Or Jozi, as the locals call it.
I’ll bet you’re in for a pleasant surprise! Welcome to our vibrant, exhilarating, broken-but-beautiful city with its short, rich history, people of every colour and creed, plenty of trees and outdoor spaces, museums, galleries, shops and restaurants – and a buzzing night life, too.
So get ready to explore on foot or by car; take in the sights, sounds and smells – and let Africa sink into your soul.
4 hrs to 8 hrs
In a vehicle, we can cover more ground than on a walking tour, so you might like to travel anywhere from Sandton to Soweto and fit in lots of history, culture, street art, food and shopping as you go. See our Rates page for prices, and click 'more' for ideas of general themes to help you plan your day.
Full-day or Half-day
The Soweto tour includes a bit of everything. In the area of Vilakazi Street, you'll visit Mandela House & the Hector Pieterson Memorial. But you might also visit the Orlando Towers, Regina Mundi church, the Soweto Theatre - or head to the Bara taxi rank, Bara market and the workers' hostels for a taste of a day in the life of a Sowetan.
1 hr to 8 hrs
Finally Johannesburg is being recognised for its vibrant and varied art scene. We will curate your tour depending on your interest in galleries, artist studios, auction houses, institutional art, public sculpture, street art, graffiti and shopping for any specific items; and we can assure you a diverse and fascinating experience!
3hrs
Constitution Hill is a heritage site that combines the oppression of South Africa's past together with our hopes for the future. Visit the Old Fort, the former prisons and the Constitutional Court building - as well as the court chamber and a selection of artworks in the court's collection.
1 hr to 8 hrs
Johannesburg is home to the Apartheid Museum and the Holocaust & Genocide Centre, both of which are world-class museums. Each is worth a visit, but we suggest that you do not need a Joburg 360 guide. The museums already offer wonderful explanations that encourage you to read, to watch and to listen without additional input from another voice.
2 to 6 hrs
Spend some time tracing Mahatma Gandhi's time in Johannesburg with the option of a visit to Satyagraha House, No 4 prison on Constitution Hill, Gandhi's home on Albermarle Street in Kensington, and Gandhi Square where spent time as an attorney at the former law courts & offices there.
2 to 8 hours
Even though Nelson Mandela was born in the Eastern Cape, he spent much of his life in Johannesburg both before and after his 27 years in prison. A visit can be made to his various homes, offices and his prison cell, as well as some of the places named after him.
Approximately 2 hours
Sophiatown, also known as Sof'town or Kofifi, was once a bustling community and the home of Johannesburg jazz. That was until the security police arrived in 1955, one morning before dawn....
Appointments almost anytime
Enjoy a visit to a jewellery manufacturer to buy diamonds, tanzanite and other precious stones. This can easily be incorporated into a half-day or full-day tour, or can act as a stand-alone Johannesburg experience.
3hrs
This walking tour traces the history of Newtown, from brickmaking and markets to its influence in music and the arts - and now its street art and urban regeneration.
3 hrs
Discover Johannesburg's mining past, with a combination of history, trivia and public art - plus stops for coffee and a cocktail. Highlights include the pedestrianised mining walk, the Rand Club, Gandhi Square and Chancellor House.
3hrs
Braamfontein is home to galleries and an art museum, public art and graffiti, a beautiful church, the Nelson Mandela Bridge and numerous coffee shops. The Playground (formerly Neighbourgoods) is open every Saturday from 10am, but other days are great to visit too.
3hrs
Not as much history and culture as usual, but a great chance to witness some urban regeneration and to soak up the atmosphere created by the street vendors, restaurants, bars, public art and graffiti.
3 hrs
Troyeville was once the home of artists, architects and activists, and it's a suburb with a rich history dating back to 1889. Nowadays it's inhabited by residents from a wide variety of African countries, each bringing with them a distinctive flavour.
2 hours - free of charge, gratuity basis
The Wilds was established in 1938 as a national botanical garden. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers in recent years, it's a safe haven again, and the 8kms of stone pathways make it easy to navigate this glorious 40-acre site.
‘One thing I wish I’d understood in school is that the word History is simply a contraction of the words His Story; it’s just someone’s story! Now I act as a story-teller, bringing the history and culture of Johannesburg to life in a fun and informative way.’
Tshepo is a young tourist guide who springs from Jabulani in Soweto. He is passionate about travel and tourism and his favourite life experience so far is a road trip he undertook with friends to Cape Town and along the Garden Route to the Eastern Cape.
Hugh is a tour guide, architect and movie critic who has travelled to 100 countries. He is as passionate about showing visitors around his city as he is visiting theirs. Born and bred in Johannesburg, he thrives on revealing a side of Johannesburg that is not often seen.
"In our [In Your Pocket's] #MyJoburg series, we speak to people who add something unique to Joburg's creative mix and get the lowdown on what enthralls them about this city." One of those people...
Tess Paterson has written a great piece about the beauty of Joburg and what it has to offer.
Nine members of ArchSoc took part in an early-morning outing to the western section of The Wilds in Killarney. After worrying for most of the week about the possibility of rain, we were delighted to...
Sarah Barret
Tshepo Tshoadi
Hugh Fraser
