3 hour walking tour

Braamfontein Walk

Braamfontein used to be a highveld farm and is now a bustling suburb of Johannesburg.  It was known as the unlucky farm as it was so close to the gold reef, but not one ounce of gold was found on Braamfontein farm itself.

Today, Braamfontein is home to the Joburg Theatre and Ballet, Liberty Indwe Park, WITS University and other colleges, art galleries and museums, public art and graffiti, a beautiful Catholic church, a roof-top plant shop, the Nelson Mandela Bridge and numerous coffee shops, clubs and restaurants.

Our walking tour traces the history and regeneration of this suburb where you can soak up the vibe of the students and young professionals who hang out here.

This tour is best on a Saturday, when the bustling Neighbourgoods Market takes place, but it's a very good walk during the week too.

3 hour walking tour

Newtown Walk

Did you know that Newtown was originally known as Brickfields?  That’s because, at the end of the 19th century, the bricks for the new mining settlement of Johannesburg were made here.

This walking tour traces the history of Newtown from brick-making, power stations and markets to its influence in music and the arts - and now its street art and urban regeneration.  Important stops along the route include Nelson Mandela’s law practice office at Chancellor House as well as Randjeslaagte, the triangular piece of land on which Johannesburg’s first mining camp was established.

And it’s not all history; there’s plenty of trivia, public art, graffiti and a stop for a soft drink or a refreshing ale at the former Johannesburg Stock Exchange. It's worth noting that Newtown enjoyed a wondrously refreshing update to its street art during Covid-19 including a painted keyboard on Mary Fitzgerald Square and a mural celebrating Miriam Makeba on the street that bears her name. So even if you think you've been to Newtown, it's definitely worth another look!

3 hour walking tour

Maboneng Walk

​The brainchild of entrepreneur Jonathan Liebmann, Maboneng has been through a tough time with the demise of Liebmann’s company Propertuity (and, of course, Covid-19) but it’s bouncing back and is now buoyed by the adjacent Divercity project called "Jewel City"where R1 billion has been spent to uplift the old jewellery manufacturing quarter.

Highlights on the Maboneng & Jewel City walk include the former home of the Pacific Press, the 1902 Cosmopolitan Hotel, Bertrand's Cafe and Jazz Lounge, the Collectors' Treasury, plenty of street art and a visit to one or two watering holes along the way.

3 hour walking tour

Constitution Hill Walk

Constitution Hill is a national heritage site and a living museum that traces South Africa’s journey to democracy.  More than any other site in South Africa, it encapsulates the oppression of the country’s past together with our hopes for the future.

The tour of the site includes a visit to the Old Fort with an impressive view from its ramparts, a visit to the Women’s Jail (1910-1983), the Men’s Jail which is known as Number 4, (1904-1983) and the fully-operational Constitutional Court itself (2004-present).  Apart from the warmth and accessibility of the court building, the Constitutional Court also boasts an art collection of over 600 works, many of which are on display.

1 to 3 hour walking tour

Keiskamma Tapestries

'Dying and Rising, as the Moon Does', reads the English title of this wondrous exhibition. Essentially, it's a story-telling project created by an artist's collective from Hamburg in the Eastern Cape, but it's so much more than that - as you will learn when you witness the renditions of rural life, nature and conservation, and the way in which the community endured the effects of the HIV/Aids crisis as well as the Covid-19 pandemic. Oral traditions are safe-guarded through the medium of these tapestries, and the healing process is evident, as are the dreams and expectations of the women who created them. A tour of the tapestries may be combined with a visit to Constitution Hill or can be arranged as a visit on its own.

4h or 8h tour

Soweto Tour

At Joburg 360, nothing is humdrum, so be prepared for some off-the-beaten track gems; a street stall here, a vibrant mural there; a long funeral procession or simply goats in the road; herbs, roots, coffee and beer - as well as a traditional Kota option as a lunchtime treat.

The Soweto tour is available on any day of the week and runs ideally for a half day or a full day, depending on your time available.

As an optional extra, a cookery lesson is available. Dobsonville in Soweto is home to Alina, one of Africa's finest local chefs. This family business is run from her home, and a cookery lesson (at an additional cost) includes a hearty mix of stews, salads, vegetables, chakalaka, samp, pap and dumplings, all prepared by hand. Afterwards, sit in splendour and enjoy the fruits of your labour accompanied by a well-earned glass of wine. Bon Appetit!

Precious Stones

3 hour walking tour

Marshalltown Walk

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Restaurants

For fine dining, we recommend Basalt at The Peech. Described as just-below-fine-dining is the ever-reliable Marble at Keyes Art Mile. In Parkhurst, we recommend Embarc. And in Melville, we enjoy Pablo House for its splendid views, interesting wine list and delicious pizzas. Head there during Jacaranda season for an even more impressive outlook over the koppies and all the way to Sandton. La Boqueria in Parktown North offers a tapas-style selection of delicious dishes. Then there's Homebaze in Parkmore, which is apparently great for African cuisine (although we haven't tried it yet). The list goes on....

Sarah Barret

Sarah grew up in rural Wales; an area she describes as having ‘more sheep than people’.  After studying a BSc Econ. (Hons) and a post-graduate diploma in Office Information Technology, Sarah fell ‘accidentally’ into tour guiding as a holiday job in 198.  From there, the travel bug set in, and she has worked in tourism in Boston (USA), London and Johannesburg, as well as guiding in cities all over the world.

Sarah gained her global tourism experience in educational tours, ski tours and incentive travel.  She operated her own business in the incentive travel field for 8 years, designing unique global travel experiences for corporates and other groups.  When age 40 hit, she relinquished overseas journeys and settled into tour guiding in Johannesburg, which has been her home base since 1992.  Sarah is passionate about showing both the everyday and the hidden Johannesburg to locals and visitors alike.  Her passions include music, literature and art, and she is able to incorporate these themes into her walking tours of the city.

‘One thing I wish I’d understood in school’, Sarah says, ‘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. The city may be working off a low base (with a reputation for crime), but Johannesburg is an exciting, diverse and multi-cultural African city where no two days are the same, and there’s never a dull moment!’

Sarah lives in an industrial loft apartment with her teenage son. Her aim is to increase her in-depth knowledge of Johannesburg’s city and suburban areas, to improve her working knowledge of French and German, and to buy a bigger vehicle to transport guests too.

Tshepo Tshoadi

Tshepo is a young tourist guide who springs from Jabulani in Soweto. He lives in a four-roomed house with his mother, two sisters, two nieces and a nephew.

Tshepo is passionate about travel and tourism. 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. 

In his free time, Tshepo loves to visit the Soweto Theatre, located in Jabulani, to watch a play or a movie or to take part in the Seven Colours event there on Sundays, where popular local food is prepared.

Tshepo is passionate about Johannesburg and Soweto.  He loves sharing our diverse heritage with visitors and giving them a memorable experience in his home town.  He also loves to connect with local people to help them grow their businesses through tourism.  His dream is one day to travel overseas.