My trip to South Africa was a random, last-minute booking. When I arrived, the only plan I had was to spend time with one of my best friend's family. I wish I'd had my cold weather packing list sorted — it was hot during the day and cold at night in autumn. I hadn't done any research about South Africa and had no clue what I actually wanted to see. I spent a total of two weeks in Johannesburg, then one week in Cape Town. Here's the list of my top 5 activities in Johannesburg.
At the entrance of the Apartheid Museum
Free Download
Free Budget Travel Planner
Plan your trip, track your spending, travel more for less.
1. Staying at Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls
I was lucky enough to stay with my best friend, whose father was the Principal at the school. It was an amazing experience meeting some of the girls and exploring their campus. My friend was also coaching there, so our evenings included football and cricket practice with the students. The girls were hard-working and polite, and they genuinely appreciated the opportunity to be there.
2. Johannesburg Lion Park
An epic introduction to South Africa's wildlife, and genuinely one of my favourite activities in Johannesburg. We drove our own car through the park — windows up, doors locked — and spotted loads of animals. One highlight was driving through the lion enclosure and watching the cubs play. Back at the main area, there's a spot where you can go in and spend time with the lion cubs themselves.
This turned out to be one of my more memorable experiences here — petting and playing with cubs ranging from 3 to 6 months old. Visits were limited to exactly 2 minutes, with the cubs rotated regularly so it wasn't the same group all day. They were all playful and clearly well cared for, and the park rangers genuinely seemed to love looking after them.
Lion at the Johannesburg Lion Park
Playing with lion cubs at Johannesburg Lion Park
3. Apartheid Museum
Given how little research I'd done, I didn't know much about apartheid before this visit. The museum was my chance to properly learn South Africa's history, and it was genuinely shocking. As soon as you walk in, your ticket labels you "white" or "non-white," and you enter through separate doors to get a small sense of how it once was. I was assigned "non-white" and moved through my side quickly, since there was noticeably less information available there.
It was difficult not to feel emotional walking through, watching the videos and hearing the accounts of the protests and violence that took place.
Apartheid Museum Tip
Give yourself at least two to three hours here — it's dense with information and genuinely affecting. Don't rush it, and take breaks between sections if you need them.
Ticket into the Apartheid Museum
4. Dinokeng Game Reserve
We were looking for a game park closer than Kruger, and we weren't disappointed. Genuinely a must-do — located about two hours from Johannesburg, near Pretoria. We stayed in a self-catering lodge and braaied (barbecued) every night, listening to warthogs snorting around outside looking for food.
The next morning we did a self-drive through the park, spotting wildebeest and kudu before we'd even reached the entrance. We drove through in the morning and saw plenty of elephants, then went back in the afternoon and found less activity. On the second day, we joined a game drive with one of the other hotels and spotted lions and even more elephants. A genuinely exciting weekend.
Elephant spotting in Dinokeng Game Reserve
Free Download
Free Budget Travel Planner
Plan your trip, track your spending, travel more for less.
5. Soweto Towers
These iconic cooling towers are quite a sight, covered in beautiful mural artwork. If you're daring, you can bungy jump or swing from the centre platform between them — I wasn't quite ready for that, and waited until New Zealand to try bungy jumping instead. It was quiet when we visited, so we didn't see anyone jump, but it was still well worth the visit. While you're in Soweto, you can also visit Nelson Mandela's house — we skipped going inside but walked past to see it.
The iconic Soweto Cooling Towers
Practical Information
Best time to visit: Autumn (April-May) brings warm days and cold nights — pack layers. Johannesburg's high altitude affects the day-night temperature swing more than most visitors expect.
Getting around: A rental car gives you the flexibility to reach Dinokeng and other spots outside the city easily. Central Johannesburg is best explored with a local guide or as part of an organised tour, particularly for areas like Soweto.
Safety: Standard city awareness applies — avoid displaying valuables, use registered transport after dark, and consider a guided tour for Soweto and the inner city rather than exploring solo.
It was a great couple of weeks in Johannesburg. From there, it was off to spend 6 epic days in Cape Town.
Free Download
Free Budget Travel Planner
Plan your trip, track your spending, travel more for less.
Related Posts
Frequently Asked Questions
May, autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, brings warm days and cold nights — pack layers rather than assuming you'll only need summer clothes. Johannesburg sits at high altitude, which affects the temperature swing between day and night more than most visitors expect.
