I’m out in Johannesburg (staying in Benoni with the GF’s folks) for the next 8 days, we arrived on Monday and went straight out to Kruger for 4 days first (and had an amazing time!) and got back here last night. We’ve had an easy day today, but now just looking at things to do for the next 8 days…

My GF grew up here, and her father has lived here for 34 years, but neither has ever really done any of the tourist things as such… So…

What’s worth doing? I’m a cultural sponge, I want to go and see the Apartheid museum, Mandela’s house in Soweto, and to be honest despite what I’ve heard (I WILL be killed apparently), I’d love to go into Johannesburg itself and take a look round. I’m also keen on hiring a car and getting out of Gauteng itself for 2-3 days if needs be (I quite fancy a trip to the coast and back, but realise Durban is probably closest and it’s a bloody long way!).

So any suggestions and experiences? Money wise, we don’t have a bottomless pit, but have approximately 8500 Rand (£400ish) spending money between the 2 of us for the next 8 days and are happy to spend it all if required (and have maybe £200 we could add if needed).

I’m at your mercy great hive of STW!

We did a great road trip from jo’burg to Durban. Out to the Drakensburg mountains then a few days in Krueger including a mountain bike safari then down through Swaziland and to the coast at sodwana bay. Worked our way down the coast with a detour in land for a trip to the Zulu war battlefields. Durban itself was nothing special but some of the coastal towns were nice and the diving was fantastic. Sodwana bay was far better for beaches as it gets wilder as you go south. If you’ve done Krueger you can skip that and go more direct. The battlefields were really interesting, we booked a day with a really energetic guide. A one way drive and flight back might work. It is far but not that bad. Soweto does sound worthwhile too.

Benoni?

Small world, grew up there till I was 11, left in 91 and never been back. Played football at Benoni Northerns, great memories 🙂

Would echo the Drakensberg Mountains as a tip, although Cape Town is far nicer than Durban if its an option, although obviously a fair bit further away.

I hired a guide – did a tour of downtown, soweto, nelsons pad, the footy stadium and apartheid museum. A bit touristy but good nonetheless and not too expensive. Didn’t get shot either but have to say I felt on edge regularly when off the beaten track.

Only had two spare days as was out there for work but the other I headed to a rhino and lion reserve. Was fine for a day… My colleagues did a 2 day safari within a few hours drive though.

Despite the bad press joburg gets, I love it. So vibrant and full of energy. A 2-3 car trip won’t give you time to do much. I’d second drakensberg for a couple of nights (look into the Thendele camp..fantastic Base and not too expensive). In joburg you’ve already got some good stuff. Other ideas, market on main for food, it’s rugby season – go watch a match, guided cycle tour through Soweto. Have a look on the TripAdvisor forum for other ideas.

I have walked down main drag Jo’burg … and not died.
You need to keep your wits about you and not have flash watches or cameras on show. Also good to have a Saffer with you.
Soweto is worth a visit – some tours are better than others. There used to be one does by a Soweto resident … but I can’t remember what it was called. Its a bit of an eye opener , esp if you go the the Sharpsville Massacre site.
You can go round the Mandela house cos Winnie lives there ….
Pretoria is worth going to because of the government buildings – but unless you are rampant apartheid support I would give the Voortrekkers museum a miss …
When I was last there we went to a game park on the outskirts of Joburg, but as you have done Kruger it will be a let down.
Look at the beautiful people in Santon ….
Enjoy good food, braais, and wine …

If you have time fly down to Cape Town for a couple or 3 days ..

I have walked down main drag Jo’burg … and not died.
You need to keep your wits about you and not have flash watches or cameras on show. Also good to have a Saffer with you.
Soweto is worth a visit – some tours are better than others. There used to be one does by a Soweto resident … but I can’t remember what it was called. Its a bit of an eye opener , esp if you go the the Sharpsville Massacre site.
You can go round the Mandela house cos Winnie lives there ….
Pretoria is worth going to because of the government buildings – but unless you are rampant apartheid support I would give the Voortrekkers museum a miss …
When I was last there we went to a game park on the outskirts of Joburg, but as you have done Kruger it will be a let down.
Look at the beautiful people in Santon ….
Enjoy good food, braais, and wine …

If you have time fly down to Cape Town for a couple or 3 days ..

The adventure golf out the back of four ways shopping centre is a great way to pass a lunchtime.

Monte Casino is an oddity you could visit as it does have some nice restaurants (I really like the Thai place once I’ve got tired of excellent steak every other night) in an indoor Italian village. The musical fountain is the height of tackiness to go with the casino.

There is a bird/aviary place out the back of Monte Casino that was better than I expected, enjoyed the trained pelican.

