Nature Tourism
Johannesburg is the economic powerhouse of Southern Africa, a world class African City, and the City of Gold. But it is not often recognized that Joburg is also South Africa’s capital for fantastic nature, wildlife and safari experiences. Having the world’s largest urban forest, rolling hills where humankind’s ancestor’s originated, and internationally renowned game parks, Joburg offers you an almost unbelievable variety of easily accessible attractions. The range of experiences also varies – from the most exclusive safari camps where every whim is catered for, to the most affordable self-catering options, where exploring the game parks by yourselves definitely adds to the adventure.
We have grouped below the full range of nature experiences available in Johannesburg and also those in tourist areas within a comfortable driving distance away from the Metropolitan Area
Day Drives
There are numerous day drive options available – whether they would be to relax in beautiful parks and gardens, wander around modern zoos, explore any one of numerous nature reserves, or enjoy interacting with wild animals, you will be enthralled as you participate in Joburgs nature experiences. Perhaps the most unique opportunity of all – only available to you near Joburg, and nowhere else, is the Cradle of Humankind, one of the top 12 evolution tourism spots in the world. This is where mankind originated, and you can learn more about this incredible story by visiting the Maropeng Visitor Centre and the Sterkfontein Caves.
To explore some of our parks and gardens, with virtual tours, take a look at our article on Green Havens in Johannesburg.
Overnight stays
Johannesburg has a superb freeway network, which extends along the N4 from the Pilanesberg in the east to the Kruger Park in the west, and from Joburg in the south along the N1 to the Zimbabwe border in the north. Most of the large game reserves are easily accessible from these two freeways.The excellent roads make the journey extremely comfortable, such that it is easy to drive your own car, hire a car using our booking engine on our . The scenery has a real "African" beauty - a different beauty from that of other areas in South Africa, making it almost mandatory to stop en-route and spend a night in the Highlands Meander area or the Panorama Route.
