Day trips

The 14 Best Day Trips from Johannesburg

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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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.

Day trips from Johannesburg at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Pretoria53 km N1 hrHalf-day trip
Soweto20 km W30 minHalf-day trip
Soshanguve81 km N1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
Evaton42 km SW50 minHalf-day trip
Benoni28 km E40 minHalf-day trip
Thembisa29 km NE45 minHalf-day trip
Vereeniging54 km S1 hrHalf-day trip
Boksburg22 km E35 minHalf-day trip
Krugersdorp30 km NW35 minHalf-day trip
Rustenburg100 km NW1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
Emalahleni124 km E1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Diepsloot30 km N35 minHalf-day trip
Brakpan33 km E40 minHalf-day trip
Vanderbijlpark60 km S1 hr 10 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Johannesburg

  1. 1

    Pretoria, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car53 km north of Johannesburg2 hr round trip

    Known for Paul Kruger Statue.

  2. 2

    Soweto, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 30 min by car20 km west of Johannesburg1 hr round trip

    Known for Ghandi Tolstoy Farm.

    Also nearby: Roodepoort.

  3. 3

    Soshanguve, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car81 km north of Johannesburg2 hr 30 min round trip

    Known for Crater Viewpoint.

  4. 4

    Evaton, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 50 min by car42 km south-west of Johannesburg1 hr 40 min round trip
  5. 5

    Benoni, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car28 km east of Johannesburg1 hr 20 min round trip
  6. 6

    Thembisa, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 45 min by car29 km north-east of Johannesburg1 hr 30 min round trip
  7. 7

    Vereeniging, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car54 km south of Johannesburg2 hr round trip
  8. 8

    Boksburg, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car22 km east of Johannesburg1 hr 10 min round trip
  9. 9

    Krugersdorp, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car30 km north-west of Johannesburg1 hr 10 min round trip
  10. 10

    Rustenburg, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car100 km north-west of Johannesburg3 hr 10 min round trip
  11. 11

    Emalahleni, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car124 km east of Johannesburg3 hr 50 min round trip
  12. 12

    Diepsloot, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car30 km north of Johannesburg1 hr 10 min round trip
  13. 13

    Brakpan, South Africa

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car33 km east of Johannesburg1 hr 20 min round trip
  14. 14

    Vanderbijlpark, South Africa

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 10 min by car60 km south of Johannesburg2 hr 20 min round trip

A sample day trip: Johannesburg to Pretoria

A realistic pace for Pretoria, 53 km from Johannesburg. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Johannesburg
  2. 09:30Arrive in Pretoria (1 hr drive)
  3. 09:45Paul Kruger Statue
  4. 11:45Lunch
  5. 13:00Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Pretoria
  6. 15:30Head back to Johannesburg
  7. 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.
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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