View from Giant Wheel to Jozi Express and Johannesburg in the backgroundLocated in southern Johannesburg near to the Apartheid Museum, Gold Reef City is a Disney-style theme park dedicated to the Joburg Gold Rush of the 1880s. A sprawling entertainment complex built on the site of an old gold mine, Gold Reef City also contains a huge casino and the 74-room Victorian-themed Gold Reef City Protea Hotel.
19th century Johannesburg is "recreated" with period houses, piped music, attendants in costume and a miners' "gumboot" dance. Activities for visitors include a gold pouring demonstration, gold panning and an underground mine tour of the old number 14 shaft of Crown Mines.
Most visitors probably come though for the various adventures rides including the Tower of Terror big drop, the Raging River Rapids water ride, a Ferris Wheel and the scary, high speed Anaconda roller coaster.
© Walter Knirr / City of Johannesburg Gold Reef City CasinoRounding out the facilities on offer are a number of pricey restaurants including a halal eatery in the casino, shops, African dance shows, a wedding chapel, Victorian fun fair, kiddies corner, conference center and Africa's first 4-D cinema.
Gold Reef City
Gold Reef Road
Tel: 011 248 6800
Take the M1 motorway south and turn off at the Xavier Street exit.
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 9.30am-5pm.
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