; $1.20; 150 Commissioner St.) for a panoramic city overview that encompasses everything from the suburbs and Soweto to city landmarks like the Hillbrow Tower, a 90-story telecommunications tower that closed its observation deck in 1981 for security reasons. You can also venture beneath the urban jungle at Gold Reef City (daily 9.30am–5pm; $12; 2159 Gold Reef City), a Disney-esque theme park in Sandton with a gold-mine tour, replicas of shops, pubs and miner's houses, roller coasters, a casino, and tribal dancing shows.
Melville
If that sounds too touristy, spend some time where the locals do: the pedestrian-friendly neighborhood of Melville is situated on a rocky hilltop just a suburb or two from the city center, with streets lined with trees, bars, body piercing salons and restaurants. Bohemian Seventh Street, the setting and title of a local TV drama, is where you'll find an assortment of out-of-the-ordinary diversions: cafés featuring grilled ostrich (see our preferred restaurants, below), record stores carrying the latest South African hip-hop CDs, and vintage clothing boutiques.
Within walking distance of it all is the Melville Koppies (free), a 420-acre nature reserve and archeological site where Stone Age men hunted, walked and lived some 2.5 million years ago. (Even then, Melville was trendy!) The archeological sites (open first three Sundays of the month, times vary, check site) can be found in the central section of the reserve; the western and eastern sections include hiking trails and handsome views of the city (daily: dawn to dusk). Every Sunday, this beautiful setting serves as a backdrop for one of Joburg's most vibrant subcultures. Dressed in royal-blue robes, members of the African Independent Churches, an offshoot of Pentacostalism, gather in several dozen "church circles" for up to two hours of repetitive clapping, singing and drumming. After a short prayer reading and sermon, it isn't long before the men and women work themselves into a trance-like state. This hypnotic experience is a feast for the senses, providing a privileged peek at the joyful spirit of the South African people. Free tours of these services are offered at 3pm on the fourth Sunday of every month (call Bishop David Matholi at +27-82-817-3179).
Day Trips from Johannesburg
Though you could easily spend several more days getting to know this dynamic metropolis, the surrounding Gauteng Province (of which Joburg is the capital) has its own compelling stories to tell. A guided day trip to neighboring Soweto is a must, as is a trip to the Cradle of Humankind.
Soweto
The true soul of South Africa dwells in the township of Soweto (South Western Township), the largest and most famous black township in South Africa and the former home of two Nobel Peace Prize laureates: Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. It was here, in 1976, that a student uprising sparked the chain of events that led to an end to apartheid. Time Out in Africa ($40–$80/person) runs an excellent four-hour tour that includes visits to craft markets, shebeens (African pubs), historical landmarks, and Mandela's former home.
The tour starts with a trip to the Apartheid Museum (Tue–Sun 10am–5pm; $4; Northern Pkwy. & Gold Reef Rd.), a 15-minute drive from Johannesburg en-route to Soweto. Visitors enter the building through one of two doors labeled "White" or "Non-White" before viewing the incredible visual history – told in photographs, eyewitness news accounts, documentary footage, artifacts, and text – of a people subjected to forced removals, political executions, and imprisonment. Seeing the museum first will give you some historical context for what awaits in Soweto.
Cradle of Humankind
Located about 45-minutes northwest of the city, the Cradle of Humankind is a 183-square-mile UNESCO World Heritage Site valued as one of the birthplaces of modern man. It encompasses numerous individually owned and operated attractions including an assortment of nature and game preserves. Uyaphi Tour ($163–$196) runs various five- to seven-hour tours with visits to the Maropeng Museum and Sterkfontein caves; you can even opt to dine at the Carnivore restaurant, where the menu includes crocodile and blue wildebeest among other native game. For serious archaelogical buffs, Palaeo Tours offers scientist-conducted, tailor-made tours to the internationally famous fossil sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, and Drimolen, the location of a recent discovery of a robust ape-man skull and jawbone (costs vary).
Another popular attraction within the Cradle is the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve (Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat–Sun til 6pm; $11.25), where visitors can expect to see up to 600 head of game, including rhinos, lions and hippos, as well as rare and endangered species such as the wild dog, cheetah and oryx. In lieu of renting a car and driving there on your own, go on a day trip with Adventure Travel Africa ($121). In addition to driving you through the game park in a rustic Land Rover, feeding you well, and giving you the chance to pet lion and tiger cubs (under strict supervision, of course), they'll take you to the replica Lesedi Cultural Village, where you can experience authentic recreations of Zulu, Sotho, Xhosa and Pedi village life.
