Johannesburg, SA for two days?

I have a trip planned to South Africa for three weeks this October. In addition to doing game safaris and camps in other areas, Victoria Falls, white-water rafting, Cape Town, and a wine tour, I could really use some advice for the one to two days I need to be based out of Johannesburg.

Most of what I've found out of seems a little outside of my personal interests.

Sun City which seems like Disneyland, and beyond the hot air balloon rides through Pilanesburg park, doesn't hold much interest. We've also ruled out Pretoria and spending the three hour tour of the diamond mine. We're not archeologists, so Sterkfontein and the Cradle of Humankind hole in the ground where the oldest bones have been found - though very interesting - is a little sleepy for us. We do have a trip to Soweto and the Apartheid Museum already planned.

Can someone share a little more, for lack of better terms "fun", activities to do for a day or two? My parents are traveling with us, who are fairly active and don't mind too many hikes or climbs, enjoying some biking, kayaking, and other "outdoorsy" activities as we do, without going into the extreme.

Is traveling down to Hermanus and the whale watching a good idea or difficult to get to?

I understand one person's interest is different than another's, but any ideas or suggestions you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

paquito

How about diving in Sodwana Bay or Mozambique?

I did some weekend trips there when I worked in Johannesburg for a couple of months.

A trek in Drakensberg was great too.

Hi Andrzej,

I'll check out Drakensberg, thank you.

Any other suggestions if you or someone has an idea woudl be great.

Thanks again Andrzej.

paquito

I am from Johannesburg. If I were you I'd stay there as little as possible. Drakensburg is a mountain area and is a great option, but is not a day trip based out of Johannesburg. Do you have to stay in Johannesburg for those two days?

I think Sun City is not a bad option for some R&R, play some golf, etc. Not quite Disneyland.

Hello Loftus,

We're really trying to stay there as little as possible, most of the trip is spent out and about. Staying up at the River Club near Victoria Falls, Kings Pool Camp in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, Vumbura Plains Camp in the north Okavango Delta, and when we return, trips to Cape Town, and vineyarrds. Unfortuantely, my family is not all arriving at once, so though we do have the option of staying overnight someplace upon arrival, we will have to come back to Johannesburg for the second night as additional family members fly in. Those newly arriving want to go to Soweto and the Aprtheid Museum together and our flights up to the falls are out of Joburg. Prior to them arriving is when we are trying to plan for and most of the things we had found seemed to be little underwhelming. We do want to get out and away from Johnannesburg but its hard to judge distance and ease of transport, coupled with not overlapping what is already planned for the Cape. Sun City is so hard to judge from what on the web. I don't know if this helps paint a better picture or not?

paquito

Although Jo'burg is really a very pretty city, the types of activities around there are pretty much as you describe. Soweto, Gold Mines, , etc. Personally, I like bones and anthropology and stuff so Sterkfontein would not be a bad option for me.

Sun City is basically a huge resort area, but definitely more attractive than Disney.

If you are not really into the type of activities in and around Johannesburg, then Sun City would not be a bad place to chill and unwind till your family get in. Unfortunately, downtown Johannesburg is no longer a place you want to hang out in, unless your family want to see what's happened in some places after the Apartheid museum.

Areas north of the city like Sandton, are much nicer and safer to stay, but not much to do from a tourist perspective. I will email some buddies who still live there and get back to you.

Hi Loftus,

Sandhurst, Sandton (the Saxon) is where we have tenatively set up our accommodations. And as agreed with what you mention, is why we are searching out these other options.

If you had the option, getting away for an overnight stay, in addition to Drakensberg, would you happen to be able to suggest a couple of other ideas and I can take it from there.

Thanks for your time and generosity.

paquito

The Drakensburg is a mountain range with numerous different hotels / resorts etc spread out over a pretty large area. I think it would be a stretch to just spend a night there and then get back to Jo'burg. I'll see what I can find out about other options for you.

The consensus I get from folks in Jo'burg, is that your best bet for a trip with easy access to Johannesburg is Sun City and the adjacent Pilansberg Game Reserve. (Not just a ballon ride.) http://pilanesberggamereserve.com

Thank you Loftus, I appreciate the extra effort.

paquito

Do the Sisulu Botanical gardens and the lion park, go shopping in Sandton and Rosebank (fleamarket). Then head to Marble Arch and Rosebank for dinner. That should kill 2 days.

Hi Drew, thank you.

Just to share, in addition to the already mentioned, I'm also trying to find any biking half day or all day tours, or hang-gliding.

While initially I was thinking Sun City would be way too much like Las Vegas (though I don't mind vegas), I found a few sites that offered much better insight into other possible activities to do in that area that garnered more interest to me.

Then I learned more about the Cradle of Humankind area wasn't all about looking at dead people.

• Canopy tours or hot-air ballooning

• kloofing (don't know what that is yet)

• abseiling, mountaineering, caving (love this stuff!)

- all of this can be found in the Magaliesberg and Cradle of Humankind area

While white water rafting, mountaineering, caving, game capturing adventures-going along with the vet and the crew, in the Kruger National Park

"- whether you’re in Benoni, or Hoedspruit, your outdoor activities can be as wild or as peaceful as you need."

• Explore Mpumalanga’s natural heritage sites- the Blyde River Canyon with its dramatically carved rocks- the third deepest and greenest canyon in the world, and then landing back safely after approximately 1 hour to a five star picnic (depending on the package requested) in the picturesque Mpumalanga Lowveld.

• Micro lighting over the Magaliesberg with an experienced pilot in a superbly maintained micro light is definitely all about having a birds’ eye view spotting flora and fauna!

I'm not into zoo's per say, but “The Johannesburg Zoo also offers a moonlight tour which takes you behind the scenes, up close and personal with their big cats.â€

...with your ideas and this, its looks like we are finding some good stuff!

paquito

Now you're talking Paquito - the reality is there's tons to do, just you have to consider how far you want to travel and how much time you have. As Drew said, there's shopping/dining stuff in Jo'burg, and if you are there on a Saturday there's a big flea market in Rosebank that's quite a blast. Just depends, do you want to chill, shop, eat, see gameparks etc.