Hartbeespoort Dam tour: Cable car and boat cruise

Ride the cable car over the dam, spot giraffes and zebras from above, then cruise the water below

A private tour from Johannesburg to Hartbeespoort Dam combines a visit to the Snake and Animal Park, a boat cruise across the dam passing Kosmos Village, an aerial cable car ride with views of giraffes, zebras and antelopes, and a stop at the Upside Down House. Hotel pickup and drop-off, transport, cable car entry and bottled water are included. The tour takes around five hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hartbeespoort Dam and Magaliesberg Tour

• Pick up from your location
• Travel to Hartbeespoort via Lanseria Airport
• Pass Lion Park and Lesedi Cultural Village
• Drive past Hartbeespoort Dam and dam wall
• Visit Snake and Animal Park to see reptiles and wildlife
• Boat cruise on Hartbeespoort Dam
• Arrive at Aerial Cableway Hartbeespoort
• Take cable car to top and view nature reserve
• Spot giraffes, zebras, and antelopes
• Dine or drink at Lookout Bar
• Walk along The Dassie Walk
• Take cable car back down
• Visit Upside Down House and explore
• Return to drop off location

The experience

You're picked up from your Johannesburg hotel and driven northwest toward the dam, passing Lanseria Airport and skirting Lion Park and Lesedi Cultural Village on the way. The Hartbeespoort Dam itself (built in 1921 and once the largest in the Southern Hemisphere) cuts through the Magaliesberg Mountains with a wall 149.5 meters long and 59.4 meters high. The scale of it becomes clear as you approach.

At the Snake and Animal Park, you walk through enclosures to see South African reptiles, crocodiles and turtles alongside Cape Vultures, African hunting dogs and chimpanzees, plus the blue crane, the country's national bird. Then you board a boat for a 25-minute cruise across the dam itself, passing the Caribbean estate and Sandy Lane golf course, heading toward Kosmos Village and the dam wall, looping past The Islands before returning to harbor. From the water, the Magaliesberg ridgeline frames everything.

The cable car at Hartbeespoort takes you 149 meters up in a single ride. From the top, a nature reserve spreads below. You'll spot giraffes, zebras and antelopes grazing. A 1,200-meter walkway called The Dassie Walk lets you move along the ridge, and the Lookout Bar overlooks the eastern region if you want to sit with a drink. On the way down, the view reverses. Before heading back to Johannesburg, you stop at the Upside Down House, where all the furniture hangs from the ceiling and guests can photograph the disorienting interior.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Johannesburg location.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full tour.
• bottled mineral water.
• entrance ticket to the Aerial Cableway Hartbeespoort.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 6.03

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Kasi Africa Safari & Tours

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup means you don't need a car or arrange your own transport from Johannesburg, and the five-hour loop fits a free afternoon without eating into a full day elsewhere in the city.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What animals will I see at the Snake and Animal Park on this tour?

The Snake and Animal Park holds South African reptiles including snakes, crocodiles and turtles, plus Cape Vultures, African hunting dogs, chimpanzees and the blue crane, South Africa's national bird.

How long is the boat cruise on Hartbeespoort Dam?

The boat cruise lasts 25 minutes and travels from Kommandonek across the dam, passing the Caribbean estate and Sandy Lane golf course, then heads to Kosmos Village and the dam wall, looping past The Islands before returning to the harbor.

What can I do at the top of the cable car?

At the top, you can spot giraffes, zebras and antelopes in the nature reserve below, walk the 1,200-meter Dassie Walk along the ridge, dine at one of several restaurants, or have a drink at the Lookout Bar, which offers views of the eastern region.

Is the Upside Down House included in this tour?

The Upside Down House is a stop on the tour where you can explore the interior with all furniture mounted on the ceiling and take photographs, though entry is not included in the base tour price.

When was Hartbeespoort Dam built and how large is it?

Hartbeespoort Dam was built in 1921 and was the largest dam in the Southern Hemisphere at that time. The dam wall stands 149.5 meters long and 59.4 meters high, cut through the Magaliesberg Mountains.