Again we found ourselves on route further north of Johannesburg city centre, this time to Dunkled West where the Backpackers Ritz is situated. This unbelievable mansion set upon a wonderful little koppie is just beautiful. With a lovely huge garden and plenty of room and a couple of crazy huge dorms it’s a fantastic place.
Along with these huge circular dorms there is a lovely quaint little bar situated a little underground. It’s a lovely place to escape to for a refreshing drink when the sun gets a bit too warm.
All in all there are a total of 88 beds and in my opinion this would be the most ideal location for any group to stay. With a beautiful blue pool and a breath taking view of the city and all the facilities you could possibly need its perfect. There are plenty of exciting places to visit in this area, including great clubs and bars and some out of this world shopping opportunities such as the Rosebank roof top market.
A little further back up Jan Smuts Avenue is Africa’s Zoo Lodge. This property is a typical old Johannesburg home with wooden floors and some delightful decoration. With a cosy lounge area and pool table and ample room it’s a fine choice.
As mentioned before it is situated on Jan Smuts Avenue which allows one great access to a variety of fantastic clubs, pubs, bars and restaurants, not to mention it’s conveniently located near to two great shopping malls.
This property has a fantastic huge pool with a large patio next to it where you can enjoy the sun and relax while smelling the fantastic scent of the regular braai’s.
Johannesburg is definitely a place one should visit at least once, however when doing so make sure your trip is carefully planned as the city is beautiful and full of character but there is still very much an element of crime within the capital so one should always be aware. There are many great tour operators which can ensure you safety by escorting you from destination to destination with street smart tour guides. One great tour company that is definitely worth a mention is the Baz Bus. Their service allows you to travel all over the country at your own pace but with the knowledge that you are in experienced and safe hands.
Whether you visit Johannesburg whilst en-route to Cape Town or just before you fly back home make sure you visit the Apartheid Museum and the new city centre and see the Nelson Mandela Bridge as well as the beautiful statue of Madiba at Sandton Square in Johannesburg.
After all the visits around the city it was time for me to pack up my things and head to the airport myself to fly back to London. From the beautiful warm weather in South Africa to the now very cold UK it was a bit of shock to the system when I arrived back. More than anything though it was sad to say goodbye to my parents and friends back in Johannesburg but no doubt I will be visiting again in the not too distant future.
Having arrived in Johannesburg just in time to spend the weekend with my friends I awoke on Monday morning feeling a little fragile from all the eating and drinking that happened over the weekend. I had not been back to South Africa for some time and indeed having not been back to Johannesburg I was very excited to spend a few days there catching up with friends and family while visiting a couple of hostels.
So on Monday morning I set off to visit Emerald Backpackers which is conveniently situated directly next to O R Thambo International Airport. This is a lovely typically South African home which was clean and tidy as well as full of character.
With a lovely dinning area and two swimming pools it’s got a lot of space to sit and relax and enjoy a braai and soak up the South African sun.
The next property I needed to visit was in walking distance of the first one. Just around the corner on Mohawk Road. Owned and run by Gerhard this place offers a laid back experience for its visitors.
Airport Backpackers boasts a beautiful big pool, a stunning thatched area where you can sit and enjoy a variety of games and activities as well as a custom made jungle gym/viewing point which overlooks the runway of the airport so you have a perfect spot to watching the aeroplanes come and go.
There are plans to build on to this property as well as create a designated area for those who would prefer to camp. Rooms and spacious and clean and everything you could possibly need during your stay is available. A variety of tours and trips can also be booked at reception.
All in all a fantastic property that is wonderfully well kept and incredibly central.
Heading nothern Johannesburg
Next up we headed to the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. There are a number of properties along Jan Smuts Avenue but to begin with we went to see Sleek Hostel.
This property is undergoing a major overhaul so it was difficult to see its real charm amongst all the building works. With a large number and variety of rooms it caters for all groups however it is very basic. It does however have a lovely outside area with swimming pool and thatched patio so there is plenty of room to lounge around in the warm South African sun.
The staff at Sleek Hostel were warm and friendly and eager to please and very happy to have us visit.
A little further back up Jan Smuts Avenue is Africa’s Zoo Lodge. This property is a typical old Johannesburg home with wooden floors and some delightful decoration. With a cosy lounge area and pool table and ample room it’s a fine choice.
As mentioned before it is situated on Jan Smuts Avenue which allows one great access to a variety of fantastic clubs, pubs, bars and restaurants, not to mention it’s conveniently located near to two great shopping malls.
This property has a fantastic huge pool with a large patio next to it where you can enjoy the sun and relax while smelling the fantastic scent of the regular braai’s.
We headed now to an area called Craighall which is in Sandton. This beautiful little suburb is the ideal spot to stay if you are after a quiet and relaxed atmosphere. Among the beautiful homes you will find the Waterfall Cottages.
On our arrival we met with the lovely Sally Hudson who is the owner of the property. Each cottage is really beautiful and unique and very spacious. Tastefully decorated and cosy you can’t help forget you away from home when staying there.
I would highly recommend this property to anyone specifically those travelling with children. With vast and lovely lush gardens surrounding each cottage it is truly a beautiful little place.
Following on from there we visited the area known as Kensington. Very centrally located and with the most incredible view over the city the Diamond Diggers Backpackers is a great choice.
Set in a very hilly and vibrant part of Johannesburg this hostel offers everything you could ever need. Possibly my favourite hostel out of all that I visited. This property boasts an incredible variety of rooms and different sections to the house. There is an awesome bar with a Jacuzzi built right next to it and this entertainment room has tons of character.
The staff are really easy going and loads of fun so it’s a great choice if you are looking to have a bit of fun while visiting.
Again we found ourselves on route further north of Johannesburg city centre, this time to Dunkled West where the Backpackers Ritz is situated. This unbelievable mansion set upon a wonderful little koppie is just beautiful. With a lovely huge garden and plenty of room and a couple of crazy huge dorms it’s a fantastic place.
Along with these huge circular dorms there is a lovely quaint little bar situated a little underground. It’s a lovely place to escape to for a refreshing drink when the sun gets a bit too warm.
All in all there are a total of 88 beds and in my opinion this would be the most ideal location for any group to stay. With a beautiful blue pool and a breath taking view of the city and all the facilities you could possibly need its perfect. There are plenty of exciting places to visit in this area, including great clubs and bars and some out of this world shopping opportunities such as the Rosebank rooftop market.
