Gauteng tips

Transport and traffic

Airtraffic:

If you book a domestic flight from Johannesburg please note that there are 2 airports: Johannesburg International airport (also called O.R. Tambo airport) and Lanseria airport.

Domestic flights can be booked via these websites:
www.flysafair.co.za

www.flysaa.com
www.britishairways.com
www.flymango.com
www.kulula.com

Please note that the airlines always want to see the credit card you used when buying the ticket online !

Train:
Traffic (especially in rush hours) can be a real problem, but the new rapid suburban rail network, Gautrain, has helped a lot and runs on 2 lines.

The line west to east connects the business hub Sandton with O.R.Tambo International Airport, and the north to south line runs between the capital Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Automobile:
When renting a car ensure you have a good map or GPS when driving yourself. Roads and signage are good, and well maintained.

Gauteng Province has implemented an eToll system on highways.
Rental car companies have equipped cars with the necessary e-tags and charge for usage; maximum amount per month and car is currently 450 Rand (April 2014). Some overland highways are also toll roads with however conventional toll pay stations.

Different areas of the city

Sandton is the new business center of Johannesburg. It has new big hotels and large shopping centers.

The old bohemian quarter Melville presents a colorful mix of academics, students, media and creative people and many bars and restaurants especially in 7^th Street.

Maboneng lies to the east of the not very upmarket city center and is a redeveloped fun urban neighborhood with restaurants, creative shops, and a popular Sunday market.
www.mabonengprecinct.com

Things to do

The Carlton Centre downtown Johannesburg is one of the tallest buildings on the continent. The top floor (50^th floor) is called “The top of Africa” and offers breathtaking views over Johannesburg.
www.gauteng.net/attractions/entry/carlton_centre

The Cradle of humankind world heritage site is widely recognized as the birthplace from which all of humankind originated. It is about an hour drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria.
www.maropeng.co.za 

The Apartheid museum opened 2001 and deals with 20^th century South Africa and mainly the story and era of Apartheid.
www.apartheidmuseum.org

Soweto township tours take you around the densely populated but vibrant town of Soweto (SOuthWEstTOwnship).
Use only official operators and do not go on your own.

The closest areas to go on safari is the 550km2 big Pilanesberg, 3 hours from Johannesburg.
It is the 4^th largest park in South Africa. We strongly recommend a stay in one of the luxurious lodges offering full-board accommodation and game-drives (safaris) on open safari vehicles. Ask us for a quote!

Welgevonden Game Reserve is 36’000ha large and also a Big 5 private game reserve 2,5h north of Johannesburg.
https://www.welgevonden.org

Another safari option a bit further away than Pilanesberg on the border to Botswana is in the Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa’s fifth largest park. It is a 4 hour drive from Johannesburg and features a variety of small exclusive lodges, most of them 4-5 star rated.
https://excitingafrica.com/destinations/south-africa/safari-south-africa/safari-in-madikwe/

All of the above parks are malaria free and feature the Big 5. We strongly recommend a stay in one of the safari lodges offering full-board accommodation and game-drives on open safari vehicles. An unforgettable experience. Ask us for a quote!