Martin Bo Nielsen has made Cape Town a walking destination and now wants everyone to walk through the City of Johannesburg.
“Joburg and Cape Town are beautiful places and if you want to make them walkable, you have to get people out there,” said Nielsen, owner of the Free Walking Tours in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
He founded the organisation that employs registered tour guides to provide a much-needed service to the public.
By allowing the public free tours of the city, which take place every day of the year, Nielsen aims to show people that the frightening picture painted of Johannesburg may not be as accurate as they thought.
“These walks have a really good track record,” he said. “Nothing bad has ever happened to the people who have taken them, and I think that it is important to let people know because they are always listening to stories about how unsafe it is in Joburg.”
Since the tours opened in the City of Gold, the tour guides have seen more than 500 people join in on the free-for-all fun, where they’re able to learn about all the interesting things that have taken place over the years.
“Also, Joburg has such a fantastic history to be told. There’s the rich mining history of the city and lately the story of urban decay that can be seen in the abandoned buildings.”
Joburg walking tour guests are able to choose from two informative and authentic experiences: The City Centre Tour and the Braamfontein Tour.
All tours start outside Johannesburg Park Station where the guides, holding green umbrellas printed with the words ‘Free Tours’, await the arrival of guests from 20 minutes before the tours start.
The City Centre Tour kicks off at 10.30am each day and the Braamfontein Tour starts at 3.30pm.
The tours rely on donations, so walkers can donate what they feel is a suitable amount after the comprehensive and fun tour.
Bookings are not required to take part.
Guests simply show up before the tour starts and sign up on the spot – what a wonderful way to get to know the city.
Details: joburgguides@gmail.com; www.nielsentours.co.za; Joburg Free Walking Tours on Facebook
