Posts Tagged ‘johannesburg’

Top Things to do in Johannesburg

November 4th, 2009

A trip to Johannesburg, one of Africa’s largest cities, is sure to be a wonderful experience.  The city of Johannesburg is a combination of today’s modern day attractions and a fascinating cultural heritage.  People of all ages with different kinds of interests will find something to entertain them with in Johannesburg, no matter whether you are single or have a big family.  However, it is important to find activities that are appropriate for all family members, including children.  Fortunately, many activities in Johannesburg are designed specifically for children.   You should spend at least a few days in the city to experience some of the main attractions on offer.  You can expect to be quite busy while spending time in Joburg, as the city is also known, or Jozi, as the locals call it.

 

Tours are an excellent way to see the city of Johannesburg.  Bus tours, both of the city itself and outside of the city, are available year round.  Mining and animal-viewing tours are two of the most popular tours for families visiting Johannesburg and its surrounding area.  Zoos, museums, theme parks, and entertainment venues are just some of the attractions waiting to be discovered by you.

 

With the 2010 Soccer Finals now just a few months away, a lot of tourists are expected to embark on South Africa while the tournament is taking place.  A visit to Johannesburg is almost inevitable, seeing as most tourists will arrive at OR Tambo International Airport, the local airport located near Johannesburg.  Most of the top attractions within Johannesburg and its surrounding areas are also easily accessible from the airport.         

 

This article forms part of The Ultimate South African Tourist Guide White Paper.  It is an essential guide to any tourist who has the opportunity to explore South Africa, containing all the information you could possibly need to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one.  Featuring the best accommodation, restaurants, things to do, transportation, car rental, places to shop, weather patterns and what to pack, emergency procedures, and stadiums, and much more, all listed according to the specific region in question, this guide will be the ultimate in assisting your travels.  It is available to those members of the public who are interested in purchasing a piece of land in South Africa, and subsequently becoming a shareholder of land in South Africa. Visit http://www.ageofafrica.co.za to find out more about this project.

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Different Means of Transportation in Johannesburg

October 30th, 2009


Johannesburg lacks a convenient public transportation system, partly due to the fact that the city is geared towards private motorists.  A large number of the city’s residents are dependent on the city’s informal minibus taxis.  However, other means of transportation do exist, which include buses, trains, and airports.

  • Taxis

Johannesburg has two kinds of taxis, namely metered taxis and minibus taxis.  The minibus taxis are the essential means of transportation for the majority of the population.  However, since the 1980s, the minibus taxi industry has been severely affected by turf wars.  Unlike many cities, metered taxis are not allowed to drive around the city looking for passengers and instead must be called and ordered to a destination.  The Gauteng Provincial Government has launched a new metered taxi programme in an attempt to increase use of metered taxis in the city.

  • Buses

Another means of transportation is buses.  Johannesburg is served by a bus fleet operated by Metrobus, a corporate unit of the City of Johannesburg.  Its fleet consists of approximately 550 single and double-decker buses supplying 84 different routes in the city.  This total includes 200 modern buses (150 double-deckers and 50 single-deckers).  Metrobus’ fleet carries approximately 20 million passengers per annum.  In addition, there are a number of private bus operators, though most focus on the inter-city routes, or on bus charters for touring groups.

  • Trains

A new means of transportation is the Gautrain.  Construction of the Gautrain will only be completed by 2011, thus unfortunately not in time for the 2010 Soccer Finals.  It will consist of a number of underground stations, as well as above ground stations.  When completed, it will run from north to south between Johannesburg and Pretoria, and east-west between Sandton and OR Tambo International Airport.  The rail system is being designed to alleviate traffic on the N1 freeway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, which records vehicle loads of up to 300,000 per day.

  • Airports

Johannesburg is served by OR Tambo International Airport for both domestic and international flights.  Other airports include Lanseria, Grand Central Airport, and Rand Airport.  Lanseria Airport is used for commercial flights to Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Botswana, and Sun City.  Grand Central is located in Midrand and caters to small, private aircraft. Rand Airport, located in Germiston, is also a small airfield used mostly for private aircraft.  It is the home of South African Airways’s first Boeing 747 Classic, the Lebombo, which is now an aviation museum.  Airports are a popular means of transportation in South Africa.      

This article forms part of The Ultimate South African Tourist Guide White Paper.  It is an essential guide to any tourist who has the opportunity to explore South Africa, containing all the information you could possibly need to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one.  Featuring the best restaurants, accommodation, spots to shop, attractions and much more, all listed according to the specific region in question, this guide will be the ultimate in assisting your travels.  It is available to those members of the public who are interested in purchasing a piece of land in South Africa, and subsequently becoming a shareholder of land in South Africa. Visit http://www.ageofafrica.co.za to find out more about this project.

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Top Things to do in Johannesburg

October 26th, 2009


Johannesburg is a city which combines a fascinating cultural heritage with a lot of modern day attractions.  People of all ages with different kinds of interests will find something to entertain them with.  You should spend at least a few days in the city to experience some of the main attractions on offer.  Below is a selection of 6 things you can expect to do in Johannesburg.

1.  Take a trip on the Vaal River

If you want to take in the natural beauty of South Africa, then a boat ride along the Vaal River is a great idea.  A trip down the Vaal River accompanied by good company and great food is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing activities around Johannesburg.

2.  Pay a visit to the Casinos

Even if you are not big on gambling, you should still try your hand at it in one of the many casinos found in and around Johannesburg.  Only in Las Vegas will you find a bigger density of casinos than here.

3.  Spend an afternoon on a Golf Course

For those who like nothing more than to spend an afternoon on the greens, Johannesburg is amongst the best cities in the world.  Not only does it have the perfect warm climate for strolling across the fairways, but the fairways themselves are some of the very best on the African continent.  Whether you are a seasoned golfer or a keen amateur, golf is one of the strongest attractions in Johannesburg.

4.  Visit the Apartheid Museum

The Apartheid Museum has become a must see attraction in Johannesburg over the last couple of years, partly due to its moving exhibits containing apartheid scenes.  When having a look at this distressing period of the country’s history, the overall feeling is one of relief that the country’s segregation is in the museum where it belongs.

5.  Spend a day at Gold Reef City

Gold Reef City is a theme park with a selection of rides, a 4D theatre, a casino, and refreshment stands.  Gold Reef City offers plenty entertainment for both young and old.

6.  Take a tour of the Soweto Township

As the largest township in Gauteng, Soweto can almost be considered a city in its own right.  Some highlights of the visit include seeing the former homes of South African Nobel Prize winners, among them the home of former president Nelson Mandela.

This article forms part of The Ultimate South African Tourist Guide White Paper.  It is an essential guide to any tourist who has the opportunity to explore South Africa, containing all the information you could possibly need to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one.  Featuring the best restaurants, accommodation, spots to shop, attractions and much more, all listed according to the specific region in question, this guide will be the ultimate in assisting your travels.  It is available to those members of the public who are interested in purchasing a piece of land in South Africa, and subsequently becoming a shareholder of land in South Africa. Visit http://www.ageofafrica.co.za to find out more about this project.

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