Top Gauteng Outdoor Activities

Get more out of your time in South Africa by combining a hot air balloon ride with a game viewing experience. Traveling by hot air balloon instead of car allows you to fly over several game reserves in a short space of time in the scenic Cradle of Humankind area. Along the way, look out for local wildlife—including four of the “Big Five”, and access incredible photo opportunities too.

Get to know South Africa’s biggest city on a full-day tour that covers all the highlights of Johannesburg and Soweto. Take in the views from the Top of Africa, learn about the city’s history as you visit Constitutional Hill and the Apartheid Museum, then follow in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela in Soweto, with a tour of the Nelson Mandela House, Hector Pieterson Museum, and Freedom Square.

Get the most possible learning out of your visits to the Cradle of Humankind and Sterkfontein Cave. By traveling with a guide, you'll get the full picture of the remarkable fossil findings there and why the site is so important. Walk through Sterkfontein Caves to see the fossils of hominids such as Little Foot and Mrs. Ples, two of the greatest archaeological discoveries of our time. Note: the caves are currently closed due to heavy flooding; this tour visits the museum.

This Lion and Safari Park trip is a great pick for travelers visiting Johannesburg or Pretoria. Only a short 45-minute drive away, the vast 1,000-hectare (2,471-acre) landscape is home to an abundance of wildlife—including cheetahs, giraffes, hyenas, lions, and zebras. Once inside the grounds, a guide takes you on a ride around the grassy plains to spot the magnificent creatures safely from your vehicle.

Visit the Lion Park outside of Johannesburg without the hassle of renting a car. This tour includes round-trip transportation from your Johannesburg hotel and admission to the Lion Park, where you can explore at your leisure to see more than 85 lions, including the rare white lion, and other animals such as wild dogs, hyenas, and cheetahs. Take a 2-hour safari drive to see the animals.

Make the most of your time in South Africa on this expertly planned, small-group safari experience. This two-day package takes you from Johannesburg deep into Kruger National Park—one of Africa's largest game reserves—for multiple game drives in search of the Big Five. With transport, accommodation, meals, and a knowledgeable guide all arranged for you.

Soar over the Cradle of Humankind or the Magaliesberg mountain range on a sunrise hot air balloon flight. Have some refreshments as you watch the balloon being inflated, then set off on a scenic adventure in the sky. Fly over one of the two sites with your experienced pilot, taking in the sweeping views of South Africa below. After the flight, enjoy a full breakfast as you savor newly-minted memories.

Skip the stress of self-driving Johannesburg in the early hours, and enjoy wide-angle views from an open safari vehicle on this full-day tour to Pilanesberg National Park. This compact reserve is home to all of the Big Five—lions, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, and elephants—and your dedicated safari guides will help you spot them. Your day includes lunch, hotel pickup, entrance fees, and a bottle of water: breakfast is at your own expense.

About 90 minutes from Johannesburg, the Elephant Sanctuary Hartbeesport Dam and Bush Babies Monkey Sanctuary let these intelligent and sensitive creatures live their best lives. Skip the stress of self-driving in South Africa when you join this door-to-door adventure, with a guide to explain elephants’ habits, family structures, dynamics, and even anatomy and to show you monkeys running wild and free.

Spend a day connecting with nature when you embark on this guided bushwalk through the Ukutula Conservation Center. With a small group and guide, learn about African wildlife and their behavioral traits as you walk through the park and observe them in their natural habitat. Qualified rangers and safari guides are with you at all times to ensure your safety.

If you’ve only got a day to fit in a safari drive, this visit to Pilanesberg Nature Reserve ensures you make the most of it. Begin with an early morning pickup, then head straight to Pilanesberg for a 4x4 safari drive. During the tour, look out for the “Big Five”, take a break for lunch, then take part in an afternoon drive for even more wildlife spotting. Note that park admission is not included.

