You don’t have to spend half your weekend on the N1 to get out of Johannesburg. These easy escapes are close enough for a Friday afternoon departure and far enough to feel like a proper break.
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If the city has started feeling a little too loud, there are plenty of places within roughly two hours of Johannesburg where the pace slows down considerably. Some are made for lazy lunches and long lie-ins, while others are better suited to hiking boots, game drives or a weekend spent beside the water.
Here are some of the weekend getaways from Johannesburg for your next short escape.
Magaliesburg
Drive time: about 1–1½ hours from Johannesburg
For a classic countryside escape, it is hard to go wrong with Magaliesburg. The Magaliesberg mountains stretch across the landscape here, with rocky cliffs, wooded kloofs, grasslands and bushveld creating the sort of scenery that makes the city feel a very long way away – even when it isn’t.
The area is particularly well suited to a weekend because you don’t have to plan every minute. Spend the morning hiking or mountain biking, linger over lunch at a country restaurant, browse farm stalls and small shops along the Magalies Meander, then retreat to a cottage or country hotel for the evening. There are also opportunities for horse riding, fishing, climbing, abseiling, canopy tours and hot-air ballooning.
For something more history-focused, the Cradle of Humankind is nearby, with the Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng offering a fascinating detour from the usual weekend activities.
Stay: Mount Grace Hotel & Spa is a longstanding luxury option, while Stone Hill Pet Friendly Boutique Self Catering Cottages suits those after a more private stay.
Hartbeespoort
Drive time: about 45 minutes to 1 hour
Known affectionately as Harties, Hartbeespoort is one of the easiest weekend escapes from Johannesburg. The town sits around Hartbeespoort Dam at the foot of the Magaliesberg, giving visitors a combination of water, mountain scenery, restaurants and outdoor activities without requiring a long road trip.
Start with a ride on the Harties Cableway for panoramic views over the dam and mountains, then spend the afternoon exploring the area’s restaurants, markets and attractions. Boat cruises and water sports are other options if you would rather be on the water than beside it.
Harties is also a good choice when everyone in your group wants something different. One person can book a spa treatment while another heads out for an activity, and everyone can regroup over dinner later.
Stay: Watershed Guest House is in Kosmos, while Hartbeespoort Dam Lodge offers another option close to the water.
Dinokeng Game Reserve
Drive time: about 1–1½ hours from Johannesburg
Want to go on safari without committing to a five-hour drive? Dinokeng is the answer.
Located in northern Gauteng, Dinokeng Game Reserve is the province’s only Big Five game reserve and is malaria-free. It offers a surprisingly wild change of scenery for somewhere so close to Johannesburg, with lions, elephants, buffalo, rhino and leopard among the wildlife found in the reserve.
One of the biggest draws is the option to explore independently. The reserve has more than 140km of self-drive routes, most of which are suitable for sedans, while guided game drives are available through accommodation providers.
A weekend here can be as active or relaxed as you like: head out early for a game drive, return for breakfast, spend the hottest part of the day at your lodge and head out again in the late afternoon. Just remember that this is a Big Five reserve, so visitors need to follow the reserve’s safety rules and remain in their vehicles except in designated areas.
Stay: The Lookout Safari Lodge is one option inside the reserve, while iKhaya LamaDube Game Lodge offers another bushveld stay.
Parys
Drive time: about 1–1½ hours from Johannesburg
Parys is proof that a small town can keep you busy for an entire weekend. Sitting on the banks of the Vaal River in the Free State, it combines antique shops, art galleries, restaurants and cafés with a surprisingly adventurous side.
Spend Saturday morning wandering through the town, stopping at independent shops and galleries before settling in for lunch. If sitting still isn’t your idea of a holiday, the Vaal River offers canoeing, fishing, power boating and river rafting, while the surrounding area has hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities.
The Vredefort Dome is another reason to add Parys to your weekend list. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was formed by a massive meteorite impact around two billion years ago and is now a landscape of ridges, valleys and outdoor activities.
Stay: River Rock Lodge, Parys South Africa is a riverside option, while The Place Boutique Guesthouse Parys On the Vaal from R1100 per room.River view ! puts you close to the town.
The Vaal River
Drive time: about 1–1½ hours, depending on where you stay
If your perfect weekend involves water, a braai and nowhere urgent to be, head towards the Vaal.
The Vaal River stretches through several towns and offers everything from riverside guesthouses and restaurants to fishing, boating, canoeing and river cruises. The Vaal Dam alone has around 880km of shoreline, making the area a popular playground for water sports.
You can make the weekend as energetic or lazy as you please. Spend Saturday on the water, book a riverside lunch and finish the day watching the sun go down, or simply bring a book and make a commitment to doing very little.
For a more adventurous weekend, the river between Parys and Christiana is known for its white-water rapids.
Cullinan
Drive time: about 1–1½ hours from Johannesburg
For something a little different, swap the city for Cullinan, the historic diamond-mining town east of Pretoria.
The village was established in the early 1900s and still has much of its Victorian character, particularly along Oak Avenue. Today, old buildings house cafés, restaurants, galleries and shops, making it an easy place to spend a leisurely Saturday wandering around.
The obvious attraction is the Cullinan Diamond Mine, where guided tours offer an insight into the area’s mining history. There are also more adventurous activities, including ziplining, abseiling, horse riding and quad biking.
It is close enough to Pretoria and Johannesburg to work as a day trip, but staying overnight gives you more time to enjoy the town once the day visitors have gone home.
Pilanesberg National Park
Drive time: around two hours, depending on traffic and your starting point
If you’re willing to push the definition of “two hours” slightly, Pilanesberg is one of the best options for a proper weekend in the bush.
The journey is longer than the other destinations on this list, but the reward is a full safari weekend without having to fly or drive all the way to the Lowveld. The park is centred around an ancient volcanic landscape and is home to a wide variety of wildlife.
It works particularly well for a two-night stay: arrive on Friday, settle into your accommodation and head out for a game drive, then spend Saturday on morning and afternoon drives before making the journey back to Johannesburg on Sunday.
If you’re planning to include Pilanesberg in a strict “within two hours” list, check the driving time from your specific starting point before booking, as traffic and your route can make a significant difference.
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