Johannesburg travel guide
South Africa
A gold-rush city on the Highveld that tells South Africa's modern story better than anywhere else. Joburg is busy and big, with museums, markets and an art scene that reward a few days of curiosity.
Essentials
- Language
- English is widely used, alongside isiZulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and other official languages
- Currency
- South African rand (ZAR)
- Plugs
- Type M, N and C, 230 V
- Emergency number
- 10111 (police), 10177 (ambulance), or 112 from a mobile
- Tipping
- Around 10-15% in restaurants is normal, and a few rand for car guards and petrol attendants is expected.
Rough daily budget
Approximate spend per person per day, in US dollars:
- Backpacker: $35-55, with a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport.
- Mid-range: $90-150, with a private room and restaurant meals.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Where to stay in Johannesburg
- Maboneng: converted warehouses with galleries, cafés and street art on the city's east side.
- Braamfontein: a student quarter of rooftop bars, street art and a busy Saturday food market.
- Melville: a leafy village-like strip of restaurants and bars, popular with guesthouses.
Getting around Johannesburg
The Gautrain links OR Tambo airport, Sandton, Rosebank and Pretoria, and the Rea Vaya rapid bus runs to Soweto. For most other trips, ride-hailing apps are the simplest and safest choice.
Best time to visit Johannesburg
March to May and September to November, dry and mild without the summer afternoon thunderstorms or the cold winter nights.
Top things to do in Johannesburg
- Give a half day to the Apartheid Museum, which is thorough and deliberately unsettling
- Tour Constitution Hill, a former prison that now houses the Constitutional Court
- Walk Vilakazi Street in Soweto and visit the Mandela House museum
- Eat and browse at the Saturday food market on Juta Street in Braamfontein
- Ride the Gautrain to Pretoria to see the Union Buildings and their gardens
What to eat in Johannesburg
- Kota: a hollowed quarter loaf stuffed with chips, polony, cheese and sauce
- Pap and chakalaka: stiff maize porridge with a spicy vegetable relish
- Boerewors: a coiled, coriander-spiced farmer's sausage cooked on the braai
- Biltong: air-dried, spiced strips of beef or game
Day trips from Johannesburg
- Cradle of Humankind: limestone caves and fossil sites at Sterkfontein and Maropeng, about an hour by car
- Pretoria: jacaranda-lined streets and the Voortrekker Monument, under an hour on the Gautrain
- Pilanesberg National Park: a malaria-free reserve for a self-drive safari, around two and a half hours by road
Local etiquette
Greet people before getting to business, even in a shop. Many South Africans shake hands in a three-part grip, so follow their lead.
Staying connected
Prepaid SIMs from Vodacom, MTN and others are sold at the airport and need your passport for registration, and cafés and malls generally have Wi-Fi.
Staying safe
Avoid walking alone after dark and use ride-hailing rather than flagging cars on the street. Keep phones and bags out of sight in parked cars and at traffic lights, where smash-and-grab theft happens.
A local tip
Book a guided walk or cycle tour of Soweto rather than driving through, so you hear the history from someone who lives it.
Visas:rules depend on your nationality and change often – check your own government's official travel advice before you go.
Meet people in Johannesburg on Waypacker
Waypacker is a free travel community: stay with ID-verified local hosts, join meetups and city groups, and ask people who live in Johannesburg for advice. We are new here, so if you live in Johannesburg, you could be one of the first hosts.
Questions about Johannesburg
- What currency is used in Johannesburg?
- Johannesburg uses the South African rand (ZAR).
- What is the emergency number in Johannesburg?
- In Johannesburg, call 10111 (police), 10177 (ambulance), or 112 from a mobile.
- When is the best time to visit Johannesburg?
- March to May and September to November, dry and mild without the summer afternoon thunderstorms or the cold winter nights.
- How much does a day in Johannesburg cost?
- Roughly $35-55 a day in US dollars on a backpacker budget (a hostel or shared room, street food and public transport), and $90-150 mid-range (a private room and restaurants). These are broad estimates, last reviewed October 2026.
- Is Waypacker free to use in Johannesburg?
- Yes. Joining is free and stays with hosts carry no nightly rate or booking fee.
- Are Waypacker hosts ID-verified?
- Every host's ID and selfie are checked by hand by a real person before they can host. Nothing is sent to an AI service.
- Can I meet locals in Johannesburg without staying with anyone?
- Yes. You can join meetups and city groups, or ask locals for tips, without booking a stay.
- Will anyone see my exact location?
- No. Hosts and meetups appear as a neighbourhood-sized area about a kilometre wide, and exact addresses are never stored.