Johannesburg: A holistic experience

Johannesburg, or Jo’Burg as it is popularly called, proudly stands as the focal point around which must of the African growth story revolves. There might be many warning signals and adages reminding about the high crime rates of the city, which is true to an extent, but what is also true is the fact that Johannesburg and its suburban areas have something for everybody, be it a cosmopolitan traveller or the neighbourhood hippie who has a thing for adventure. flights to johannesburg are available aplenty and you get some pretty awesome deals across the year which makes it very easy and affordable for anyone to make a dash to the growth gauntlet of Africa.

Let’s start off with the stuff Africa is known for amongst tourists. The closest wildlife safari to Jo’Burg is at the Lion Park, some 45 minutes away from the city. This is a place where you get a chance to be playful with the young lion cubs, feed some not-so-short giraffes and stoke some quirky meerkats. Though this place is desperate to get some maintenance of the tracks, tents and the reception, it was a good deal because the kids with us got to pat the cubs and get some good pictures clicked with them. Lion Park is a must visit for people who are in town and are short on time for an extended safari.

For the alpha male, we have the FNB stadium tours in Jo’Burg. This was a flagship stadium during the Football World Cup in 2010 and it has the capacity to hold close to 60,000 spectators in full flow. Guided tours are available during non-match days but we suggest that you should watch a native club game to absorb the intensity of the FNB stadia.rnIf you want to map the entire footing of the history of South Africa, a tour to the Johannesburg Fort is a must. There are hard hitting, poignant moments which have transpired in the fort and are etched for everyone to see. This fort served as an erstwhile prison and many a painful Pre-Apartheid prisoners were lodged here including the father of South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

There are many such points of interest in Jo’Burg. Though it is seen more of a vantage point to move on to other more touristy places in Africa like the Masai Mara in Kenya, Jo’Burg has a lot to offer in terms of nightlife, historical places and cultural treats. In the next few articles we would be talking about some of the other attractions which deserve a mention. In the meanwhile, you should start scouting for some of the many lucrative deals available on flights to Johannesburg and at least get this part of your trip sorted.