Sun City isn’t that far away if you fancy a visit. The five star hotel is a sight, obviously intended to be the height of luxury but full of gold coloured embellishments, fibre glass elephant tusks, etc.

The lion park outside Johannesburg maybe if you want to touch a lion cub but I am morally rather against the place.

Since its mentioned above…I have also wandered around without dying but you do so at your own risk. I never carried anything of value, everyone I worked with who lived local thought I was mad and most of them had been mugged at least once with varying levels of injury. Most people you meet are lovely people but there is massive poverty and apartheid has been replaced with a rich poor split. People get desperate.

You really ought to try to get to Cape Town; everybody ought to see Cape Town. It’s stunning. You can fly there cheaply with Mango or Kulula.

In Jo’burg the red bus tour is good, you’ll really see the city. Do the Gold Reef City, which is interesting not just for the short trip down the mine but you will learn some gob-smacking facts about the Reef. The story of gold show is worthwhile. Also on the route of the red bus tour is the Origins Centre at Wits university, which is good if you like fossils.

There’s a brewery tour at SAB, think it’s the World of Beer, which is interesting and they give you some tasting. There’s a new micro-brewery that one of my cstomers has set up in an up and coming arty area in the city, if you want to know where that is PM me and I’ll try to find out.

If you need a reliable driver call Joel on 082 952 1485, tell him Ben sent you. He’s a decent bloke and won’t rip you off especially if you pay him in pounds or dollars.

There is a baby lion and hyena orphanage outside town but again, I’d need to find out where.

Montecasino is interesting if you fancy wandering around a fake Italianate village with cinema, theatre, loads of restaurants and a big screen for matches. Oh, and a mahoosive casino. I always stay at the Sunsquare hotel there, which is where Joel hangs around mostly.

Go to Cape Town though. Go go go.

The Cradle of Humankind is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (limestone caves with hominid fossils, so provides lost of information on prehistoric humans and human evolution) about 50km NW of J’burg. Not been myself but want to at some point.

If you fancy doing a safari again consider Pilanesburg or Marakele NPs are both about 3 hours drive (NPs will be better than ‘game parks’ imo. If you’ve been to Kruger you will realise that most are just big safari parks / zoos and some don’t have the best reputation).

Your budget is quite tight but you can get flights with the low cost carriers for ~£50pp each way to Durban, PE or Cape Town. With 8 days I would seriously consider it. SA is vast and diverse.

Enjoy!

Benoni?
Small world, grew up there till I was 11, left in 91 and never been back. Played football at Benoni Northerns, great memories

You’re the same age as my GF… She went to Benoni Junior and Middle school, until she left in 94 at 14 (parents split up, Dad stayed here, Mum moved back to UK). You may well know her possibly!

Would echo the Drakensberg Mountains as a tip, although Cape Town is far nicer than Durban if its an option, although obviously a fair bit further away.

I’ve suggested trips, but it’s been poo pooed. I knew Cape Town would be too much (and I’ve been there before anyway albeit years ago), but thought a cheap flight to Durban (699 Rand one way is cheap!!!) and hire a car and drive it back over 2/3 days (via Drakensburg Mountains) might be a nice idea… It’s gone down like a lead balloon with both the GF and her Dad! So…

I hired a guide – did a tour of downtown, soweto, nelsons pad, the footy stadium and apartheid museum. A bit touristy but good nonetheless and not too expensive. Didn’t get shot either but have to say I felt on edge regularly when off the beaten track.

Hopefully sounds like we’re going to manage some of this over the next few days, and tomorrow morning we’re now off to the Cullinan Diamond mine for a tour which I’m quite looking forward to…

Since its mentioned above…I have also wandered around without dying but you do so at your own risk. I never carried anything of value, everyone I worked with who lived local thought I was mad and most of them had been mugged at least once with varying levels of injury. Most people you meet are lovely people but there is massive poverty and apartheid has been replaced with a rich poor split. People get desperate.

Having been told that Benoni is “safe” compared to Johannesburg, and when we arrived here we were told the local butcher (200 yards away) was shot dead in a botched armed robbery (they got away with nothing, and also shot a customer too) whilst we were up in Kruger, and the local booze shop (50 yards away) has been held up at gunpoint twice in the last month, I’m not sure what the hell to think or believe any more! I haven’t seen one incident of aggression or any form of law breaking yet (aside from a few keen motorists paying little attention to the speed limits), but when given the news that the butcher was killed the other day I was then told “it happens”… 😯

I can’t tell you I was mildly shell shocked as I’d be lying! My immediate thought was to get on the 1st plane out of here anywhere remotely safer, and not come back until I need to catch my flight from Joburg home… But the GF hasn’t seen her Dad in 5yrs and wants to spend as much time with him as possible. Torn between a rock and a hard place right now, the first 4 days of my holiday were like nothing else I’ve ever experienced in a good way. I hope the next 8 aren’t like nothing else I’ve ever experienced in a bad way though!

