- Site Address: Northern Parkway and Data Crescent, Ormonde, Johannesburg 2159, South Africa;
- Opening hours: Wednesday - Sunday, 09:30 - 17:00, during the school holidays without days off;
- How to get there: by taxi
Gold Reef City Johannesburg is an amusement park stylized for years of gold rush. It is located near the international airport and borders the museum of apartheid , emphasizing the greatness and grief of the latter.
The idea of creating
The old gold-bearing vein of Crown Mines , where the precious metal was mined, was closed in 1971. Gold there is still, only the extraction of it is unprofitable. It occurred to a local businessman that even from this one can derive its benefits. So, in 1987, and this park appeared. It occupies a huge area - about 12 hectares. Not only underground mines are involved, but also the area nearby:
- An antique mint where you can buy souvenirs in the form of gold coins;
- street crafts with its pubs, breweries and houses of gold miners;
- the train of the late 18th and early 19th centuries;
- and much more.
For a long time underground tunnels with full stylization under the times of gold rush were at their true depth - 216 meters. However, in 2013 they were flooded, therefore, for safety, both the local population and tourists, all the scenery was raised by 135 meters. Now, to see the real gold mine and become a party to the process of remelting gold, you need to lower it only 80 meters underground.
Entourage
The clothes of all the employees of the park, as well as the staff were stylized at the end of the XIX century. The same can be said for all buildings, whether it's a cafe, a restaurant or a place where you can stay for the night.
On the territory of Gold Reef City is the Museum of gold mining. It shows gold-bearing ore and shows the process of casting precious metal into ingots.
What can I see?
Visiting this landmark will be useful for children. On the territory is the Children's Museum of Science. Here are their own excursions, different from adults. On them the child learns the location of the world's deepest gold mine.
There are also:
- racetrack;
- extreme attractions;
- 4-D cinema, equipped with the latest technology;
- casino;
- hotels and restaurants.
Separately worth noting attractions. Most of them are not for the faint-hearted tourists. But there are simpler ones, where it is safe even for children. Among the attractions for adults is worth noting:
- Anaconda (inverted hill, there are only two in the whole world).
- The Tower of Terror (falling into a gold mine from a height of 50 meters).
- Roller coaster Josie (this opens a very nice view of Johannesburg).
- The golden cycle (a sharp rise up to a height of almost 50 meters at a speed of 85 km / h and a depressing descent downwards).
- Crazy river rapids (a journey through a stormy river with waterfalls and caves).
Each tourist will find here an occupation to his liking and receive a fair amount of useful information. Visiting Gold Reef City, as well as other attractions in Johannesburg, is recommended only with a guided tour or accompanied by local guides.
Working hours and ticket price
Gold Rif City Park is open 5 days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, from 09:30 to 17:00. When school holidays take place in South Africa, the park works without days off.
The price per person with access to all entertainments is 175 ZAR. This figure is unstable and can be differentiated depending on the composition of the park you are visiting and what your age is. For example, for a family of two adults and two children, the total amount is 550 ZAR, and a student who presents a student card can rest for 150 ZAR. Children under three years can rest for free.
On what to get there?
Getting to any of Johannesburg's attractions is best served by a taxi. Despite the fact that the city is well developed with various types of public transport - the metro, buses and buses, they can be dangerous for visitors. Taxis are always ordered by phone. All machines are equipped with counters. The cost is better to negotiate with the driver in advance.
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