Heading to Johannesburg soon for business? If you have a few hours (or days!) to spare, there are many exciting ways to fill them! Here are a few of our top picks for bleisure* activities that will give you a true taste of eGoli, place of gold.
If you're seriously short on time, your best bet is to get something really good and authentic to eat. E.g. boerewors, umngqusho (slow-cooked sugar beans with samp), homemade tomato gravy and chakalaka at the Lucky Bean in Melville; Bunny chow at The Hill Cafe in Braamfontein; lamb potjie at Vuyo's restaurant in Soweto that overlooks the bustle of the township, etc. TOP TIP: If you want to find out where the real Johannesburgers eat, don't ask the concierge - ask your hotel porter...
Go on a walking tour of Johannesburg with a cultural guide who will be able to take you into the thick of things, without straying into any areas that may be unsafe. Flitting from one attraction to the next in a vehicle will get you more pictures in front of renowned landmarks, but taking to the city streets on foot will allow you to immerse yourself in the inimitable vibe of its people. Seeing, hearing (even smelling), a place in this way is a surefire way to get a true taste of its zeitgeist. Alternatively, book an adventure encounter or see a show - they key is to go beyond the hotel walls and drink it all in.
Get yourself packed up and shipped out to a game viewing area, STAT! Johannesburg is situated within striking distance Mafikeng Game Reserve, with its white rhinos and giraffes; Welgevonden Private Game Reserve that showcases over 50 mammal species (including the Big 5!); Dinokeng Game Reserve on the outskirts of Pretoria that has over 40 lodges to choose from; and Pilanesberg National Park that straddles the transition between the Lowveld and the Kalahari, making for an unbeatable array of habitats and wildlife sightings. That is just to mention a few - there are many others besides. In short, if you have a few days to spare, you don't have any excuse - get out there and experience SA's astounding fauna and flora.
These are just a few of the fun ways you can spend any free time you may have in Johannesburg, South Africa. Happy travellers are productive travellers, so if you'd like to learn more about the many ways in which you can incentivise your staff, or improve your own journeys, feel free to get in touch with the TravelManor team. We're a passionate bunch of corporate travel planners who go out of our way to ensure that all of our clients enjoy fuss-free, rewarding travel experiences whenever they jet off for work.
*Bleisure is an industry portmanteau that combines the terms ‘business’ and ‘leisure’. It is used to describe a trip that alternates between business responsibilities and relaxation (both in between corporate engagements, or after the business portion of the trip is over, before heading home).
