IFLY theworld.com

IFLY tips Johannesburg

Back to Johannesburg main page

Apartheid museum (2 hrs)
The Apartheid Museum opened in 2001 and is acknowledged as the pre-eminent museum in the world dealing with 20th century South Africa, at the heart of which is the apartheid story.
When you enter the museum they give you the feeling of Apartheid already. At random they give you a ticket, which allows you to go to the entrance of non-whites or whites only. You see the same exhibition but a fence separates you. Admission for adults is 40 Rand. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. The address is Northern Parkway and Goldreef Road, Ormonde, Johannesburg.

Game drives (1 - 3 days)
There are many game reserves where you can go for several days. We’d like to highlight some of them. The first one is Welgevonden private game reserve. The name is already wonderful; it means ‘well found’.
This is a place of rare and rugged beauty, plentiful wildlife and prolific birdlife. Experience the spirit of true wilderness with spectacular scenery and excellent game viewing. Welgevonden is home to over 50 different mammals, including the Big Five, and boasts one of the largest populations of white rhino on a private reserve anywhere in Africa. There are several lodges where you can stay. More information about that can be found here.
Another wonderful park is Madikwe Game Reserve, situated against the Botswana border, 90 km north of Zeerust, just three hours' drive from Johannesburg.
Madikwe is a Big Five game reserve and it is one of the largest game reserves in South Africa. The rich diversity of vegetation ensures a wide range of game and the topography offers ideal game viewing opportunities. More information about lodges in this park can be found here.

Pilanesberg Park (1 - 2 days)
Pilanesberg National Park is nearby Johannesburg and it’s very well possible to do a daytrip to this game Park. It’s just two hours drive from Johannesburg. You can rent a car and drive there yourself.

The park accommodates virtually every mammal of southern Africa, and it is also home to the ‘big five’; lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo. Visitors are offered many opportunities to experience the wonders of Pilanesberg. There are nearly 200 kilometres of excellent quality roads for either self-drives or guided drives, and professional guides operate within the park. For more information about the park, click here.

Lions Park (½ day)
Are you mad about lion’s; you should go to Lion Park just outside Johannesburg. The Lion Park is home to over 80 lions including the rare white lions and many other carnivores such as cheetah, wild dog, brown hyena, striped hyena, spotted hyena, black-backed jackal, side-striped jackal, and a wide variety of antelope, which roam freely in the antelope area.

Guests have an opportunity to interact with some of the animals in the Cub World area, which has a giraffe-feeding platform that puts you at eye level with our tame resident giraffe creating a fun experience for all ages. Then there is the popular cub interaction, which allows guests to touch the cubs and take photographs. Especially that last thing is a great experience. You can go there with your own rental car. The park is open daily from 8.30 am to 5 pm.

Soweto Bungee jump (½ day)
Thrill seekers should go to Orlando Towers in Soweto. These disused cooling towers are developed into a vertical adventure facility and tourist attraction for Soweto. The site currently offers the bungee jump, power swing, internal swing, and lift ride to the viewing platform. So if you are not a thrill seeker and only like to accompany someone who likes to make a jump, you can relax at the viewing platform and enjoy the scenery and the wonderfully painted towers.

A bungee jump (100 metres) can be made from the sky bridge in between the towers. A power swing can be made from the platform at the rim of the tower. You will face the open sky and take a leaping swing into the gap between the towers. You will free-fall for an exhilarating 40 metres before the pendulum of the rope attachment will swing you up and out again, with a spectacular view over the Orlando Dam. It’s even possible to make a swing inside a cooling tower.

A bungee jump will cost 480 Rand and a power swing 360 Rand. The Towers are open seven days a week from 10 am to sunset. Bookings can be made here. Directions to go there from Johannesburg you will find here.

Skydiving Pretoria (½ day)
If you like to see South Africa from a different angle you have to go up in the air. And when you’re up there, why don’t you choose for the quickest way down and jump out of a plane. Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria is the closest skydiving club to Pretoria and Johannesburg. This airport is home to Gauteng Skydive, where you can make a tandem skydive.

They offer the highest jump altitude (11000 feet, over 3,5 kilometres) and the longest freefall in the country. Once you leave the aircraft and experience the feeling of freefall, your life will change forever. After a 40 second freefall your tandem instructor will deploy the parachute. Together you will fly the parachute back to the landing area to complete your first skydive.
They offer a video, DVD and still photograph facility so that you can brag about your tandem skydive with your friends and family. The cost is 1370 Rand for the tandem only, 1950 Rand including DVD and still photographs. Directions to Wonderboom Airport can be found here.

Guthrie’s Shooting Range (2 hrs)
If you like to learn how to shoot with a real firearm or just want to improve your skills, go to Guthrie’s Shooting Range. You don’t need any experience. The staff members will explain everything to you and after that you’re free to do it all yourself.

They have many firearms for hire including weapons such as the AK47, Glock, 44 Magnum, and R5 Carbine. Shooting cost approximately 300 rand pp. depending on the weapon and the amount of ammunition.

Guthrie’s Shooting Range is located at 235 Le Roux Avenue, Vorna Valley, Midrand, and Johannesburg. They are open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and closed on Sundays. Bookings can be made by phone 011-8053633 or contact them on their website.

Bicycle tour Alexandra Township (½ day)
Alexandra is one of the oldest township in South Africa as well as probably the most enigmatic for the people of Johannesburg. A great way to get closer to the people living in the townships and enjoy this historic region from a truly unique experience is a bicycle tour.

The tour guide lives in Alexandra himself. They will pick you up from your hotel and guide you through Alexandra. They have good quality mountain bikes available. During the tour you will explore historical sites like the house of Nelson Mandela, refuel with a delicious township meal, taste the African beer and get many picturesque moments.

Tours are available any day of the week and you can choose between 2,5 or 4 hours, which will cost you 300 or 400 rand per person. For more information and bookings go to their website or call them: +27 71 279 3654.

Horseback safari (½ day)
A great way to experience the nature and game is a Horseback safari. You can do this in the Krugersdorp Game Reserve, which is approximately one-hour drive away from Johannesburg.

You don’t need any experience. The wellbehaved and friendly horses give you the opportunity to observe the game only a few feet away from the horse. The reserve offers 20 different species of game like Springbok, Impala, Giraffe and Gemsbok. In the reserve is also a lion enclosure where you can drive through by car.

You can arrange your own transportation and book directly at SA Horseback Safari’s via their website.
You can book a full package including transportation from Johannesburg with Henry’s Horseback Safari. They pick you up from your hotel at 8 am and bring you back at 1:30 pm. This package costs 650 rand per person.

If you book this tour with Henry’s Horseback Safari they will drive you through the lion enclosure by car as well. Henry’s contact details are: +2783 325 4546, info@nordman.co.za.



IFLYtheworld.com tries to be up-to-date with all travel information. If you despite our effort experience some things we need to know to update our tips, send us a message.

IFLYexchange

Prices of tips and articles are shown in local currency. To see it in another currency convert it here.

Prices are of course subject to changes. If you experience another amount as shown in this tip, let us know.

Language of the world

Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Johannesburg.