Gold Reef City is a mixture of theme park and museum, built around one of the most famous old mine shafts in Johannesburg.

No 14 Shaft of the Crown Mines employed 30,000 miners, reached a depth of  3 km below the surface, and produced around 1,400 tonnes of gold in its lifetime.

An interesting half hour tour will take you 220 m (720 ft) below the surface, using the original mine lifts.

Above ground the theme is a Victorian mining town, with shops, bars, and restaurants interspersed with children's rides white knuckle rides, and educational displays and demonstrations.

Gold Reef City will not appeal to everyone, but it is well done and will provide a good day out for families, or an interesting couple of hours for adults who would like to do the mine trip and a couple of the white knuckle rides.

The Theme Park Side

There are around thirty  rides in the park, with all of the traditional family favourites, from the Big Wheel to the Dodgems.

Whilst the majority of rides are aimed squarely at younger children, there are 7 real white-knuckle rides that will appeal to older thrill seekers.

These rides include the Anaconda, reputedly the largest roller coaster in the southern hemisphere, the River Rapids, and the truly terrifying-looking Tower of Terror, which involves a 47 m vertical drop into a hole in the ground ... definitely NOT for the faint-hearted!!

The Museum Side

The only attraction in the park not included in the standard entrance fee is the underground mine tour, but it is certainly worth the little bit extra. 

The free gold pouring demonstration and coin minting demonstration are also of general interest, but many of the other educational elements are designed purely for children or specialist interests. 

The Victorian mining theme also drifts a little with an eclectic mix of exhibits such as the Toilet Exhibition, The Owl Museum, and the Little Top Circus Exhibition...

For a serious museum fix, the excellent Apartheid Museum shares the same car park as Gold Reef City, but the entrance fee is separate.

Other Attractions and Entertainment

Gold Reef City Casino is open 24 hours a day and has a variety of restaurants and entertainment.

In addition to the restaurants, there are coffee shops and a Food Court with fast food outlets.

Other sightseeing tours can be arranged on a steam-train or a historical coach which will take one through the extended premises.