The 14 Best Day Trips from Johannesburg
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 14 good day trips from Johannesburg, South Africa, led by Pretoria, Soweto, Soshanguve. The closest is Soweto, about 30 min by car, and 10 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 14 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Johannesburg
- 1
Pretoria, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car53 km north of JohannesburgKnown for Paul Kruger Statue.
- 2
Soweto, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 30 min by car20 km west of JohannesburgKnown for Ghandi Tolstoy Farm.
- 3
Soshanguve, South Africa
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car81 km north of JohannesburgKnown for Crater Viewpoint.
- 4
Evaton, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 50 min by car42 km south-west of Johannesburg - 5
Benoni, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car28 km east of Johannesburg - 6
Thembisa, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 45 min by car29 km north-east of Johannesburg - 7
Vereeniging, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car54 km south of Johannesburg - 8
Boksburg, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 35 min by car22 km east of Johannesburg - 9
Krugersdorp, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 35 min by car30 km north-west of Johannesburg - 10
Rustenburg, South Africa
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 35 min by car100 km north-west of Johannesburg - 11
Emalahleni, South Africa
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 55 min by car124 km east of Johannesburg - 12
Diepsloot, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 35 min by car30 km north of Johannesburg - 13
Brakpan, South Africa
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car33 km east of Johannesburg - 14
Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 10 min by car60 km south of Johannesburg
A sample day: Johannesburg to Pretoria
- 08:30Leave Johannesburg
- 09:30Arrive in Pretoria (1 hr drive)
- 09:45Paul Kruger Statue
- 11:45Lunch
- 13:00Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Pretoria
- 15:30Head back to Johannesburg
- 16:30Home in Johannesburg
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Johannesburg?
- The best day trips from Johannesburg are Pretoria, Soweto, Soshanguve, Evaton, Benoni. The closest is Soweto, about 30 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Johannesburg?
- Soweto is the closest, 20 km west of Johannesburg, roughly 30 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Johannesburg?
- 10 places are within about an hour's drive of Johannesburg: Soweto (30 min), Boksburg (35 min), Benoni (40 min), Thembisa (45 min), Krugersdorp (35 min), Diepsloot (35 min).
- What is the biggest city near Johannesburg for a day out?
- Pretoria is the largest city in day-trip range, 53 km north of Johannesburg and about 1 hr by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Johannesburg?
- For a weekend away from Johannesburg, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Emalahleni (124 km, 1 hr 55 min), Rustenburg (100 km, 1 hr 35 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Johannesburg?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Emalahleni at 124 km, around 1 hr 55 min by car.
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