Explore The City

For the love of the people

The best way to visit a South African township is with a local guide. A guided tour will reveal off-the-beaten-path places, give you an opportunity to meet the locals and learn about the different aspects of township culture as well as supporting local township tourism initiatives. In Orlando West, be sure to visit Vilakazi Street and drive past the Mandela House where a visit into the museum is optional as well as past the home of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

For the love of craft (Best on first Sunday of the Month)

Victoria Yards, an innovative architectural ecosystem in Johannesburg’s inner city, is a seamless blend of urban living, community upliftment, artisanal projects, skills incubation and retail opportunity. Within the yards’ buildings are a number of galleries, a coffee roastery, art studios and a gin distillery. The space is currently inhabited by tenants that include artists, furniture-makers, a glass-blower, a metalworker, clothing designers, sculptors, screen printers and other creatives.

For the love of Art

Many of the city’s top art galleries are situated along a 1.6km stretch of a major thoroughfare, Jan Smuts Avenue, that links the suburb of Rosebank to Parkwood. Begin by taking a look around sister galleries Circa Gallery and Everard Read, Johannesburg’s oldest commercial art gallery established in 1913. Both galleries showcase contemporary paintings and sculpture and the post-modern Circa gallery is an architectural landmark that is in itself an artwork to be admired.

Into the wild

A Wilderness reserve closer than you could ever imagine to Africa’s most incredible wildlife. This eco-tourism destination, is a breeding ground and sanctuary that focuses on the well-being and regeneration of the endangered Wild Dog, the rare White Lion and Cheetah. The focus of the park is to provide an opportunity for people to learn more about these wonderful African animals and make for an incredible morning or afternoon out.

Delve into the struggle

Popular heritage site honouring the South African liberation movement, with guided tours & exhibits. Often described as one of the best museums in Gauteng, and recognized as one of South Africa’s leading heritage sites, Liliesleaf opened to the public in June 2008 and has since attracted thousands of local and international visitors, eager to understand and engage with a pivotal period in South Africa’s liberation struggle. The museum pays testimony to the many lives that changed the political landscape of this country and through its educational programmes.

For the love of Culture

Located on Sandton’s Nelson Mandela Square, boasts a packed schedule of South African comedy and drama, as well as regular classical music recitals and jazz and poetry events. It was dubbed “the life and soul of Sandton” and remains Sandton’s first and only theatre. In the last two decades, there have been over 1600 innovative theatre productions and concerts presented, that are challenging, relevant to the changing environment, educational, thought provoking and entertaining.