Gauteng Travel Guide — Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the Highveld

Gauteng is South Africa’s smallest province but its most densely populated. OR Tambo International Airport is the main entry point for international visitors — the majority arrive in Gauteng before heading elsewhere. Most stay just long enough to connect, which undersells what the province offers.

Johannesburg anchors the south; Pretoria (Tshwane) sits 50 km north. Between and around them are significant sites: the Apartheid Museum, Soweto, the Voortrekker Monument, Constitutional Hill, and the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO site.

See the Johannesburg city guide for full detail on accommodation, safety, and getting around the city. For context on where Gauteng fits into a South Africa trip, see the 14-day South Africa itinerary.

Gauteng at a Glance

Destination	Drive from OR Tambo	Highlights	Time needed
Sandton	20–30 min	Financial hub, hotels, Gautrain	Base only
Maboneng	30–40 min	Markets, galleries, street art	Half-day to full day
Soweto	40–50 min	Mandela House, Apartheid history, Vilakazi St	Half-day (guided tour)
Apartheid Museum	35–45 min	Essential museum on apartheid era	2.5–3 hours
Constitutional Hill	30 min	Former prison, now Constitutional Court	1.5 hours
Pretoria	50 min (Gautrain 40 min)	Union Buildings, Voortrekker Monument, Freedom Park	Full day
Cradle of Humankind	1 hour	UNESCO site, fossil caves, Maropeng centre	Half-day
Lion & Safari Park	45 min	Close-encounter lion, cheetah, giraffe	Half-day

Johannesburg

South Africa’s largest city. Economically dominant, historically complex, architecturally chaotic, culturally energetic. The Apartheid Museum and Soweto are the main tourist draws, but Maboneng’s urban culture and Sandton’s polish both add dimension.

For full detail including specific hotel recommendations, safety advice, and getting around: see the Johannesburg guide.

Essential Joburg sites:

• Apartheid Museum (R230 adult): One of Africa’s finest museums. Allow 2.5–3 hours.
• Soweto: Vilakazi Street, Mandela House (R80), Hector Pieterson Memorial (R30). Best with a guided tour (R600–900).
• Constitutional Hill (R80): Prison-turned-Constitutional Court; the Women’s Jail section is particularly powerful.
• Maboneng: Market on Main (Sundays), galleries, street art — the most interesting Joburg neighbourhood.
• Lion & Safari Park (R250): 50 km north; lion walks, cheetah, game drive.

Johannesburg accommodation snapshot:

Property	Area	Category	Rate from
The Saxon Hotel	Sandhurst	Luxury	R6,500
Four Seasons Westcliff	Westcliff	Luxury	R4,500
The Maslow	Sandton	Mid-range	R2,000
Peech Hotel	Melrose	Mid-range	R1,800
Curiocity Backpackers	Maboneng	Budget	R400 dorm

Full hotel comparisons in the Johannesburg guide.

Pretoria (Tshwane)

The administrative capital — the seat of the executive. The jacaranda trees lining virtually every street bloom purple in October–November and define the city visually in that season.

Sight	Entry	Time needed	Notes
Union Buildings	Free (grounds)	45 min	Presidency seat; Nelson Mandela inauguration site; Mandela statue
Freedom Park	R60 adult	1.5 hours	Commemorates victims of colonialism and apartheid; deliberately faces Voortrekker Monument
Voortrekker Monument	R190 adult	1.5 hours	Controversial; architecturally serious; important lens on Afrikaner history
Church Square	Free	30 min	Historic centre; Paul Kruger statue; informal market
National Zoological Garden	R250 adult	3–4 hours	One of the largest zoos in Africa
Pretoria Art Museum	R30 adult	1–2 hours	Good South African art collection

Getting to Pretoria: The Gautrain runs from OR Tambo Airport to Pretoria station in ~40 minutes (R200). From Johannesburg CBD: 50 minutes to 1 hour by car (highly variable depending on traffic). Uber from Sandton costs R200–300 depending on traffic.

The Freedom Park / Voortrekker Monument combination is the most interesting Pretoria half-day: the two monuments stand on adjacent hills, deliberately placed to create a dialogue between Afrikaner national identity and the liberation history that existed alongside it. Visit both on the same trip.

The Cradle of Humankind

50 km northwest of Johannesburg (1 hour drive via the R47), near Magaliesburg. A UNESCO World Heritage Site containing some of the world’s richest deposits of hominid fossils — more early human and proto-human remains have been found here than anywhere else on earth.

Site	Entry	What to see
Maropeng Visitor Centre	R170 adult	Interpretive exhibits on human evolution; the fossils; geological history of the site
Sterkfontein Caves	R200 adult (includes guided tour)	The caves where “Mrs Ples” (Australopithecus africanus, dated to 2.1 million years) was found in 1947; tours every 30–40 minutes

Allow a half-day from Johannesburg. Families with children get particular value from the Maropeng centre.

Accommodation nearby: Maropeng Hotel (adjacent to the visitor centre, from R1,800), various guesthouses in Magaliesburg valley from R1,200. The Magaliesberg area is popular for weekend retreats from Joburg.

Practical Notes

Main airport	OR Tambo International (JNB) — international hub
Second airport	Lanseria (LGI) — some domestic and charter routes
Getting around	Uber throughout. Gautrain for OR Tambo → Sandton/Rosebank/Pretoria.
Malaria	None — Gauteng is malaria-free
For Kruger	Drive 4–5 hours on N12/N4, or fly Joburg to Kruger Mpumalanga Intl Airport (1 hour)
Costs	See budget and costs guide
Visas	See visa requirements