People from all over the world fly to South Africa for exploring some of the most beautiful sites in the world. There are several things one can do here and we have made a list of some of them. Have a look at them and plan your trip better.

Johannesburg

Cradle of Humankind- Located about 50kms from Johannesburg, this is a world heritage site in the Gauteng province. With as much as 47000 hectares of land, there are several limestone caves here that you can explore.

Gold Reef City- This is a beautiful theme park situated in an old gold mine. Gold Rush is the theme of the park and there are several rides and other attractions that you can enjoy here. It is definitely a place you would want to visit with your friends and family.

Durban

Ushaka Marina World- Visit this place while in Durban. You can enjoy a host of interesting activities here such a swimming with the dolphins, watching sharks up close, and snorkelling to see some amazing reefs and marine life.

Durban Botanic Gardens- Situated in Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa, the Durban Botanic Gardens is the oldest botanical gardens in Africa. It stretches for around 15 hectares and one can learn a lot about the flora of the region here.

Pretoria

Voortrekker

Visit the Voortrekker Monument. It comprises of a number of granite structures; located famously on a hilltop built in the memory of the voortrekkers that had left the Cape Colony back in the 1800s.

National Zoological Gardens of South Africa

Founded in the year 1899, this 85 hectare national reserve is one of the most famous places in the country. People visit from across the world to spot the animals in their natural habitat here. There is a collection of exotic flora and a number of species of birds here too.

Kimberly

The Big Hole - This is an open pit mine situated in Kimberly and is said to be the largest hole that was manually excavated. It is a major tourist attraction.

Mc Gregor Museum- Formally known as Alexander McGregor Memorial Museum, it holds memorabilia from Northern Cape. You can learn a lot about the culture and history of the country when you visit this interesting site.

Nelspruit

Kruger National Park

This extremely famous national park should be on every traveller’s list of things to do. There are a number of animal and bird species that you can spot here.

Set in the heart of South Africa, Johannesburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has a sea of attractions and activities for you! If you find yourself in the city, here’s a list of things to see and do!

The Big Red Bus

First things first, if you’re feeling ‘touristy’, you can hop aboard the attractive red bus and travel around the city. There is audio commentary, so you can have a clear idea of what’s what; this trip is as educating as it is entertaining, and would cost the bare minimum.

Bounce!

This crazy interconnected trampoline web is where you can (along with your friends and family) get ‘jumpy’! Situated in the Waterfall Lifestyle Centre, it’s a cool place, where you can have a whale of a time!

Chill Out at The Living Room

Put your feet up and relax with the coolest cocktails at the sassy little joint ‘The Living Room’. This place is famous for its great casual ambiance as well as good food and drinks. You can definitely have a good time here with your friends and family.

Transport to the Wonder Times!

You have to visit the James Hall Museum of Transport to know about the superb culture and history of the country. The colourful cars and the upbeat atmosphere of this place are going to lift your spirits up and set you in the right frame of mind for the rest of your holiday.

Shop to Your Heart’s Content

The Oriental Plaza is one of best places for shopping in Johannesburg. You will find everything from clothes and bags to rugs, linen, and jewellery! And who knows; something entirely unexpected may also catch your attention and you could jolly well end up with a fabulous souvenir!

Connect with Nature

The Zoo Lake is a place to experience nature! Feed the ducks and geese here or simply soak in the sun, while pedalling away in the serene waters of the lake. Have a picnic, go bowling, take a long walk; you will never run out of options in Johannesburg.

‘Go go’ to the Gallery MOMO!

One of the most stylish and contemporarily designed art galleries, the MOMO gallery is a place you should definitely visit, while you’re on your Johannesburg trip! You will see intricate pieces of art, each with a story to tell; and would undoubtedly get mesmerized by the creativity and hard work of the artists.

The Newtown Cultural Precinct, located in the heart of the bustling city of Johannesburg, has become the cultural hub of the destination.

Newtown wasn’t always as vibrant and charming. It was in a dilapidated state some years ago. However, Johannesburg Metropolitan started making improvements and revived the area by implementing the iGoli 2000 programme. The goal was to turn Newtown into the creative capital of the city and the efforts seem to have paid off. Today, renowned art galleries, cosy coffee shops, restaurants, and many other tourist trappings dot Newtown Cultural Precinct.

Newtown definitely has a unique, colourful character of its own. Take a look.

A Festive Atmosphere

The culturally and ethnically diverse people here celebrate festivals from all around the world with great pomp and show. From the splendid fireworks during Diwali to the huge fire-breathing dragons during Chinese New Year and from Queen’s samba on the Nelson Mandela Bridge during Gay Pride to the merry festivities of the Joy and Jazz Festival of Newtown – every festival here is celebrated with great passion! Some of the other exciting festivals hosted here include SA Fashion Week, the Africa Day, Arts Alive, and the Dance Umbrella.

