Things to do in Johannesburg and Pretoria: landmarks and history

The Apartheid Museum

One of the world’s most powerful museums on the rise and fall of apartheid, beside Gold Reef City in the south of Johannesburg. Allow at least two to three hours.

Constitution Hill

A former prison complex that once held Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, now home to South Africa’s Constitutional Court. Guided tours tell the story of the country’s journey to democracy.

Soweto

Vilakazi Street is the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, once lived. Visit the Mandela House museum and the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum, which commemorates the 1976 student uprising. A guided visit gives the richest experience.

The Cradle of Humankind

A UNESCO World Heritage Site north-west of Johannesburg, where some of the world’s most important early human fossils were found. Visit the Maropeng visitor centre and the Sterkfontein Caves, about an hour’s drive from Sandton.

Pretoria: the Union Buildings and more

• The Union Buildings, seat of the South African government, with gardens and a large statue of Nelson Mandela.
• Freedom Park, a memorial to those who fought for South Africa’s freedom.
• The Voortrekker Monument, overlooking the city from the south.
• Jacaranda season in September and October, when the city turns purple.

Day trips from Johannesburg

Pilanesberg, a malaria-free Big Five reserve in the North West, is a popular day or overnight trip, roughly two and a half to three hours by road. By helicopter, game reserves and lodges are within easy reach in a fraction of the time.