City Sightseeing Bus, Johannesburg

One of Johannesburg's open-top City Sightseeing buses.

© Darling Lama Productions

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Perhaps you are already familiar with the cheerful City Sightseeing open-top red buses that take visitors around nearly 100 cities all over the world on six continents?

These open-top bus tours are now in Johannesburg, running all day, every day, with on-board commentary, 12 fascinating stops and easy access to all the attractions.

Although all the stops are very worthwhile, there are some that are absolute musts for visitors.

From the Top of Africa you’ll get stunning panoramic views of Johannesburg and beyond. The spacious wraparound viewing deck is on the top floor of the 50-storey, 223m-high Carlton Centre, Africa's highest building.

If vintage cars and land transport vehicles of all types are your thing, then you’ll be fascinated by the James Hall Museum of Transport, showcasing historic vehicles from ox-wagons, horse-drawn carriages, trams, trolleys and steam trains to Johannesburg’s very first car – a sexy green 1900 Clement-Panhard.

You’ll be poignantly reminded of South Africa's oppressive and turbulent past at the Apartheid Museum, where you’ll be taken on an emotional roller coaster ride through the oppressive state-sanctioned system, and the bitter struggle to overthrow it.

If you want to delve into the beginnings of the human race, then the Origins Centre, at the University of the Witwatersrand, is the place to spend time. It’s also child-friendly and explains our origins in a user-friendly and comprehensive way. Check out the bookshop and great little café.

And there’s still eight more stops to explore!