Places of Interest

Newtown is full of art galleries, museums, live music venues, restaurants and bars. Some of the famous landmarks of Newtown Cultural Precinct are the Market Theatre, Museum Africa, and Gramadoelas Restaurant. These culturally diverse spots have been infused together to form a multicultural enclave. Other popular places here are SAB World of Beer, Sci-Bono Discovery Centre and the Oriental Plaza.

A Warm Welcoming Vibe

You will definitely feel the friendly vibe of acceptance and harmony here. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that Newtown Cultural Precinct follows a colour-blind approach towards race. After all, right since the middle of the twentieth century, Newtown has been the place of refuge for artists, rebels, revolutionary leaders, musicians, dancers and poets, who expressed their sentiments through various arts during the Apartheid.

A fabulous arts scene has always been a key draw among travellers visiting Johannesburg. Every year, this South African metropolis hosts the Arts Alive International Festival to celebrate its rich arts and culture.

The 2015 edition of this annual festival is scheduled from 31st August to 10th September. During these 10 days, you can enjoy music and dance shows, theatre plays and an array of performing arts at various venues across Johannesburg. Let’s check out a few highlights of Arts Alive International Festival 2015.

Jazz on the Lake

This is probably the most popular event of Arts Alive International Festival. Set to commence on 31st August, Jazz on the Lake will feature notable jazz artists such as The Soil, Johnny Clegg, Remna Schwarz and Vidya Shah. You can enjoy soulful jazz performances at the serene Zoo Lake between 11am and 5pm.

Maboneng Township Arts Experience

This event is a national public arts initiative where homes in Maboneng are used as galleries. Numerous artists use these galleries to create graffiti, murals and paintings. The 2-day event will start on 05th September and you can buy tickets online or at the designated tuck shop.

Shared History

Theatre enthusiasts looking for a light comedy can buy tickets for this show which represents an incredible piece of South African-Indian comedy. Jailoshini Naidoo is going to host this show at Joburg Theatre on 04th September at 8pm.

7 Pillars

Created by choreographer and dancer Luyanda Sidiya, 7 pillars is a moving dance piece that represents democracy. Sidiya choreographed this performance to explain the concept of freedom and democracy in a unique way. Wits Theatre is the venue to enjoy this thought-provoking dance on 04th and 05th September.

3 Perfect Couples

Enjoy the funny side of married life at this comedy-drama in which three couples deal with their insecurities, hopes and expectations. Thusong Youth Centre will host this rib-tickling art piece on 06th September. You can buy the tickets on the official website of Arts Alive International Festival.

The Rand Show, a 10-day annual festival, is perhaps the best Easter show in South Africa where eclectic stage performances, death-defying stunts, animal shows and an array of contests promise a fabulous time. The Rand Show will start from 3rd April and is going to take place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre. Take a look at some of the colourful events lined up for this exciting festival.

Pirates Paradise

Pirates Paradise is a huge, nautically-themed playland, which has been specially imported for the festival from Italy. It features a variety of rides and other fun activities with some of the most prominent ones being a Sea Park, an artificial beach, and monster slides such as Kraken and Titanic. Pirates Paradise is primarily meant for families with kids between the ages of 3 and 14. There are no extra charges for enjoying Pirates Paradise.

Battle of the Behemoths

Visit the main arena on 11th and 12th April to witness the display of strength. This is one of the most popular highlights of the Rand Show, where competitors perform certain tasks to qualify for the title of South Africa’s Strongest Man. The 380-kg Yoke Carry, Truck Pull, Car Deadlift, Axle and Log Lift, and the Atlas Stone are some of the challenges that let the participants prove their strength.

Animal Kingdom

This event is a sneak peek into the rich South African wildlife. At Animal Kingdom, you may join any of the several interactive shows to take a closer look at various creatures, especially birds and snakes. Snake Bite Jones is a reptile show where you get to watch the creepy-crawly action of monitor lizards, Cape cobras and other species. Enjoy the low-lying aerial acrobatics of Harris hawks, owls and vultures at Bryan Vorster’s Free-Flight Bird Show.

Tickets

Two types of tickets are available – Peak and Midweek. Monday, Saturday, Sunday and Friday are Peak days, when tickets would cost R120. On other remaining days, Midweek tickets are available for R60. Entry for kids below six is free.

It all started in 2004 when, for the first time, Zwartkops Raceway was choosen as the venue for this event. And since then, due to its ever-growing popularity the motor show has been a prime centre of attraction among the holidaymakers who book tickets on flights to Johannesburg. Sometime later it was acquired by the Thebe Reed Exhibitions and now it has become a part of it. There is a host of facilities and amenities provided for the visitors that ensure a comfortable trip. Those who are booking tickets on flights to Johannesburg should definitely give this motor show a visit.

