26. Explore the Mountain Sanctuary Park

This is approximately an hour’s drive from Johannesburg. It is beautifully nestled in the Magaliesberg Mountains, where you will find extraordinary rock formations and clear mountain pools. This is also a great spot for mountain biking and camping.

27. Have fun outdoors at the Hennops Hiking Trails

The Hennops trails are beautiful, unspoiled, and picturesque. It’s a great spot for picnics, braai/BBQ, hiking, mountain biking, and off-roading.  There are 3 trails, historical sites along the trails, a river crossing (with a suspension bridge), a cable car, and an underground cave. You may also spot the wildlife that thrives in the area.

28. See the animals at the Johannesburg Zoo

The Johannesburg Zoo is a popular attraction for educational entertainment. It houses more than 320 species on 55 hectares of land.

29. Explore wildlife at the Lion & Safari Park

The Lion and Safari Park is about a 90-minute drive out of Johannesburg, but it is worth the drive. Once you are there, you can feed giraffes, pet lion cubs, take a self-drive tour through the park to see the wildlife, or go on a safari tour.

30. Appreciate nature at the Walter Sisulu botanical gardens

Take a relaxing stroll through The Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens. Here you will a 76 yard/ 70m high Waterfall, 600 plant species, and 20 bird species to explore.

31. Enjoy a picnic or an event at Zoo Lake

Zoo Lake is a popular park in Joburg. Here you can go for a pleasant picnic or take a board ride on the lake. Zoo lake is also host to many events like the annual Jazz on the lake festival and the Artists under the Sun open-air exhibition. Zoo Lake has two dams—an upper feeder dam, and a larger lower dam. Both are constructed in natural marshland watered by the Parktown Spruit.

32. Go rafting at Hadeda Creek

The Hadeda Creek is on a beautifully secluded spot of the Vaal River. It is a great spot for locals to get away and go fishing, rafting. It’s also marketed as a teambuilding venue. Hadeda Creek is just over an hour’s drive from Johannesburg.

33. Bird watching at Montecasino Bird Gardens

The Montecasino bird garden has over 60 bird species plus iguanas, frogs, and small antelope to see. They also have bird shows featuring owls, cranes, pelicans, and vultures. If you are a flora enthusiast, you will also appreciate their collection of South Africa Cycad plants—the largest and most diverse private collection.

34. Find your way through giant mazes

If you are traveling with children, this is a great activity. Using a quiz, you try to find your way through the mazes.

35. Go birding at the Florence Bloom Bird Sanctuary

This is a 7,5-ha bird sanctuary with more than 250 bird species recorded over 40 years. It is the oldest existing bird sanctuary in Johannesburg. If you are a birder, you will enjoy the tranquility as you listen to the sound of the birds.

36. Take an airboat ride on the Crocodile River

This is a bit of a drive out of Johannesburg, but it’s a popular leisure getaway for Joburg and Pretoria’s city dwellers. Tourists are welcome to enjoy the water sports.

37. Visit a Game reserve

South Africa is known for its Safaris, particularly those at Kruger National Park. However, Jozi has its share of game reserves too where you can go on guided safaris or self-drive safaris. Game reserves around Johannesburg include the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, Madikwe Game reserve, Dinokeng Game Reserve, Miki Private Game Reserve, etc.

38. Bungee jump from the Soweto Towers

If you are an adrenaline junky, you’re going to love this. Apart from bungee jumping, they also have base jumping, straight-jacket bungee jumping, wall climbing, paintball, and SCAD freefall, which is an unattached but controlled free fall. If adrenalin is not really your thing, you could simply go up to get a 360-degree view of Soweto.

39. Enjoy a hike through the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve

The Melville Koppies is a lovingly maintained Johannesburg City Heritage Site. It is a beautiful, unspoiled nature reserve that is popular amongst hikers and birders. It offers great views of Johannesburg and many points of interest that nature lovers will appreciate! The Melville Koppies also contains an archaeological site.

40. Croc City Crocodile & Reptile Park

This reptile park focuses on the conservation of indigenous reptiles. Crocodiles are bred here but you will also find tarantulas, tortoises, alligators, exotic reptiles, and indigenous snakes that are rescued or donated to the park.

41. Go ice skating at the Northgate Ice Rink

With South Africa’s climate being relatively mild, you may be surprised to know that Johannesburg has an ice rink. It’s a fun activity for those looking for something different to do.

42. Go hiking at Magaliesburg

Magaliesburg is just over an hour from Jozi. Primarily used for hiking and walking, the Magaliesberg hiking trail is a 5.2 mile lightly trafficked trail with beautiful wildflowers and views. It is suited for all skill levels.

43. Explore the Oppenheimer Gardens

The Oppenheimer Gardens (in Soweto) is a unique park that mixes history, art, nature, and African art. This is a wooded park where the trees attract a large and diverse collection of birds. There is also a large variety of herbs, succulents, and plants like aloe and wild olive that are used by traditional healers. (The Credo Mutwa village (mentioned above) is inside the Oppenheimer Gardens.

44. Roll down a hill in a giant ball