Egoli
The Place of Gold
Also known as ‘Egoli’ (the place of gold), Johannesburg is best known for its:
- Gold industry. Driving around the city and surroundings, it’s easy to see that mining – gold mining in particular – is what established this; the richest gold discovery the world has ever seen. The history and fascinating lore of this industry is best showcased at Gold Reef City, an open air museum, where visitors can descend 226 metres underground into an old mine shaft, and view the processing of the melted precious metal in to a gold bar…
- Political history. South Africa’s unfortunate ‘Apartheid’ history, with the 1976 Youth Uprising and the events in which Nelson Mandela played a pivotal role can be experienced close- up and explained best in Soweto, a ‘township’ which hosts the house which he (Mandela) once occupied, as well as other apartheid landmarks. The Apartheid Museum, near Soweto, offers in-your-face audio-visual accounts of how apartheid was experienced through the eyes of South Africans.
- Pre-historic Mankind. The Cradle of Humankind, a 45 minute drive from the city offers a fascinating look into the palaentology of ‘proto humans’ (the so-called ‘missing links’) and features the Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng. These two visiting points explains the 2 – 4 million year-old fossil findings of ‘Mrs Ples’ and ‘Little Foot’, as well as the history of Earth since its beginnings, several billion years ago.
- Status as commercial and economical hub of Africa, boasting the Johannesburg Securities Exchange and other influential buildings and institutions
Johannesburg is a melting pot of the multitude of the South African cultures, with the result that the visitor with extended interests, such as shopping (e.g. for local craft), art and dining, will not be disappointed, with a variety of markets, malls and restaurants, boasting the likes of Maboneng and 44 Stanley Avenue.
Includes a selection of visits to:
– Top of Africa
– Constitution Hill complex
– Hillbrow
– Ghandi square
– Newtown / Museum Africa
( recommendation: Combine with Soweto / Apartheid museum for full day tour)
Duration | HALF DAY |
Departure | 08H30 / 12H30 (suggested times) |
Included | Entrance fees to Top of Africa , Constituion Hill and Museum Africa, Services of a Tour guide; transport in a licensed, air-conditioned vehicle. |
Excluded | Lunch, any items of a personal nature, tips, and or gratuities to guide. |
Choice Tours’ Price | 1 guest – R 2 100 , 2 guests – R 1 150 pp (25% discount for groups of 4 or more) |
Time required | 4 hours; can be done in 3 hours |
Bonus | More sights around downtown Jo’burg |
Our 1/2-day Johannesburg tour comprises a general orientation of the city. Our guests often request optional extra excursions, such as the Faraday muti market, the Maboneng Art precinct (including and /or some of Johannnesburg’s finest ’boutique’ African Art centres) (see our Art Tour), Braamfontein and/or Sandton , upon which we recommend a full day disposal of vehicle and Tour guide (or with the inclusion of another 1/2-day tour, e.g. Apartheid Museum, Soweto, Gold Reef City or the Origins Centre.