Johannesburg & Apartheid Museum Tour: City History & Gold Reef

Walk through South Africa's journey to democracy, then stand inside the gold rush that built a city.

A guided tour of Johannesburg covering four and a half hours of the city's history, architecture and museums. You visit Constitution Hill, a former prison now home to South Africa's highest court; drive through Newtown and Marshalltown, the mining hub of the gold rush; and finish at Gold Reef City and the Apartheid Museum. A live English-speaking guide leads the tour with hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, bottled water and all fees included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Constitution Hill1h · entry included
2. Newtown10m
3. Gold Reef Citypass by
4. Apartheid Museum2h · entry included

Explore Johannesburg history and culture

• Visit Constitution Hill prison and court
• Drive through Bramfontein and Newtown
• Stop at Marshalltown mining hub
• Drive to Gold Reef City
• Visit Apartheid Museum

The experience

What makes Johannesburg's story stick is that you see it in layers. Constitution Hill tells you where the country came from: a prison that held political prisoners and now holds the Constitutional Court, the seat of South Africa's highest law. From there the tour moves through Bramfontein and Newtown, neighborhoods where the guide points out the architecture and explains how the city actually lived. Marshalltown was the mining hub during the gold rush, the reason Johannesburg exists at all, and you drive through it to understand the scale of what happened there.

Gold Reef City sits at the end of the morning, a recreation of the mining town built around the actual shafts and history. Then you move into the Apartheid Museum, where the events of apartheid in South Africa are laid out in detail. The whole day runs four and a half hours, which is enough to hit the main sites without a sprint. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle, water is provided, and the guide speaks English throughout. Hotel pickup is included, so the logistics are already settled.

What’s included

• The tour includes a live English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water.
• and all entry fees and taxes to the Apartheid Museum and Gold Reef City.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 14:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Under 12: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 13

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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Tsalanang Tours

Is this one for you?The tour runs four and a half hours with walking at each stop but no strenuous hiking or water entry, so it suits most fitness levels. The pace is set by the guide and the group moves together, which means you follow the itinerary rather than choosing your own stops.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

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 is Constitution Hill and why does the tour start there?

Constitution Hill was built as a prison and held political prisoners during South Africa's apartheid era. Today it is home to the Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, and the tour begins there because the building itself tells the story of the journey to democracy: the same walls that confined prisoners now house the law that freed them.

Does the tour include entry fees to the museums and Gold Reef City?

Yes, all fees and taxes are included in the tour price, so entry to the Apartheid Museum and Gold Reef City is covered. You do not pay separately at either site.

What is Marshalltown and why is it on the route?

Marshalltown was the mining hub of Johannesburg during the gold rush and the reason the city exists. The tour drives through it so you can see the scale and location of the mining operations that built the City of Gold.

Is there a minimum age for this tour?

Yes, the minimum age is 12 years old. Children under that age are not able to join the tour.