Cullinan is a small town out of Pretoria . It is located 30 km (19 mi) east of the city of Pretoria along the diamond route and is heavily reliant on tourism and the mine that dominates the skyline. The town is named after diamond magnate Sir Thomas Cullinan Pretoria is South Africa's administrative capital,serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa.

A Kruger National Park safari doesn’t need to cost the earth. Join a guide and a group no larger than 12 on this 5-day experience that includes a full-day Panorama Route tour and five separate game drives, all in open-sided 4WD vehicles for optimal viewing. You’ll enjoy four nights in the park with breakfast and dinner and have an 80 percent chance of spotting the Big Five.

Go in search of wildlife, like the Big Five of lions, leopards, rhinoceros,, elephant, and Cape buffalo on this 2-day small-group tour. Enjoy the convenience of having your logistics taken care of, including transfers from Johannesburg or Pretoria, accommodation at the Tembo Guest Lodge, lunch, bottled water, and two safari game drives in an open vehicle.

Johannesburg is known for being a gateway to fantastic wildlife encounters, and this option is perfect for time-tight travelers interested in seeing a variety of animal species in just half a day. Enjoy included hotel pickup and travel to the Safari Lion Park. Animals that reside at the park include rare white lions, brown lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, zebra, and antelopes.

Dinokeng Game Reserve is one of the closest reserves to Johannesburg and Pretoria, and is home to the Big Five. With this full-day tour, enjoy hotel pickup and round-trip transport to the reserve, followed by a thrilling about 2.5-hour safari game drive. Travel in an open-back 4WD safari truck with a resident game ranger, and keep an eye out for hippos, elephants, lions, giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs, and leopards.

Get to know the ins and outs of daily life in an elephant sanctuary on this half-day tour. Pickup and drop-off in Johannesburg or Pretoria means no need to rent a car, and you can relax on the ride up to the Magaliesburg mountains. Once there, embark on a 2-hour tour that includes in-depth facts and figures about African elephants and the sanctuary's efforts regarding rescue and rehabilitation.

Enjoy two popular family attractions in one day—the Lesedi Cultural Village and the Lion Park—with hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-off. First, discover the rich history, culture, and traditions of Africa’s Xhosa, Zulu, Pedi, Basotho, and Ndebele tribes during a visit to the Lesedi Cultural Village. Then, enjoy guaranteed lion sightings—one of the Big Five—at the Lion Park, along with zebras, cheetahs, giraffes, hyenas, and wild dogs.

The township of Soweto, once a byword for oppression, had a major role in overturning apartheid. Cover more ground than you would on a walking tour while remaining close to the city streets on this half-day guided bicycle tour, complete with a traditional kota sandwich lunch. You'll learn not only about Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Hector Pieterson but about the women who helped topple apartheid, such as Liliian Mgoyi.

Go in search of wildlife, even if you have limited time, with this small-group half-day tour from Johannesburg. Enjoy hotel pickup from your accommodations in the morning and transfer to the Rhino and Lion Reserve in Krugersdorp, home to more than 30 species of wildlife, including lions, rhinos, cheetahs, tigers, and leopards.

Get more from a visit to the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre by going with a guide and not just independently. This tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria also includes pickup and drop-off for an easy day learning about cheetahs and wild dogs. Hear about the conservation efforts for cheetahs, as well as the wildlife research that takes place at this attraction.

This 5-day Kruger National Park adventure promises ample opportunities for wildlife-spotting and peaceful moments in nature. To save you time researching where to stay, accommodation is included, as well as select meals along the way. Go on nature walks, experience magnificent starry nights, and look out for the “Big Five” during multiple game drives.

Sun City is one of South Africa’s largest and most famous resorts, with four hotels, a casino, a shopping mall, and entertainment for all ages. On this tour, enjoy round-trip transport from Johannesburg and full-day access to the resort. During your visit, take part in optional activities (not included) such as the Maze of the Lost City, the Valley of Waves water park, a game drive in the Pilanesberg National Park, or a game of golf.