When

The Gauteng Motor Show 2014 starts from 25 July (Friday) and will continue till 27 July (Sunday). On 25th, the programme is scheduled from 04 pm to 09 pm. On 26th and 27th July, it will be from 09 am to 09 pm.

Where

For the first time, the renowned Rock Raceway in Brakpan is going to be the venue. The raceway in itself is very popular and a great place to visit.

What is in it for You

People who are blocking tickets to Johannesburg to be a part of this amazing motor show are guaranteed to have an adrenaline pumping experience here. There are many activities organized for tourists and all of them are simply great. If you ever wondered how it feels to be in a car that’s drifting like it does on the race track, try the ‘Drift Suicide Rides’. The widely trained professionals will make the experience simply one of the best parts of your trip. ‘Quatro Bungy’ is a great option for people who are booking tickets to Johannesburg for family holiday with kids who can have a fun experience. And it is not just for the children; in fact, whoever loves bungee can go ahead. Stuntriderz is another thrilling activity that offers an experience and thrill of being a stunt rider. The organisers ensure that the activities are safe and for that they take all the safety measures.

If you are already in Johannesburg or soon planning a vacation to the city with family, friends or loved ones then set your taste-buds right and get ready to experience one of the finest culinary shows in the entire world. Johannesburg is all set to host its annual Good Food & Wine Show from 31st July to 3rd August 2014. It is going to be held at Gauteng. Good Food & Wine Show is one of the most celebrated annual events in South Africa. The event has everything to offer, from epicurean’s classics to culinary arts and authentic produce to specialty seafood, and is sure to leave the visitors gloating over their decision to grab air tickets to Johannesburg.

Further, be sure not to miss the edible concoctions of South African and international culinary masters. You can even rate the many invited celebrity chefs as they bring in for you their best palate-tingling culinary delights that demonstrate their exceptional art. The top most attraction of this amazing gala event remains ‘Lion’s Den’, a live innovative theatre specially designed to offer a unique platform for local innovation. The selected participants have 20 minutes to present their best product in front of the audience who later judge it.

The show will also be having renowned culinary specialists, including Cake Boss, Reza Mahammed, Buddy Valastro and Siba from Siba’s table, who will be the special guests of the grand celebration. Then there are abundant theatre programmes which will provide special cookery skills to the visitors, thus making them experts in culinary arts. The different programmes include SPAR Food Theatre Programme, Celebrity Book Signing Theatre Programme, Selati Sweet Treats Theatre and Celebrity Chefs Theatre. The festival is also an electrifying wine testing zone that is sure to tempt scores of wine lovers from across the world to catch flights to Johannesburg and immerse into its exotic flavours. Tickets for the event can be booked online through the official website i.e. www.goodfoodandwineshow.co.za which even allows the visitors to check all important event related details.

Johannesburg is the heartbeat South Africa when it comes to breathtaking nature, worth-exploring history and rich wildlife. Besides, Carlton Centre is another highlight of Jo’burg that possesses enough to tickle your travel senses! This tallest skyscraper in entire Africa houses a shopping mall, office complexes and various recreational activities. Besides these notable spotlights of Carlton Centre, one attraction that lures travellers to this gigantic structure is Top of Africa. Holidaymakers booking flights to the city cannot call their trip to Jo’burg ‘Complete,’ if this observation deck is missing from their travel itineraries.

Top of Africa offers captivating 360° views of Johannesburg from this skyscraper. If you can compromise on your sleep, plan a visit to this edifice early in the morning to admire sunrise when Johannesburg comes to a new light amidst an undefined quaint aura. In case, you are not a morning person, climb up the 50th floor to give flights to your fancies with awe-inspiring views of the city during evenings. This deck also features a small restaurant that serves a variety of snacks.
Carlton Centre is also famous for its proximity to numerous sites that always top the list of attractions of travellers boarding flights landing at Johannesburg. Let’s know about few of them.

Apartheid Museum

Spend some time at this museum to take a closer look at the exhibits that offer a sneak-peak into turbulent past of South Africa depicted by a plethora of displays featuring photographs, texts, documents, videos and artefacts. Entry tickets are required and on Mondays, this museum remains closed.

Market Theatre

For culture vultures reserving seats on Johannesburg flights, Market Theatre is a must-visit attraction. This world-renowned performing arts venue is reputed for hosting anti-apartheid plays. Besides plays and live performances, this theatre also features Market Photo Workshop, an auditorium, a gallery and a lecture room.

Constitution Hill

This is among the most noteworthy historical landmarks in Johannesburg. It served as a prison where notable personalities such as nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi were kept as prisoners. Apart from being a witness to racial segregation, Constitution Hill is also famous as one of the oldest buildings in the metropolis.