Explore Johannesburg's Amazing Skyline
Johannesburg isn’t your conventional travel destination. The city is landlocked, lacking the sea as a drawcard, and doesn’t have a prominent natural wonder like Cape Town’s Table Mountain. What the city does have though is its stunning skyline.
Jo’burg sits atop one of the world’s largest gold deposits, and the city above the ground was built to match the riches below it. At the height of the gold boom, in the mid-to-late 20th century, skyscrapers sprouted like weeds across the city. To this day, all of Africa’s tallest buildings stand in Jo’burg.
And since the city is surrounded by ridges, the skyline takes on different configurations depending on which part of the city you’re standing in. Here’s a quick tour of Joburg’s most prominent skyscrapers.
Ponte City Apartments
Building
Hillbrow Tower
Building, Architectural Landmark
Undoubtedly the most recognisable tower in Joburg, the Hillbrow Tower, also known as the Telkom Tower, has been closed to the public for the past 40 years. Although not technically a building, this telephone tower is the tallest structure in Africa at 269 metres (883ft). The Hillbrow Tower once had a revolving restaurant at the top, but the restaurant was closed in 1981 due to safety concerns and has never re-opened. Today, the Hillbrow Tower can only be admired from the outside as part of the iconic Joburg skyline.
The Leonardo
Building, Architectural Landmark
The brand-new Leonardo – a skyscraper consisting of hotel rooms, offices, apartments, shops and a posh restaurant called Aurum – surpassed the Carlton Centre as Africa’s tallest building in 2019. At 55 storeys and 234 metres (768ft) tall, the Leonardo looms far above all the other surrounding buildings in Sandton – a northern suburb that has become the centre of Joburg’s financial and high-end retail industries. While the view from the top of the Leonardo is impressive, it doesn’t have the same drama as the views from the Carlton and Ponte City, which are surrounded by a sea of other tall buildings. Nonetheless, if you score an invitation to one of the Leonardo’s ridiculously luxurious penthouse apartments, you should absolutely accept.
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meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.
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Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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