Johannesburg
South Africa's biggest city, with powerful history museums and the gateway to safaris.
Find flights to Johannesburg
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What Johannesburg is like
Johannesburg is South Africa's biggest city, a busy, creative place with powerful history museums and a growing food and arts scene. It's also the gateway to safaris in and around Kruger.
Don't miss
- 01Apartheid MuseumA moving and essential museum.
- 02SowetoVilakazi Street and the Mandela House.
- 03Constitution HillA former prison, now home to the Constitutional Court.
- 04MabonengA neighbourhood of galleries and cafés.
Where to stay
- Rosebank or SandtonSafer, upmarket areas with good transport.
- MelvilleGuesthouses and restaurants.
Worth knowing
Soweto's Vilakazi Street was home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners: Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
Cradle of Humankind: where our ancestors' fossils were found
Photo: Olga Ernst · CC BY-SA 4.0
A UNESCO site of caves where some of the oldest human ancestor fossils were found, with a museum at Maropeng.
Direct flights to Johannesburg from the UK
| From | Airlines | Months with flights | Distance | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | British Airways · Virgin Atlantic | All year | 5,639 mi | Fares → |
From the airlines' and Heathrow Airport's own timetables for October 2026 to September 2027. Pick an airport to see the exact days.
Weather in Johannesburg by month
Average daytime highs. The warmest months are January, February, December.
| Month | Day | Night | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 15° | 10 |
| February | 26° | 15° | 8 |
| March | 24° | 13° | 8 |
| April | 22° | 11° | 5 |
| May | 20° | 8° | 2 |
| June | 17° | 5° | 1 |
| July | 16° | 4° | 0 |
| August | 20° | 6° | 1 |
| September | 24° | 10° | 2 |
| October | 25° | 12° | 7 |
| November | 25° | 13° | 10 |
| December | 26° | 14° | 13 |
Long-term averages from the national weather service's station record, as compiled on Wikipedia (Johannesburg). A rainy day has at least 1mm of rain.
Before you go
- You can visit visa-free for up to 90 days.
- Your passport must expire at least 30 days after you plan to leave and have 2 blank pages.
- Children under 18 may be asked for extra documents, such as a birth certificate: check the rules before you travel.
From the Foreign Office's South Africa travel advice, checked on 16 October 2026. Rules change, so check it before you travel.