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If you are looking for what to do in Johannesburg, then you have come to the right place because I just literally spent 1 day in Johannesburg well, two to three days. And that is only because I found a very affordable flight from London to Johannesburg and was like, yes please and thank you.
I have been to South Africa before but didn’t really get to explore Johannesburg like I would have liked to, so I was like, two countries for the price of one, yes please (again). I knew I was going to do the main key tourist things people do, and that was the Apartheid Museum and the Soweto Township Tour, and I finished it at Sandton Mall, having dinner at Nando’s because it’s actually the best in South Africa.
And it really was a good 1 day in Johannesburg, well spent. So if you are thinking of doing the Soweto township tour, or thinking of spending only 48 hours in Johannesburg, here is everything I did, ate and where I stayed too, with all the links so you can plan your day in Johannesburg with so much ease.
Read more: How to Easily Travel from South Africa to Namibia Guide (2026)
About Johannesburg
Johannesburg is one of South Africa’s largest cities in South Africa with the three capital cities being Cape Town Pretoria, and Bloemfontein. Although Johannesburg is not a city, it is considered the economic hub of the country, with approximately 8 million people. Locally, it’s known as Joburg, and I was told pretty quickly that if you call it Johannesburg, the locals will know immediately that you are not from there!
South Africa has 12 official languages, and locals often speak 5 or more languages, which I think is absolutely phenomenal. Like, how many people do you know who speak that many languages?
The country is predominantly Christian at around 76%, and pap is a traditional maize meal that is a staple food often served with game meat.
What to do in Johannesburg?
If I am being completely honest, Johannesburg is not the kind of city that has a huge amount to do as a tourist. Unlike Cape Town, which has Table Mountain, beautiful beaches and the Winelands are just perfect, Johannesburg is more of a city you pass through rather than a destination in itself. I wouldn’t advise anyone to just do Johannesburg.
The main things most tourists do are a safari outside the city, which I did consider, but I was like, I am going on a safari in Namibia and in Botswana, and I have already done a safari in Cape Town, Uganda and Kenya, so no need.
The Apartheid Museum and the Soweto Township tour, which is exactly what I did, and I think that is genuinely enough for 1 to 2 days. Below is what I did in more detail, and you can book the same tour here.
Apartheid Museum
Despite this being an incredibly dark part of South African history, I really did enjoy visiting the Apartheid Museum, and I think everyone should go at least once to see the harsh realities of its history. Apartheid was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa from 1948 until 1994, and the museum brings that history to life in a way that is impossible to ignore.
During the tour, I was given a card at the entrance; mine said White, and I had to enter through a separate entrance from visitors who received a Black card. It was such a powerful and deeply uncomfortable moment to experience the harsh realities of what local Africans would have gone through. It really made me stop and think about the fact that during my own lifetime, (although very young), in this world, there was still legal segregation based purely on the colour of someone’s skin. There was a particular sign that showed how people went to court to actually change their whole identity to White despite them not being White.
Soweto Township Tour
I was really interested in doing the Soweto Township tour as I had never visited a township in South Africa before despite having been to the country previously.
I visited Mandela House on the famous Vilakazi Street, the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners lived! How cool is that, and it was genuinely moving to stand there and take it all in. Nelson Mandela single-handedly was able to bring together a community after so much pain in one country, so it was an absolute honour.
Sandton Mall
After the tours, I headed to Sandton Mall because it was so close to my hotel (walking distance). The mall is the most upscale shopping area in Johannesburg and, for me, a pretty nice mall to go to solo, as it’s very secure and safe. It also has a massive statue of Nelson Mandela, which is a great photo opportunity if that’s your thing, and there are lots of really nice restaurants to eat out there, like Nando’s, Ocean Basket and Tang, which I ate at both and ordered a good amount of food.
I had to also go and purchase a hat as I left mine on the plane (a bad habit of mine), so I popped into JD Sports to replace it before Namibia.
Where to stay in Johannesburg?
I would highly recommended if you are travelling to South Africa that you stay in Sandton it’s a very safe neighbourhood in Johannesburg and is perfect for solo travellers.
I stayed in Sandton, which I mentioned is within walking distance from the mall. The Onomo Hotel, which I’ve stayed in in a number of African countries like Morocco, Rwanda and Togo. It is a well-known hotel company across Africa and super affordable too.
I paid £40 for a night, and for a four-star hotel I think that is perfect. You can book the same hotel I booked below, and I have also added a visual map for you to pick out other hotels.
What to eat in Johannesburg?
There are plenty of great places to eat in Johannesburg. On my previous visit in 2023, I went to Carnivore, which is a real experience in itself. If you love meat and want something truly South African, I would highly recommend it.
This time I kept it simple and went to Nando’s at Sandton Mall. I had been told South African Nando’s was on another level, and let me tell you, they were absolutely right. I went for half a chicken, extra hot, of course and the delicious Malva cake, which is custard with a delicious sponge cake.
When I came back, I ate out at Tang and asian resturant and ordered dumplings with duck red curry with rice, and then on the final day I had an Ocean Basket meal with sushi.
Other Solo Travel in South Africa Travel Tips
- My Instagram page has detailed reels and specifics before you solo travel to South Africa.
- Before solo travel in South Africa, I recommend visiting the Foreign Advice Page for U.K. travellers. Check if you need a visa here.
- Lots of my trips are booked with either Viator or GetYourGuide. I highly recommend using them for ease on any of your travels.
- Many places in South Africa have access to Wi-Fi, but I purchased 2 GBs with Airlo, an e-sim card, for data. You can buy yours here and use the code ADEBOL5279 for a discount.
Conclusion
So if you are looking for what to do in Johannesburg, this is how I was able to go about spending 1 day in Johannesburg. I would say it is very doable depending on how long you are there for.
Have you ever been to Johannesburg? Let me know in the comments.
Speak soon,
MBV x