Relax 🙂 I spent quite a bit of time in Johannesburg because I lucked into some work that took me there. I’d never have gone otherwise but it opened my eyes into what a great place South Africa is. Be sensible and you will be fine. I’ve been back to holiday since with my partner and it is the best holiday she has ever had. Sounds like you need to stay around Johannesburg because the other halves family are there but if you can get another trip a few days in Capetown and a few days in the region’s around Capetown, maybe Stellenbosch is worth the trip. It really is an amazing place so make the most of it

And be sure to try some local dishes, you simply have to have some ‘smiley’ and some ‘walkie talkie’ 🙂

As RB writes above….relax! I have spent many many weeks of my life driving around Johannesburg visiting my customers, going into some quite dodgy areas and as far as I know the nearest I’ve ever been to violent crime was one Thursday when I was in a meeting and the wages office downstairs was attacked – with the connivance of the bloke I was meeting, it later turned out, which explained why he was sweating like a horse and not paying attention.

As long as you keep your wits about you, you’ll be fine. Cape Town is a wonderful place but even there, there are areas where it’s definitely best not to go.

Right, went to the Cullinan Diamond Mine yesterday which I really enjoyed, and the Lion Park and Montecasino today. Have now booked a car for the next few days, planning on taking an overnighter to Sun City tomorrow/Wednesday, then trying to get a Soweto/Apartheid/City centre tour for one of the final 3 days…

For a few bucks you can go to the top of the Carton Center in town center (50 storeys) It’s safe to park across the road in the multi-storey and there’s a walk through goes under the road – then the lifts to the top are right there. From the top you can see miles in every direction.

A few blocks away from the Carlton is Market on Main – a great place with a cool vibe – many different cultures of food available to have lunch but only open on a Sunday, which is the best day to do the Carlton anyway.

Gold Reef City (just outside town center) is a quite good “theme park” to while away a couple of hours.

If you like airplanes pop to the Rand airport on the weekend and you can climb around on the 747 and 747SP they have there. Again it’s almost free.

Sandton is over rated but that’s where the Nelson Mandela statue is – where Eddie finished his marathons.

A drive through the suburbs of Bryanston etc is nice (not far from Monty) and will give you an idea of some of the bigger houses and the security they need. Not an attraction as such but gives you some local insight.

Benoni is on the East Rand and has some nice areas and some pretty dodgy areas. Your FIL may not agree but he probably has electric fences and/or razor wire just in case. Don’t go too near to any of the squatter camps (there or anywhere), they are not playgrounds.

Warmbaths is a resort an hour north of Jo’burg (on the way to Sun City) where they have hot mineral pools etc. but will be busy over Easter I guess.

Keep your car doors locked and windows shut at traffic lights. I saw a woman punched in the face through an open window and her bag taken. Then the thief went through her bag, in front of everyone, before wandering off leaving her out cold in her car.

As a last resort, visit Benoni bunny park 🙂

At Montecasino there’s an excellent steak restaurant called The Meat Co., which does superb steaks. Otherwise Mugg & Bean in the square is a nice place to sit if you prefer daylight.

Globalti – sitting outside at the plaza eating under the stars you could be almost anywhere in the world. Hard to believe Fourways is across the road!

Went to Sun City, have to say I wasn’t expecting much but was pleasantly surprised! Stayed in the Cabanas Hotel, and with a late booking got a room at a good rate, then when we got there found we’d had a free upgrade to a room with a Lake view, which was nice! Anyway… Played like hids on the water slides at the Wave Beach for hours, went out for an incredible Steak dinner afterwards, slept in the biggest bed I’ve ever seen (it must’ve been 7ft wide!), and then had a monster buffet breakfast the morning after before going to see the Croc’s at the Croc sanctuary (we even got to see Arnold, the 5m 1ton 90yr old male believed to be one of the biggest Crocs in captivity!).

Had a lazy day today, off to Hartbeesport Dam tomorrow for a wander round and a sight see, then Saturday we’ve got the “Ultimate Joburg” tour booked so will get to see Soweto, the Apartheid Museum, Mandela’s House, Soccer City and go up Telkom Tower and go to Constitution Hill… All good fun! Then suspect a lazy Sunday morning and a lunch, before flying back out Sunday night.

Thanks again all for the suggestions.

Well… I’m alive, I’m back in the UK, and I had a very nice time after all!

Many thanks again everyone, didn’t manage to do all suggestions, but did manage a lot of them, and thoroughly enjoyed everything I did… 😀

Glad you enjoyed yourself! It’s an interesting country 🙂