Innercity Walking Tour
Description
The Inner City Urban Hiking Tour combines walking and the use of safe public transport to provide a structured tour of the City’s best kept secrets. The tour passes some of the City’s most magnificent heritage sites, offering a complete cultural mix and in doing so, exposes parts of the city that most people are reluctant to visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Maboneng meaning “Place of Light” is a fitting name for a district that has fast become a center of the creative energy for Johannesburg’s urban artists, designers and entrepreneurs. Only a few years ago, this inner-city neighborhood was largely viewed as a no-go zone due to urban decay. Today, as the result of plan to place art at the center of the revitalization efforts in Johannesburg, the now popular Maboneng cultural precinct is living up to name as the “Place Of Light” and drawing tourists from aroundthe world eager to be witness and be part of this transformation.
One of the oldest markets in Johannesburg. Once an old horse stable, now houses over 176 market stall, with traditional medicines, African attires, beaded items, artefacts, walking sticks and craft works. A truly hidden treasure and an authentically genuine place to buy souvenirs to take back home.
We visit the largest second hand bookstore in the Southern hemisphere. There are books stacked everywhere in this 8 storey building, plus LPs, maps, porcelain &postcards
Built between 1969 until 1976 by the American architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The Carlton Centre is a skyscraper with a panoramic views of the City of gold. At 223 meters above Johannesburg we will narate the history of the city, from the gold rush in 1886, to the urban decline in the late 80s and 90s and now the re-birth of the city centre.
Remember the lawyer? Gandhi Square, is named after Mahatma Gandhi the Indian leader and human rights activist, who spent 21years in South Africa and had his law firm in downtown Johannesburg.
A walk through the Main Street mining district towards Chancellor’s House. In the 1950s, the humble 3-storey Chancellor House was home to Mandela and Tambo Attorneys where they set South Africa’s first black-owned law firm. Opposite the old law firm now stands “The Shadow Boxing Sculpture” designed by artist Marcos Cianfanelli based on a famous Bob Gosani image of young Mandela boxing.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(47)
Kaiser was a wonderful guide, sharing all his knowledge of the city. We had lots of laughs and he made me feel very safe.I would highly recommend him as a guide. Well worth taking this tour. I thoroughly enjoyed it. One thing that was rather annoying is that I ended up waiting an hour for the tour to start since there was a shortage of tour guides. However, they apologized and all ended up fine.
I visited the Maboneng district, the Johannesburg's most "hipster, creative and colored" area, according to my amazing guide ! I saw a lots of beautiful street arts, and the HallMark building, which offers a 360° view of Johannesburg. Thank you to my guide Kaiser, the best in town !
This walking tour starts and ends in Maboneng and takes about 4 hours - but the time flies by. Kaiser was an excellent and fun guide who took us through the developing "hip" streets of Maboneng to the City Centre and on to New Town and Market Square. Saw interesting street art, enjoyed great views of the city, Nelson Mandela's old law office and were told about the city's history, apartheid and liberation. A great way to see the city.. Would.highly recommend this tour which also supports a youth employment program- Joburg tourist ambassadors. Learned a lot about the experiences and aspirations of young South Africans speaking.to them. Don't.miss it if you are in Johannesburg
Kaiser was an amazing and knowledgeable tour guide! I learned so much, and I was able to see parts of the city that I didn't see on my previous visit.
For someone who grew up in Johannesburg and has lived overseas for many years, a walk through the inner city was the perfect way to see how things have changed. Arriving with warnings from locals ringing in my ears, i was anxious, but our guide, Ikoh, put us - me and two family members who live in Johannesburg- at ease from the start. A second guide followed behind. We felt safe at all times. Seeing Maboneng, learning how the rejuvenation of the area started and is continuing, was eye-opening. Venturing into the CBD, past the offices of Anglo American and the old Carlton Hotel, and seeing where Mandela and Thambo worked all added to the experience. I recommend this walking tour to locals, who will be surprised by what they see. Visitors from overseas will be fascinated by this walking tour.
I had a great walking tour of Johannesburg with Ikoh. He was exceptional. The tour started in the creative hub of town called Maboneng. The other guests and I learned about its unique character and from there walked through the hustle and bustle of the CBD. We had a short stop at a cafe and ended the tour at the west end of downtown next to the Mining District at Mandela’s former law firm. I learned so much from this tour: the history of the city, its challenges and how it has evolved to the present. The tour was informative, safe, and eye-opening. Go ahead and book this tour. You will love it and leave the tour with a deep appreciation of Johannesburg!
I did this tour with Curiocity backpackers hostel, the guide who brought me is kaiza. A very nice and detailed person with a funny attitude. This tour in my opinion is very important to know all the fundamental aspects to understand how it was built.
Very thorough guide throughout the golden triangle of the city, rich in information and culture this is a must do tour. -sam
Such a nice tour with a thrue local guide. He will give u a lot of fun and hystorcal facts. You really feel secure and confortable.
It was amazing the experience of learning about Maboneng walking around the neighborhood. The arts are very beautiful. Kaizer is an excellent guide and the experience will be even better.
