Johannesburg Walking Tour

Duration: 10am - 1:30pm (3.5 hrs)

Location: Inner City Johannesburg: Marshalltown, Chinatown, Newtown

Tickets

R 650.00pp

per person

Mon, Wed, Fri

*Also available by appointment on a day/time of your choosing i.e. contact us to check availability!

Meet/End:

Sadie's Bistro
69 Main Street, Marshalltown, Johannesburg, 2107

Distance: 3 - 3.5km

We start/end at the same place!


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A walk through the heart of the city i.e. history, people, culture etc.!

MON, WED, FRI
(or appointment!)

  • Immerse yourself into the vibrant, diverse and lively heart of the inner city i.e. culture, history, people, stories, challenges, successes
  • Follow the city's growth from a small mining town in 1886 to the bustling metropolis it is today
  • Get a feel of the incredibly diverse street culture found on every block of the city i.e. each block of the city is different to the other!
  • Learn about how the city's demographics have changed over time as a reflection of a shift in attitude towards the inner city by the youth
  • Come see why we think that "Joburg/Jozi" - as locals call it - is the coolest city in the world!

This is a Walking Tour (3 - 4km round trip) Bring comfortable working shoes!

Photos allowed on this tour i.e. with phone or camera! (Please be respectful when taking pictures!)

Guides will explain all safety guidelines at the start of the tour!

We encourage guests to ask questions on the tour to help you better understand the city!

We meet at Sadie’s Bistro in Marshalltown – a family-owned and run inner city café situated right where the City of Johannesburg started in 1886!

While at Sadie’s, we learn about the early history of Johannesburg and use the old artefacts, pictures and memorabilia to highlight how the City ONLY started as a result of the discovery of gold and how quickly it developed in the coming years.

From Sadie’s, we walk down Main Street, taking in all the mining history and the impact it had on the development of not only Johannesburg, but South Africa as a whole i.e. the discovery of Gold in Johannesburg, fundamentally changed society and the socio-economic structures of Black African and migrant communities all across the country!

As we walk down Fox Street, we eventually end up outside the old law offices of Mandela and Tambo at Chancellor House – one of the only Black-owned and run law firms of the time – where we learn about the interesting factors that led both gentlemen to take up law studies even though it was neither of their first choices…it’s quite an interesting story!

We then slowly meander through Diagonal street, taking in the old Colonial architecture and learning about how the area was once an “Indian” district, before forced removals in the 50s/60s broke up this once thriving community of entrepreneurs as part of the “Group Areas Act” set of laws during Apartheid…it’s fascinating to see how the area has somewhat returned to it’s roots as a small but culturally-prominent district for “Indian/Asian” business again!

The last stretch of this walk leads us through the Kerk Street Market where we see traders of all types selling all sorts of goods such as food, clothing, shoes, gadgets etc. encapsulating the spirit of the types of markets found in all African cities…it’s quite the sight to behold!

Before returning to our end point, we walk through Gandhi Square and learn about Gandhi’s 21-year stay in South Africa and some of his more controversial views on race and class in relation to “Indians vs Africans” and “Upper Class Indians vs Lower Class Indians”…young Gandhi in Johannesburg (1893 – 1921) was very different to the older and more mature Gandhi who helped India achieve their independence in 1947

All-in-all, this Tour is about giving you a sense of the history and story of Johannesburg from it’s humble beginnings as a small mining town to the bustling metropolis it is today and all the factors it had to contend with along this journey…

And as we describe it, the quintessential city of Migrants!

Where we go to!

Marshalltown

The oldest part of the City with old buildings and memorabilia dating back to the origins and early days of Johannesburg in 1886!

Gandhi Sqaure

Named after Mahatma Gandhi who had a law office here in the early 1900s - these days it's the main bus depot of the City

Kerk Street Market

This buzzing fresh produce, food and clothing market on Kerk Street is a fantastic hub of activity in the city - get some fresh avocados or strawberries here too!

Diagonal Street + Mandela and Tambo Attorneys

Once one of the City's most fashionable streets and next to Mandela and Tambo's old law firm, today it's a mix of traditional medicine providers, textile merchants and apartments!

Newtown

The home of Arts & Culture in the City - these days its home to a museum, theatre, festival and some of the best Graffiti in the City

Have questions? Here's the most frequently asked.

Is there parking available?

We only have secure parking for the following tours:

Johannesburg Skate Tour

Johannesburg Graffiti & Street Art Tour

Braamfontein Street Art and Culture Tour

Maboneng Street Art and Culture Tour

For all other tours, there is street parking available but used entirely at your own risk. Please let us know beforehand if you plan on coming with your own vehicle so we can sort out safer parking spots for you.

NB!

We highly recommend guests use e-hailing services to and from tours so you don’t have to worry about parking and the safety of your vehicle!

Are children allowed?

For Skateboarding Tours –

Children are allowed BUT must be accompanied by an adult (over 18) for the full duration of the tour.

We recommend the Maboneng Skate Tour for families with children under 14 years old – it’s shorter and roads are quieter on weekends (SAT – SUN).

Chidlren under the age of 5 years old are not recommended on these tours – however, if they can skate already then they’ll be fine!

 

For All Other Tours – Graffiti & Street Art Tours, Walking Tours

Children are allowed but must be accompanied by an adult (over 18) for the full duration of the tour.

Are bathrooms available during the tour?

For Skate Tours –

Bathrooms are available at the start, middle and end of these tours!

 

For Graffiti, Street Art & Walking Tours –

Bathrooms are available at the start, middle and end of these tours!

What do we do in case of bad weather?

Skateboarding Tours –

These are heavily weather dependent meaning that if its raining and the roads are too wet, these tour can be either postponed (to a later time or date) or cancelled.

In the case of a cancellation, guests have the option to postpone their tour to another date or request a refund!

Graffiti & Street Art, Walking Tours –

Unless there’s lightning and heavy rain, these tours will not be affected by the weather!

 

We encourage guests to check the weather conditions prior to coming on the tour.

Do you support corporate, or private events?

Yes, we definitely offer private and custom bookings to suit your needs.

We can do…

Birthdays, Corporate Immersions, School Groups, Private Groups,

Still have questions?   Visit our FAQ page to submit your own

"...this was a really great way of experiencing Johannesburg. It felt really safe and we learnt so much. Recommended..."

Silje - Oslo, Norway

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