Johannesburg, known as Egoli or the City of Gold, combines apartheid history, street art, Soweto heritage and easy day trips to the Cradle of Humankind and Pretoria.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Cradle of Humankind and Maropeng
UNESCO World Heritage site with the Maropeng exhibition, a museum of human origins.
Highlights: Boat ride through the elements tunnel at the start of the Maropeng exhibition · Galleries on human evolution, fossil finds and climate change inside the Tumulus building · UNESCO-listed Cradle of Humankind landscape viewed from the visitor centre · Easy pairing with the Sterkfontein Caves and the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve
Sterkfontein Caves
Guided underground tour of the cave system where early hominin fossils were found, including Mrs Ples.
Highlights: Guided underground tour through chambers where Mrs Ples-era hominin fossils were found · Stalactite formations and an underground lake in the dolomite caves · Working excavation areas explained by the guide · Combined visit with Maropeng in the same Cradle of Humankind area
Pretoria (Tshwane): Union Buildings and Voortrekker Monument
Capital city with the Union Buildings, the Voortrekker Monument, Freedom Park and Church Square.
Highlights: Union Buildings gardens with the Nelson Mandela statue and city views · Voortrekker Monument museum and rooftop viewpoint · Freedom Park memorial spaces on Salvokop hill · Church Square and the historic city centre · Jacaranda-lined streets in October
Pilanesberg National Park
Malaria-free Big Five reserve set in an extinct volcano crater.
Highlights: Big Five game viewing in a malaria-free reserve · Extinct volcanic crater landscape with concentric hill rings · Waterhole hides at Mankwe Dam and other dams · Self-drive roads and guided open-vehicle game drives · Rich birdlife alongside giraffe, hippo, zebra and cheetah
Sun City and the Lost City
Resort with the Valley of Waves water park, the Palace of the Lost City, casino and golf.
Highlights: Valley of Waves water park with a wave pool and slides · Palace of the Lost City and its jungle-style gardens · Championship golf courses including Gary Player Country Club · Casino, restaurants and entertainment venues · Easy access to Pilanesberg National Park for a game drive
Magaliesburg Meander
Scenic drive through the Magaliesberg hills with farm stalls, craft shops, ziplines and hiking.
Highlights: Scenic R24 drive through the Magaliesberg hills · Farm stalls and craft shops along the Meander · Ziplines and canopy tours among the ridges and kloofs · Hiking trails in the ancient Magaliesberg range · Lunch at farm restaurants and pubs in Magaliesburg
Hartbeespoort Dam and Cableway
Lakeside town with a cable car over the dam, an elephant sanctuary and waterfront restaurants.
Highlights: Harties Cableway ride with views over the dam and Magaliesberg hills · Lakeside waterfront restaurants and craft markets · Boat cruises and water sports on Hartbeespoort Dam · Elephant sanctuary visits in the surrounding valleys
Lesedi Cultural Village
Cultural village presenting Zulu, Xhosa, Basotho and Ndebele traditions with music, dance and a traditional meal.
Highlights: Four homesteads presenting Zulu, Xhosa, Basotho and Ndebele culture · Traditional music and dance performances · Guided explanations of beadwork, dress and house construction · Traditional African meal served after the tour
Dinokeng Game Reserve
Malaria-free Big Five reserve on open savanna, closer than Pilanesberg.
Highlights: Big Five game drives in a malaria-free reserve · Open savanna and thornveld with elephant, lion and rhino · Riverside and dam-side birdlife · Shorter drive from Johannesburg than Pilanesberg
Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve
Lion, cheetah, wild dog and Big Five game drives; popular with families.
Highlights: Game drives among lion, cheetah and wild dog · Rhino, giraffe, zebra and antelope viewing · Close-range predator section suited to families · Easy pairing with Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves
Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve
Grassland reserve with hiking trails and game viewing close to the city.
Highlights: Scenic drive loop with zebra, wildebeest, blesbok and eland · Hiking trails of varying length on the ridge · Highveld grassland scenery and birdlife · Quiet picnic sites close to Johannesburg
Cullinan Diamond Mine
Surface and underground mine tours at the source of the Cullinan diamond; book ahead.
Highlights: Guided surface and underground mine tours · History of the 1905 Cullinan diamond, the largest gem-quality rough diamond found · View of the historic open pit known as the Big Hole · Cullinan village with Victorian-era buildings, cafes and shops
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Full-day tours from Sandton R900-R3,500 (~$55-$214), depending on destination and group size
- Private
- Private driver R2,000-R3,500 (~$122-$214) per day
- Public
- Gautrain to Pretoria only; other destinations have no useful public transport
- Rental
- Rental car R350-R700 (~$21-$43) per day plus fuel and tolls
Multi-day tours from Johannesburg
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from JohannesburgWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Start early: leave Sandton by 7:00 to beat traffic on the N1 and N14
Fill fuel before leaving the city and carry snacks and water
Pilanesberg, Dinokeng and Sun City are malaria-free; Kruger is not, so take prophylaxis
Pilanesberg gate hours change by season; check pilanesbergnationalpark.org
Buy Maropeng and Sterkfontein combined tickets online in advance
Do not leave valuables in a parked car at viewpoints
Bring warm layers for winter mornings and a raincoat for summer afternoons